Big Ups

The Arden does a lot of good work, but there's something special about their children's shows.

by David Anthony Fox

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Published: Dec 6, 2006

The Arden does a lot of good work, but there's something special about their children's shows. Producing artistic director Terry Nolen and his team love this material so palpably, their enthusiasm is contagious. Only minutes into The BFG, I knew the Arden had another BFH (that's Big Fat Hit, of course).

The play is based on Roald Dahl's beloved classic, in which an orphan girl named Sophie bonds with the titular Big Friendly Giant, who (unlike so many of his fairy-tale ilk) is kind and generous and a committed vegetarian. Alas, BFG is also easily bullied by a number of enormous and nasty carnivores, who will pursue him and Sophie to the ends of the earth (well, at least London) in search of a midnight snack. How our dynamic duo makes it to Buckingham Palace is a cracking good story that I won't reveal here.

Director Whit MacLaughlin (an Arden children's show veteran) and adapter David Wood have given us a myriad of marvelous details, and charm by the bucketful. Being the grumbly sort, I'll also offer two minor quibbles (both of which might to others be positives). The BFG is pretty much expunged of scariness. Also, Wood's version sets the story within a framing device, wherein a group of children at a birthday party are enacting — with their parents' help, as well as some nifty puppets — the BFG story. That's one too many layers for me, but it does let MacLaughlin play with size and scale in a simply amazing way. And Aaron Cromie's puppets and masks — from an adorably diminutive Sophie, to several large creepies — are entrancing.

So is the cast that manipulates them. Multiple ensemble roles are handled with verve by an A-team that includes Kala Moses Baxter, Jared Michael Delaney, Ben Dibble, Miriam A. Hyman, Jeb Kreager and Catharine K. Slusar. Special mention must go to Maggie Lakis (Sophie) who is an accomplished puppeteer and a winningly winsome actress. And, as the BFG himself, Peter Pryor is wondrous. He's completely at home with Dahl's clever language ("disgustrous," "sickable" and "maggotwise" are three of my favorite adjectives) and altogether loveable. What an exceptional talent Pryor is! Put this performance together with his Richard III last year, and you'll know you're watching a protean actor at the top of his game.

Topping it all off are Richard St. Clair's lovely costumes, and Lewis Folden's dazzling jumble of a set. I recently returned from seeing a certain Disney musical upon which banks of money have been lavished. In no sense did it equal The BFG, which tells you that great theater is based on talent, heart and imagination.

(d_fox@citypaper.net)

The BFG

Through Jan. 21, Arden Theatre, 40 N. Second St., 215-922-1122, www.ardentheatre.org

 

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