The Sanity Clause Pegasus Theatre |
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When the holiday season sets
in and captures the hearts of the masses, an air of childhood innocence
seems to come along with it. The Oxford Youth Theatre's production
of "The Sanity Clause" seems to capture the essence of this
innocence, with onstage antics that make it impossible for the audience
to blink for an instant. Later, the perfect town is infested with rats and they are in need of a solution. The once cast away baby is now eighteen and ready for the challenge. His homecoming presents humorous results and a side plot love story that rounds the production out, touching all possible emotions. As a whole, the production is nothing short of impressive. The Oxford Youth Theatre troupe are a talented group of performers, and, as their leaflet reveals, they not only act out the script onstage, but also helped develop it, which was evident from the innocent and youthful wit on display. The actors would turn to the audience for participation; they would also play with the fact that they were onstage. They would recognize props as plastic instead of their intended purpose, in order to create a more original and laid back production. The cast played multiple roles and scene changes did not allow much time, yet all the performers got into character, costume and all, in a matter of seconds. All of the performers were animated and inspiring, their enjoyment onstage spreading to the audience. "The Sanity Clause" is in no way a glitz and glamour production, but it didn't need to be. Its weaving in and out of different fairy tales presented the perfect pantomime, to be enjoyed and understood by all ages. Audience members are in store for an interactive performance, one that puts a smile on all faces and brings us into the spirit of Christmas. Rachael Liberman 11/12/01 |