Alexandra's review From my point of view, I think it was amazing. The lighting worked brilliantly, and as soon as you walked through the doors, you were greeted by the cast in full character! As this was one of the first main productions at the egg, it was brilliant. You could watch the play from any angle, and it would still look amazing. It lasted about an hour, and is probably recommended for children of six or seven +, as it does have some minor scary parts! This is one play which is a must-see and what makes it better is that it's performed by children for children!! Kirsty's review This production is what the egg was built for. The Witches is a play for children, performed by children, in a theatre created for children. It's the first production staged by the theatre's own company (the Young People's Theatre) in the egg, but it is in no way amateur in execution. Audiences, too, are taking this production so seriously, that it is something of a conveyor belt, with two parallel casts performing to packed houses for over a fortnight. Extra performances are being added as the days pass to cram more children and their families into the little auditorium. Magic What is magic about this show is that it is well performed and looks good. For young audiences looking at children similar to themselves on stage, the whole concept of theatre becomes accessible to them. It is hard to imagine a better introduction to the art form than this. Director Lee Lyford managed to squeeze every last drop out of his cast, even to the extent of having a somewhat creepy welcome to the theatre foyer by members of the team in full costume and character. On stage, it seems unfair to single anyone out, but it would be wrong not to mention some of the stars. Adam Lloyd James (Boy) and Jack Levy (Bruno) were utterly convincing, especially considering some of the constraints they faced - you have to see the show to understand. Chantal Preston had the difficult part of playing a role about 60 years older that her own age, but she carried the Grandmother off very well, and maintained her Norwegian accent beautifully throughout. As the Grand High Witch, it would be fair to say Charlotte Lees Massey embraced her role with what can only be described as relish. A fantastic debut This was a fantastic debut for the YPT in the egg. It's recommended for children of seven and over, and there are scary bits, as you would expect from Roald Dahl, so some familiarisation with the story, for those who are of a nervous disposition, would be a good idea. This is also not a long night out - the show runs for only about 50 minutes - which is perfect for the younger children. I would suggest the egg states show durations in its publicity, as I think this would be a major factor in helping parents choose the suitability of productions for their children. However that, and a slight excess of smoke clouds on stage, is the only hole I can pick in this show. Roald Dahl's The Witches runs at the egg theatre in Bath until Thursday 22 December, 2005. | 
