The Unicorn Theatre’s Artistic Director, Rachel Bagshaw, once again fills the gap in theatre for young people by presenting a production for the 9+ crowd that is neither too juvenile nor too mature. The latest offering, just in time for half-term, is Tim Crouch’s Toto Kerblammo! which invites youthful pathos and catharsis without being too brutal. My 12-year-old co-critic found it moving and engaging but did have notes on the pacing being a little slow and lacking the peaks and troughs the story demands. He described the use of headphones as a ‘gimmick’ but also found it pleasing to the senses – even if questions were raised at whether it was purely a creative, rather than a financial, choice.
From my point-of-view, this multi-rolling two-hander centred on 12-year-old Effy (Peyvand Sadeghian) and her dog Toto (Felipe Pacheco) plus three off-stage/in-your-ears characters – Aunt (Madeline Appiah), Uncle (Nick Holder), Mother (Sinead Matthews) – has the potential to grab its audience emotionally and will probably season nicely after a few performances into its run. I’m pleased it doesn’t lean into such sentimentality that the conceit of a half the cast being a rescue dog might. However, I do think Tim Crouch, in his capacity as director of his own script, should consider sharper divisions between scenes when the cast enact new characters in new moments. I don’t think he needs to go full Jamie Lloyd with screeching junctions in his sound design, but the audioscape – encouraging listening with rain and birdsong – whilst adding a beautiful and dreamy quality also risks potentially confusing us in the basic plotting. It is perhaps the tone and the pace of the pre-recorded elements that don’t quite mesh with the necessarily variable energy of the actors live on stage. Nonetheless, the pauses enforced upon us through listening, “really listening” – as the voice in our ears asks – is powerful and effective.
Sadeghian gives a strong performance, and we are shown her conflicts both on stage and through our ears. Pacheco, playing two roles, shows mighty stage presence in both and brings much to his canine character but could be a bit more decisive as Noah – something I suspect will emerge after a few more performances. Lily Arnold’s simple but clever set serves the action pleasingly and Ingrid Mackinnon’s movement design is sharp and brave and extremely well enacted by the cast.
Toto Kerblammo! is intriguing and gratifying even if it is not necessarily a new classic – it’s different and worth exploring with your older primary school/younger senior school children this half term.
Review by Mary Beer
Toto Kerblammo! is a tender and powerful story about listening, friendship and finding hope in the darkest of places. At the heart of the story is Effy, who is sent to live with her aunt and uncle in a block that doesn’t allow gods. What’s a girl to do? She smuggles her furry friend Toto in, of course. But it can’t last forever. Effy needs saving. And Toto is up to the task.
CAST
Felipe Pacheco – Noah/Toto
Peyvand Sadeghian – Effy
Madeline Appiah – Aunt (voice)
Nick Holder – Uncle (voice)
Sinéad Matthews – Mother (voice)
CREATIVES
Writer and Director – Tim Crouch
Designer – Lily Arnold
Sound Designer and Composer – Helen Skiera
Lighting Designer – Will Monks
Movement Director – Ingrid Mackinnon
Associate Sound Designer and Sound Operator – Deanna H. Choi
Sound Associate – Mike Winship
TOTO KERBLAMMO!
6 October to 3 November 2024
Unicorn Theatre, 147 Tooley Street, London SE1 2HZ
