The Creakers
Based on Tom Fletcher’s book of the same name ‘The Creakers’ as a magical, spooky adventure for all the family. Playing at the Southbank Centre this winter we take a journey to Whiffington where something strange is happening! The adults have disappeared, and the kids soon realise being left to their own devices maybe isn’t as fun as they first thought. Our protagonist Lucy takes it upon herself to save the day along with the help of her friends as she adventures into the world of the Creakers and teaches us all an important lesson along the way.
The show starts with and eerie atmosphere before opening to a bright comic book style town, with larger-than-life characters. We find ourselves on ‘Clutter Avenue’ where Lucy lives with her father in a house made of cardboard, scaffolding and seemingly odds and ends her father has found at his job at the town dump. A highlight of the piece is the set design from Andrew Exeter, it is mostly made from recycled materials such as a moon made from a boat sail, light up clouds covered in tarpaulin and a sun with recycled bottles, which gives is a beautiful rustic feel while also feeling they have been pulled straight from a child’s imagination.
It would be impossible to review this show without mentioning the music, written by Tom Fletcher of Mcfly it of course has a very pop feel to it as a score. There are a few more rock-style songs mixed in and although they do help drive the story forward and bring some light and shade to the piece, they are overall very forgettable songs.
The performances are all well done, the cast work well together to bring this fictional world to life. The ‘Creakers’ are highly talented in both puppetry and vocal skill. It’s very much an ensemble piece though there are some stand out performances, Ally Kennard as Norman gives the perfect representation of a kid who struggles to fit in and find their place. His vocal talent is unmatched in the cast and his big solo number ‘Badges’ is great fun! Iona Fraser is a delight as ‘Ella’ spoiled rich girl who realises there is more to life than material objects. Ella is funny and adds a great comic relief to the piece.
This is a show for kids, it’s simple and easy to follow and it visually engaging so perfect for the little ones in your life. It does however feel long in places and there is little character development across the piece. It would be good to see some character arcs or changed behaviour from lessons learned by them.
This show was reviewed on the 28th December 2024 at the Queens Hall, Southbank Centre, London where it runs until the 5th January 2025. Tickets available here: https://thecreakersmusical.com/
Review written by Rosie Browne
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Photo credit: Craig Sugden
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