Howick Little Theatre’s next production, The Book of Everything, has wowed audiences in the Netherlands, NZ, Australia, the US and the UK and been variously described by reviewers as “one of the best children’s shows in town … witty, wise and wonderful … hilarious, honest … and a delightful family production”.
Adapted for the stage by Richard Tulloch from an award-winning children’s novel by Dutch author Guus Kuijer, it’s a magical story about a child learning how to act when faced with fear and injustice and how he reacts and deals with it.
Growing up in The Netherlands post-war, nine-year-old Thomas, played by Robert Limm, writes down all the things he sees that he thinks other people ignore, such as invisible hail that “ripped all the leaves from the trees”, and the tropical fish that live in the canal near his home.
He also sees the unhappiness in his family, the violence in his father, played by Mark Madden-Snoad, and the pain that lingers in his community long after the end of World War II.
All this – good and bad – and his determination to be happy, he carefully records in his magical and hopeful Book of Everything.
Director Alex Gleed has had the challenge of casting actors to play not only a nine-year-old boy, his parents and family, but also Jesus and a large dog.
The Times has two double passes to give away to The Book of Everything. To enter log on to www.times.co.nz
