Bambert’s Book of Lost Stories

Bambert’s Book of Lost Stories
Adapted by Dan Giovannoni & Luke Kerridge, from Bamberts Buch der vershollenen Geschichten by Reinhardt Jung. Barking Gecko Theatre Company. Director: Luke Kerridge. Playhouse, QPAC. 11-15 October 2017

Bambert’s Book of Lost Stories is charming, imaginative theatre. Based on the award-winning German book written in 1998 by Reinhardt Jung, the plot finds Bambert, an impossibly small man, living above a grocer shop and obsessed with writing. One day he realises his stories have no home because nobody has ever read them so he sends them out into the world via balloon hoping they will be returned.

When they come back with postage stamps from Spain, England, Russia and Poland it gives rise to a colourful on-stage enactment of the tales using puppetry and live actors. Waxworks come to life in London, a Spanish Princess unsuccessfully seeks a Prince, a shaft of sunlight frees imprisoned Russian political writers, and children are forced to march through snow in Poland during World War Two.

Like the masterful stories of the Grimm Brothers, Jung does not shy away from the darkness in the everyday, but Dan Giovannoni’s adaptation and Luke Kerridge’s direction smoothly negotiates the emotional terrain with humour and heart.

Main puppeteer Tim Watts is responsible for giving life to the tiny Bambert, manipulating his legs and arms and giving voice to his guttural growls. He also departs the puppeteer desk to create an outlandish Spanish king and an austere Lord Byron.

Doubling up on multiple characters are Amanda McGregor, Jo Morris and Nick Maclaine, who offer strong support as actors and puppeteers, with Igor Sas as the kindly grocer Mr Bloom who acts as a narrator.

Jonathon Oxlade’s design was exquisite - everything from the shop-interior with its quirky nooks and crannies and staircase, to the paper Chinese lantern-type balloons which carry Bambert’s stories to foreign lands.

Also ticking the perfect box was Chris Donnelly’s lighting and Ian Moorhead’s moody sound-scape.

Bambert’s Book of Lost Stories won the 2016 Helpmann Award for Best Children’s Presentation. It deserved to. It’s an original and unique piece of theatre and best of all exalts in the power of the written word.

Peter Pinne

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