REVIEW: A BIRTHDAY FOR BEAR by Jessica Elisa Boyd at Upstairs at the Gatehouse until 9 June 2024

‘Skilful sound effects, an adorable flexible set, and audience engagement make this show all round good fun’ ★★★ ½

Bears seem to take on a very genial, and even jovial, role in children’s literature (unlike the villainous wolf). This Bear (Duane Gooden), however, doesn’t like birthdays and gets into a humph about it when Mouse (Katie Pritchard) tries to celebrate his birthday, (amusingly forcefully at times).

The three-person cast is well orchestrated in their roles. Mouse is played with an excited pitch by Pritchard, who squeals with delight at the idea of birthdays, in contrast to Bear’s comedically frustrated appeals to diminish these displays of affection. The story is simple, but it allows space for interactivity (though the dumping of the sweepings from the floor on the audience surprised me), audience engagement, songs, and even accents are employed (an American clown with generational links to clowning, and a French postman). A stuffed rabbit and gnome are used interchangeably with the real-life creatures to give the illusion of translocation.

Live music was skilfully performed on the piano (Hannah Francis Baker) and the pianist also seamlessly portrayed a gnome and other roles as needed. Her sound effects were one of the highlights of the show, doing a memorable window-cleaning sound for Bear. All the characters had solid singing voices and though the songs were not particularly memorable, they were enjoyable enough in the moment for the children.

The adorable, flexible set that represents the inside and the outside of the house, an area for washing dishes, and a fireplace, make this an inviting place to be. Children were given paper designs to colour which became cards for Bear’s birthday. With a culmination of an electrically- powered bubble show, what is a child (or their grownup) not to like?

The intimacy of the space, the access to the stage made this an enjoyable show for young kids and sharing the 4-year-old perspective (that of my daughter), it was all-around good fun.

A BIRTHDAY FOR BEAR

Upstairs at the Gatehouse 21 May – 9 June

Box Office https://www.upstairsatthegatehouse.com/

Performed by Duane Gooden, Katie Pritchard, Hannah Francis Baker

Based on Book by Bonny Becker

Adapted and Directed by Jessica Elisa Boyd

Music by Eamon O’Dwyer

Reviewed by Mariam Mathew