Cautionary Tales for Children

Cautionary Tales for Children is a wonderfully dark and ironic, lively vibrant work.  This staged performance, based on the verse of Hilaire Belloc, is beautifully rendered by Arena Theatre and performed with entertaining aplomb by Virginia Gay, with Mark Jones on the Piano.  There is never a dull moment as one segment just flows into the next.

In one sense Cautionary Tales for Children is a museum piece as Belloc’s verse was written in 1909.  The set made up of metal edged glass cabinets filled with curios, many of them preserved in jars, seems like a sort of quirky private museum with a slightly gothic feel.   Everything is inclined to teeter a bit and feels a bit unstable – adding to the magic.

One would expect this old material to be dated, but Gay’s rendering is not in the least bit quaint - it is bold, engaging and very funny.   She sparkles as she commands her audience with warmth and humour, and channels Belloc, singing her way through stories of poorly behaved children who come to very sticky/nasty ends. 

There was barely a restless moment.  This is perhaps surprising as it is a sophisticated work based on material containing complex and challenging vocabulary - that mercifully has not been patronizingly dumbed down.     

Consummate performer Gay has such a grand control of her material.  She appears to be having the best time in performance and uses her singing voice, with its impressive range, to great effect.  She displays a very quick wit and is able to divert from the scripted to improvise in conversation with the children in the audience.

According to my 7 year old plus one the ventriloquist’s dummy really is a bit scary – if you are a kid anyway.

For the more sensitive child Gay’s wacky Bellocian character could be a bit daunting which leaves me wondering if the seating arrangement of kids on cushions in the front below such a formidable force is really the best way to go.  Cushions imply safety and comfort and looking up to a standing actor, who is elevated could be a little overwhelming.   Whereas from the more evenly balanced position of being placed opposite, sitting on a chair, for a child, may feel more secure and comfortable.

This work is so fabulous and fun I imagine it could have new incarnations for a several more very successful seasons.  It would make a great touring piece for school holiday sessions in regional and rural towns.

Rush to it if a chance comes up.

Suzanne Sandow

Photo credit: Jolyon James