Lilian Baylis studio, Sadler’s Wells, London
Full of dancey japes, games and satisfyingly tactile characters, BalletLorent have created an enjoyably gentle adaptation of Margery Williams’ classic story
British audiences might not be as familiar as Americans with Margery Williams’ 1922 children’s book The Velveteen Rabbit but it’s a classic for a reason. The story of a soft toy rabbit, first overlooked in favour of shiny mechanical toys but ultimately loved by its owner so deeply that the toy rabbit becomes real.
Liv Lorent and dance company BalletLorent have created a gentle adaptation, the story told in voiceover (by actor Ben Crompton) woven with scenes of dancey japes and games. We’re given the tale in hindsight, the boy now a man, remembering his much-loved toys. In fact there are almost two stories, one about the boy and his toy rabbit’s enduring love, the other about the rabbit wanting to become real. It doesn’t make for an entirely satisfying arc.
