‘For ages 3-8. Ages 2 and under go free!’ There are few words less likely to engender optimism in this reviewer, so I was not bubbling over with enthusiasm when given the task of commenting on this show. Beshrew my pessimism, for this is a show for little’uns that has a big heart. I loved it, despite being a tad over the age of the target audience.
Devised by The Wardrobe Ensemble, The Deep Sea Seekers is crammed with clever ideas, and performed with engaging gusto by a talented trio of actors. We first meet Alph (Ben Vardy) who grabs everyone’s attention with a Q & A session on sea creatures. We learn about the difference between aquatic mammals and fishes, and it becomes clear that the young audience is not going to be patronised with simplistic language, for proper technical terms such as ‘bioluminescence’ and ‘abysmal plain’ are the order of the day.
After being introduced to an impressive machine called the ‘Ocean Cleaner 3000’, we meet Alph’s fellow seekers, Betty (Jesse Meadows) and Gammo (Jack Drewry). There is much fun with water-pistols, always a sure-fire winner with kids of this age-range, but there is a serious message, too: ‘Some people don’t throw away their rubbish properly.’ A happy balance is struck between knockabout clowning and eco-aware didacticism. The older children will engage with the ideas, while the very youngest will find much to enjoy in the dafter elements, such as Gammo’s impersonation of a puffer fish. All children will enjoy helping to drive the show along, for frequent use is made of ideas contributed by the audience. For example, having learned the appropriate hand signals that scuba divers use for ‘OK’, ‘going down’ and ‘going up’, the audience is invited to suggest a signal for ‘I need a wee’, or even ‘I want a cheese, pickle and onion sandwich’! The cast have to think quickly on the hoof, for much of this show is improvised. However, though there is much spontaneity, this is a well-structured show with a strong adventure-story narrative.
There is a great deal of vivid, descriptive language, underpinned by suitably watery sound-effects and lighting. I’m sure the younger members of today’s audience really believed that they were being taken down into the ocean’s deepest depths. The Deep Sea Seekers has been created by a team that has a very sensitive understanding of how to engage young minds. Very clever use is made of repeated gestures and phrases, and the show is technically very impressive, too. I was particularly fascinated by the way that words spoken by children in the audience were captured electronically and almost instantly transformed into the lyrics of a song.
For many in the audience, this will be their very first experience of live theatre, and I can’t imagine a better show for first-timers. I am sure that any children who see The Deep Sea Seekers will have had a rollicking good time, and they will have learned some important lessons, too. They will want to return to the theatre again and again. Bravo! ★★★★★ Mike Whitton 17th April 2019
