The Unlikely Friendship of Feather Boy and Tentacle Girl is a children’s show with a rather wonderful title and a pair of even more wonderful performers whose acrobatics and gravity-defying movements create a truly magical experience.
The show is part of the Made in Scotland showcase and is produced by Catherine Wheels, a long-established theatre company who specialise in children and young people’s shows. It was originally commissioned by Imaginate in association with the National Theatre of Scotland and performed at the Edinburgh International Children’s Festival, giving it impeccable credentials and backing from organisations who know quality when they see it.
Vee Smith and Sadiq Ali give spectacular performances in the titular roles, sometimes speaking with lyrical words and with the added bonus of integrated signing. So integrated was the BSL interpreter that they were suspended from the ceiling with the performers, initially. They engage us with their shyness and, as they grow in confidence, their aerial acrobatics build and build.
The soundscape from Guy Veale was pitched beautifully, with lighting by Jamie Heseltine picking out the moods, and a simple but effective set by Jen McGinley. The clever use of fans, feathers, draped backdrop, shadows and costumes all contributed towards creating this magical world. Yet the story of The Unlikely Friendship of Feather Boy and Tentacle Girl was simplicity itself: a friendship that grows, builds their confidence, and helps them become who they want to be.
The pole acrobatics, rope work, lifts (I’m not even sure what the technical term is for some of it), and the sheer virtuosity of both performers enraptured us with ‘Oohs’ and ‘Aahs’ and gasps of delight as they dropped suddenly from heights or spun in circles on a pole like magic. Movement Director Junior Cunningham and Consultant Dramaturg Robert Alan Evans have helped Smith and Ali polish The Unlikely Friendship of Feather Boy and Tentacle Girl into a very special show. In fact, there are just too many creatives to mention in this review, but you can tell there has been considerable teamwork to build this spectacular experience.
I may not be a child, but I felt as excited and enthralled as one for a glorious hour.
