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Noddy's Easter Escapade Scripted by David Fick. Musical Direction by Garth Tavares. Choreography by Donna McLaggan. Directed by Marléne Pieterse. Synopsis NODDY'S EASTER ESCAPADE sees the Toyland folk, including Noddy, Big Ears and Mr Plod, out to stop the devious Sly and Gobbo Goblin from stealing Belinda Bunny's winged shoes. Belinda has to deliver Easter eggs to children all over the world, and without her special shoes, she can't get the eggs to the children. There is also a surprise visit from the Easter Bunny and his sidekick before the fun subsides. Cast Mandisa Tiso (Noddy), Lungisa Pinda (Big Ears), Cuan Louw (Oscar, the Easter Bunny), Donna McLaggan (Mr Plod), Almareth du Preez (The Herald), Tammany Barton (Sly Goblin), Charl Hattingh (Gobbo Goblin), Candice Caalsen (Belinda Bunny). Press THE HERALD – 2 April 2003 WITH this lively look at the characters created by beloved children’s author Enid Blyton, David Fick gets back on the track he first successfully travelled with Snow White 18 months ago. His Thumbelina last Christmas tended to play more like a mini-Broadway musical, but this time out he again hits the children’s theatre target in the bull’s-eye. Noddy’s Easter Escapade revolves around the naughty goblins, Sly and Gobbo, stealing the winged shoes for which Belinda Bunny has worked so hard over the years so that she can join the Easter Bunny’s special egg delivery squad. And when the two baddies capture Belinda, Noddy and Big Ears, the long arm of Toyland’s law in the person of Police Constable Mr Plod, stretches out to apprehend them. With further characters in the Easter Bunny and his mute, miming Herald also on the scene, it all adds up to a crisp, highly entertaining 50 minutes. The fun is laced with several catchy, well-sung (kudos to Garth Tavares here) and well-staged musical numbers – many of them years old but suiting the points in the action at which they are introduced to a T. Marlene Pieterse, as usual, uses the entire open-air theatre as her stage and, with Fick involving the young audience far more than in Thumbelina, they help the good guys sort out the villains as the show builds towards its finish. In her uniformly talented cast, Pieterse uses some new young Stageworld faces in the tiny-framed but big-voiced Mandisa Tiso, who is perfect as Noddy, Lungisa Pinda, who adds some welcome physical stature as Big Ears, and Cuan Louw, as the really energetic Easter Bunny. The more experienced Donna McLaggan, who also stages the numbers to excellent effect using simple dance steps, plays Mr Plod with Almareth du Preez outstanding in the silent yet important role of the Herald. The two comic baddies are brilliantly teamed with Tammany Barton, a regular award-winner in past Stageworld shows, playing the brighter Sly Goblin with suitably sneaky vocal delivery and attitude and newcomer Charl Hatingh’s neatly balancing her as the dumb-bell, Gobbo. Finally, there is Candice Caalsen as the Bo Peep-style clad Belinda Bunny, who combines acting ability with a terrific singing voice and stage presence. With the well sung musical numbers including such standards as Put On a Happy Face, Fred Astaire’s Shoes with Wings On, Disney’s Zip-a-Dee-Doo Dah and Cole Porter’s Friendship, it’s a case of fun for the tinies throughout, helped by Almareth du Preez and Candice Taalman’s decor and Debbie du Plessis and Brenda Ower’s costumes. With the firm Pieterse guiding hand evident throughout, this is fine fare for younger children in the school holidays. And it’s coming back at Easter! Picture Gallery
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