The Harbinger

Poisoned apples, a locked chest, an old, old man in an abandoned bookshop in the middle of a bleak windswept city, a mystery, a love story, a tragedy—the haunting magic realism in The Harbinger will enchant lovers of a good, gothic fairy tale.  

From the beginning your curiosity is whet by mystery—why is the old man so intent on destroying his books page by page? Where has the girl come from, and why is she won’t she talk? Old Albert tells his stories, which are brought to life through smaller puppets in mini-sets created by clever lighting and pop-ups and drop downs from bookshelves and ghostly shadows thrown by a hand-held, moving torch through cardboard cut outs.

The puppeteering is slick and accomplished, and the puppets themselves are fabulous creations. Old Albert is huge and requires four operators to move all his parts. At times he folds origami with his large spidery fingers, which involves incredibly complex fine motor skills and co-ordination.  The one live actor plays the girl beautifully, conveying frightened innocence without a word.

This thoughtful fairy tale is magical enough to enthral adults and children alike, although it may frighten some children under 12.

Cathy Bannister