Fringe Online 2020
The Donkey and the Rooster
Tara Arts
Genre: Children's Theatre, One Person Show, Storytelling
Venue: Wandsworth Arts Fringe
Festival: Fringe Online
Low Down
One of series of stories for children, this one is told directly to camera by Nitin Ganatra. We hear of the well-known tale of how donkey and rooster went off on an adventure where they managed to scare off the king of the jungle.
Review
This is a classic tale, classically told with only an actor speaking directly to camera, trying to keep us engaged. He does so with great skill. The story itself has all the elements of danger and surprise wrapped up with an engaging storyteller able to inform and educate as well as simply tell a really good story.
There are sections where the storyteller physically moves from being in one place to another, to keep us on our toes but there is never less than the type of engagement that those of us who remember the schools television of yesteryear, the Jackanory of times past and the joy of just hearing well-crafted takes can reminisce about but we now do so in the company of those who know how to tell it the way it ought to be told.
With the change of venue to move the narrative onwards, the easy manner that has been well directed means that we have the narrative to drive our interest rather than a series of tricks and balances to be contemplating. It is its simplicity which ensures its charm.
Many years ago as a young primary school teacher I was excited to see that many of the reading books being issued to us included tales not native to the west coast of Scotland. It was an opportunity, I felt, to widen the knowledge base of our children. Unfortunately, I never felt up to the task because I was not culturally aware enough to make them come alive as they ought. Had I had this as my visual aid, there would have been a better approach and one which would have had a wider significance and increased benefit for my pupils.
