Whale of a time

While grown-ups can nod appreciatively at the Pullmanesque parallels with the great battle for the soul of man which are never far below the surface, the kids can enjoy the suspense, the spooky bits and the sheer fun. I can envisage kids all over the Midlands devising ways of making an off-centre see-saw in their gardens which they can use as a 'boat' the way Daniel and Gracie do when they go fishing.

It's one of the many little bits of stage magic which turn this one-set show into something special, something resembling the sort of dressing-up games that youngsters play every day: a wooden crate becomes a school bench, a stick a machine gun, whale song and bird cries come from the performers.

It's very moving and great fun by turns - hiding washed-up timber from the Customs man smacks of Whiskey Galore (executed with great comic timing by the wonderful ensemble cast) and the finale has more than a hint of The Railway Children climax about it. And there's a nod to a Narnian unicorn along the way.

Director and adaptor Greg Banks has done a terrific job of boiling down the essentials of the narrative for a cast of six (the teacher changes sex, as in some High School Musical adaptations) and musical director Thomas Johnson has come up with some haunting motifs which at certain points almost become part of the dialogue. An on-stage cellist performs the score (the excellent Alison George when we saw the show, also using sax and flute).

Alison Fitzjohn and BSC regular Thomas Woodman display splendid versatility and sing wonderfully and Andrew Thompson is straight out of an Ealing Comedy as the Customs snooper.

Chris Llewellyn as the spooky Birdman would probably do better than Pete Postlethwaite as Lear at Liverpool's Everyman, by all accounts. His acting skill, emotional range and effectiveness is not in doubt, but I think his beard and hair would be more convincing with a liberal sprinkling of grey. No one with facial hair this vibrant is going to be that weak, foot dragging a la Keyser Söze or not.

Jay Quinn and Eliza Caitlin Parkes (pictured) are a joy as the children at the heart of the adventure, combining the feel of children playing out a game with narrative asides in the voice of an all-knowing author to explain the action - a very effective dramatic technique.

Why the Whales Came runs until January 24 in Birmingham before embarking on an extensive tour. It's a text that many Year 5 pupils will encounter, but it's accessible and enjoyable for age 7 upwards. This bus pass holder loved it.

Book on 0121 303 2323 or 0121 605 4444 or online at www.birminghamboxoffice.co.uk