Children's Express journalists review what's on offer at the 2001 Belfast Festival at Queens.
| The wide range of skills and talent used to develop the shadow play kept the audience engaged and enthralled. |
The festival brochure talks about puppets, so you could be forgiven for thinking Punch and Judy and also be in for a major shock when you see the spectacular Theft of Sita presented by the London International Festival of Theatre on November 6.
Intricately designed shadow-puppets dance about on a white screen, telling a modern version of an ancient, Indonesian epic about a kidnapping, a daring rescue and the triumph of good over evil. It was a mad tale that was funny, sad and enchanting all at the same time.
Although the story-line was not immediately obvious, the wide range of artistic skills and talent used to develop the shadow play kept the audience engaged and enthralled. And then there was the music - the voice of Sita (the kidnapped wife) was amazing, her singing was incredibly beautiful and soothing.
It also manages to slip in the injustice of a whole forest being cut down, all the wood being made into toilet paper and the space where the forest used to stand being made into a modern day city.
The scene I liked most was when a stag found a doe dying in the forest; it was heartbreaking and the music really pulled on my emotions. In terms of puppetry this scene was masterful.
The set was brilliant, the puppets looked great and the music was fantastic. The Theft of Sita is a must see for anyone interested in shadow-puppets or music but to be honest it may not be for the younger audience; the novelty of shadow-puppets wears off after a while and scenes become awfully similar.
Also the seats at the Whitla Hall were uncomfortable and it went on for a little too long.
But overall, the Theft of Sita really is a beautiful story presented in an interesting way, the adults in the audience seemed to really enjoy it.
About the team
This article was produced by Orlaith Graham Wood, 13, Amy Magowan Greene, 13 and Myles McCormack, 11. It was published on the Belfast Festival website.
