It's not quite a year since Iain Johnstone took over the artistic reins at Wee Stories, and for those who were wondering "what next?" (and maybe even wondering if there would be any "next" after Andy Cannon's departure from the company), the news is reassuring.
From now until the end of June, Johnstone has Wee Stories busily touring throughout the Borders with a revival of fine 2009 show, The Sun, the Moon and a Boy Called River.
It's ostensibly a two-hander, with shimmers of captivating music played live by harpist Jennifer Port. But in the best traditions of Wee Stories, the narrative proceeds in a shared succession of characterful quick-changes: Johnstone is in his element, merrily reprising his many roles – gnarly, grizzled old geezers and snarly, sly and arrogant kings a comedic speciality – while Tommy Mullins steps into the parts originally played by Cannon and brings his own qualities of sincerity, humour and playfulness to them.
And so while Johnstone serves up the mischievous whiffs of heartily rude humour and the shivers of serious menace in his 'heh-heh-heh-ing' villians, Mullins brings out the naive honesty and quiet valour that make us so want young River to win out against the King's scheming malice and the perils of his quest to capture three golden rays of the sun. It's mystical and magical – the staging by Claire Halleran allows for some clever surprises – and it's an adventure that twists into the kind of Wee Stories production that young (and not so young) audiences will be glad to welcome back.
At Volunteer Hall Galashiels, tonight; further tour details on www.weestoriestheatre.org
HHH
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