Lubbock Community Theatre’s production of “Aesop’s (Oh So Slightly) Updated Fables” premiered this weekend. The show was written by Kim Esop Wylie and directed by Nicole Caddel.
This was my first children’s play since… well I’m not sure exactly. I know I saw a production of “Alice in Wonderland” but that was easily 15 or more years ago. It was well before I had any of my own children, for sure.
It is most definitely a kids play; the cast is all kids and a lot of the crew (including lights and sound!). The jokes and humor throughout were designed for and aimed at kids.
That might sound like a negative, but I assure you it is not.
It felt like a school play, except it was really funny and you could tell the kids involved wanted to be there. I enjoyed myself quite a bit and laughed, sang, and even danced a little (it’s an interactive show!). It probably helps that I have two sons at home who are 5 & 7 so I’m used to the style of humor children are into these days. I’m not sure that a 20-something single person would have been able to connect enough to it to really dig it, but I could be wrong.
The play itself is broken up into five smaller stories, The Dog and the Bone; The Tortoise and the Hare; The Lion and the Mouse; The Fox and the Grapes; The Miller, His Son, and the Donkey; andThe Country Maid.
Some stories are stronger than others, but that’s to be expected with any anthology style show. They all had their own charms, though, and you could tell the cast was having a ton of fun. There were a couple of times when I’m pretty sure a line was dropped, or someone missed a queue, but it came across as endearing more than anything.
My favorite part was the chickens. They introduced each story and were just so dang cute. The chickens, played by Gwendolyn Johnson and Danika Parr, were able to engage with the audience and pulled off some impressive improvisations. Later in the play they get to be in one of the stories too, but I loved when they broke the fourth wall and just talked to the audience.
The interactive aspect of the show was not something I knew going into it, but you are initiated into the experience during the first story when the Cat Narrator, played by Azlynn Pinner, walks you through it. So if a character in the show asks you a question, you better be ready to respond! This might include saying a word the cat is uncomfortable with (“Scab”) or singing and dancing with the chickens.
Director Caddel’s ability to get good performances out of the cast was impressive. I’ve never had to direct kids for anything, but I’ve tried to get my sons to pick up their toys, so I can’t imagine it’s easy.
The set wasn’t elaborate, but it was able to convey an atmosphere very fitting for the subject matter. I really enjoyed how the stage hands waved to the audience every time they had to move an object on or off the stage. I don’t know if that was their idea or not, but it was really funny.
There were a few problems with vocal projection. The theatre at LCT is an alright size, but I was on the second row and had trouble hearing a few of the actors without really listening. I don’t know if the back rows would have been able to hear. This might have been opening night jitters and will hopefully get stronger as the show goes.
I would recommend this show to anyone with kids, anyone who was recently or is still a kid, or for people who want to know what it is going to be like to live with a kid.
Also, as a person who has had to come home and tell my parents about the not-so-coveted part I got in a few plays in high school, I want to give a special shout out to Dakota Boyles who plays a Pond during the first story. It’s hilarious.
The show will play this weekend and next at 7:30 on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and at 2:30 on Sunday at Lubbock Community Theatre, located at 4230 Boston.
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