The Burton Taylor Studio, just behind Oxford Playhouse, has never let me down when it comes to kids’ shows. Snowflakes, adapted by Cerrie Burnell of CBeebies renown from her own book and directed by Tina Williams, is no exception. Some rather nice songs, enthusiastic and adroit performances from its cast of three, and well-judged amounts of audience participation add up to a sweet little Christmassy treat for the under-sevens.
On the way in, each child is given a wooden snowflake bauble (they will end up decorating the large Christmas tree at the back of the stage). The usual floor-cushion seats are scattered around for children (and willing parents) to perch on. Burnell’s story is an easy-to-get but rather clever tale of a city kid called Mia who moves to her grandmother’s cottage in the countryside and feels very much out of place. “Snowflake”, here, suggests the idea that everyone is different, but equally perfect.
The story has a fairytale element, and when Mia becomes lost in the woods everything gets a little Red Riding Hood. But the jeopardy and peril are very minimal, and in any case the kids in the audience appeared to reserve a lot of interest for the wooden animal puppets: a dog and three very pecky chickens. My kids, aged four and six, did their level best to give them a stroke whenever they came near – as well as scooping up handfuls of “snow” whenever the opportunity presented itself. Their overall verdict? “Amazing!”
Of the cast members, it’s Antony Antunes who looks after most of the puppeteering and scene-shifting, as well as acting as narrator and playing one of the village kids; he gets through a lot of heavy lifting, as it were. Kate Winder does a nice job as the grandma. And the show looks to have unearthed a bit of a star in its lead performer, Nazerene Williams, who plays Mia with just the right amount of engaging, childlike charm.
It’s an ideal Christmas show: gentle, meaningful and – above all – snowy.
•Snowflakes is at the Burton Taylor Studio, Oxford Playhouse, until 31 December. Box office: 01865 305 305.
