Review: The Magic Carpet
David Farr was made artistic director of the Lyric Hammersmith in June 2005 and his season kicked off in September 2005. He’s embarked on an ambitious programme in 2006 which includes Nights at the Circus – an adaptation of an Angela Carter Story by Emma Rice of Kneehigh and Tom Morris (ex-BAC); and Farr’s own version of the Odyssey.
For Christmas, he brings us The Magic Carpet by Farr and Ben Hopkins (and also The Magic Lamp for younger children – a puppet show with Steve Tilapdy of Little Angel, which looks great).
I think most children (and plenty of adults) will like this show. There’s a lot of action. There’s comedy. There are many references to stories and to panto (look behind you) children will know, like those in the Arabian nights. It’s definitely better than your average panto.
Two thieves led by their patron magpies have to save the world from a magician gone bad, Du Shao. Du Shao used to be a wonderful musician but he lost his ability to play and now hates all music and wants silence to descend on the world. To do this, he needs to obtain his father’s magic lamp, but it’s been stolen along with the flying carpet by the thieves.
The thieves have a great relationship which develops from mistrust into love. Miloshin (Stephen Mangan) is macho and arrogant; “I only steal because it’s fun”. Zhivta (Sharon Duncan-Brewster) is independent and bold. Very charismatic. The story cracks on at a fair pace and Farr’s direction and Angela Davies’ design work superbly. There’s transformation after transformation, often simple, almost always surprising.
For very restless children, there may be a touch too much exposition at times, however part of the restlessness may be if a child gets stuck in a seat behind an adult. Most seats at the Lyric give a good view, but the seating is something to think and ask about if you are bringing lots of children.
There are flying carpets, magic lamps, desert kings, music, dancing gerbils, sword fights and death defying love. It’s all you need for Christmas.
The niggles: was there really huge sexual innuendo between the thieves when they were trying to untie themselves? If so, it made me uncomfortable especially around so many children – precocious ones or not; with places of so much exposition, the play never really relaxed and perhaps a bit less exposition would be more satisfying.
Until January 14, book here or call box office: 08700 500511.
[Disclaimer: links are for ease, I don't gain anything from the Lyric but I did get a reviewer's ticket.]
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About me
I'm a playwright and investment analyst. I have a broad range of interests: food, gardening, innovation & intellectual property, sustainability, architecture & design, writing and the arts. I sit on the board of Talawa Theatre Company and advise a CIS investment trust on socially responsible investments.
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Recent Work
Recent plays include, for theatre: Nakamitsu, Yellow Gentlemen, Lost in Peru, Lemon Love. For radio: Places in Between (R4), Patent Breaking Life Saving (WS).
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Nakamitsu
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Yellow Gentlemen
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