FAIRY TREE BY ROD GOODALL

BLUE TEAPOT THEATRE

REVIEW BY JUDY MURPHY

Big questions that have flummoxed great minds for centuries were answered in a magical fashion in Blue Teapot’s latest production, Fairy Tree, which premiered in the company’s city centre theatre space last week.

This is a show that explains why we humans touch wood for luck; put children’s milk teeth under pillows for the fairies to collect; and, also, why we tell fairy tales.

The biggest question of all – why do we bring trees into our houses in the deep mid-winter? – is also answered in this warm, witty production from Blue Teapot, a company that puts people with intellectual disabilities centre stage.

Fairy Tree was written by Rod Goodall, formerly of Footsbarn and Macnas Theatre, and he features onstage, along with six actors from the company, all under his direction.

It’s mid-winter and the town’s mayor Kieran Coppinger, his wife Mrs Mayor (Valerie Egan) and their fellow townspeople Jess (Jenny Cox), Rachel (Grace O’Brien), and the curmudgeonly Cyril (Goodall) have a big decision to make after discovering three fairies in the forest. These creatures are so cold they’ve stuck to the tree in which they live.

The fairies are brilliantly played, using hand-puppets, by Michael Hayes (The King), Paul Connolly (Ruthgar) and Cathal Scott Reynolds (Rosie). In addition to being frozen, they’re hungry and afraid of the dark, and they complain dramatically about their plight.

The townswomen decide the fairies need to be given shelter indoors. The wonderfully self-important Mr Mayor is reasonably amenable while the grumpy Cyril wants to leave them outside.

Naturally, the women win the argument – and once the fairies move indoors, the interaction between these creatures and their human hosts is hilarious. There’s music, dancing, jollity and lots of chocolate.

Eventually, though, Cyril can’t cope with their partying and even the more welcoming humans begin to feel exhausted. The fairies, however, are happy indoors. So, when Cyril tells them it’s time to move on, they won’t budge.

It takes the townswomen, diplomatic, respectful and practical, to strike a deal in which the fairies agree to leave. Their negotiations involve milk teeth, fairy tales, touching wood, and trees being brought in to people’s homes during the deep mid-winter. The negotiation scene is beautiful, played with humour and mischief – and the timing is superb, as it is throughout.

Initially reserved, the opening-night audience are soon seduced into playing their part, doing so with gusto and particularly enjoying Stephen Johnston’s catchy songs.

The set of Fairy Tree is dominated by the magnificent spruce in which the fairies live, with additional colour being provided by streamers, tinsel, a balloon, clever lighting and the memorable puppets, designed by Charmian Goodall who’s also responsible for the costumes. Jason Scott’s sound design, meanwhile, is subtle and highly effective.

Warm, life-affirming, imaginative and mischievous, Fairy Tree is a gorgeous, uplifting piece, beautifully performed. Hopefully it will return next year.