| Performance Details | Venue: York Theatre Royal Dates: 4 - 15 July 2006 Tickets: £4.00 - £6.00 Box office: 01904 623568 |
My daughter Molly and I were ushered into the cosy and intimate Studio, where we were met by the cast members. All three of them. The story of The girl Who Lost Her Smile is set in Baghdad, and the actors threw themselves into their roles with gusto. They created magic; a linen basket became a dragon, strips of ribbon became fire, and scarves seemed to turn into sumptuous rolls of silk. However, Jehan, who used to be very smiley, wakes up one morning to find she has lost her smile. Her good friend the Hoopoe bird tries in vain to help her friend find her errant smile. The brave little Hoopoe bird nearly gives herself a heart attack, trying to cheer up Jehan. She shows Jehan wondorous things, but still no smile. She cajoles and dances around her, but still no smile. | "the urge I had to poke Jehan and tell her to lighten up had to be suppressed" | |
I must admit I was starting to get a little concerned for Jehan, I was grinning from ear to ear, and I saw no reason why she shouldn't be grinning either. I was having a wonderful time, and her friends were trying so hard to cheer her up - she could at least have given the ghost of a smile. But it was no use, nothing worked. I was beginning to wonder if she might be a little depressed. Then the Hoopoe bird brings in one final person, and lo and behold, Jehan finds her smile! No, she wasn't smiling because it was her doctor with a handful of prozac - you will have to see it yourself to discover why. I had to remind myself that it was a play for children, and the urge I had to poke Jehan and tell her to lighten up had to be suppressed. I know that life isn't all about happy endings, but Molly who is 10 was definitely expecting one. As she finished munching her tube of Smarties and licking her fingers clean there were smiles all round. Wendy Barton O'Neill | 
