Roald Dahl’s George’s Marvellous Medicine at Liverpool Playhouse
Gemma Gibb, Associate Editor
It’s the last chance to catch this gloriumptious stage adaptation of George’s Marvellous Medicine as it comes to the end of its national tour in this five-day run at Liverpool Playhouse. Playing to rave reviews across the land, it’s the latest co-production between Curve and Rose Theatre Kingston who have hit on a magic formula for bringing Dahl’s much-loved tales to life after the recent success of The Twits and The Witches.
Big and little “human beans” alike (as Dahl memorably calls us in The BFG), will enjoy becoming complicit in the creation of a plot to give a grizzly and mean Grandma a taste of her own medicine.
George lives on a farm with his mum and dad. His idyllic summer, however, is threatened to be ruined by a completely unreasonable and tyrannical Grandmother who just loves eating slugs and bugs. To resolve this outrageous situation he sets about making a magical medicine to replace her old one and cure her of cruelty.
Uproarious anarchy ensues involving giant limbs and chickens, with references to contemporary life to make this family in chaos even more relevant. There’s a joyous hip hop soundtrack to get you moving and, ultimately, Grandma’s most splendid downfall to enjoy together.
It’s a perfect story to bring to the stage to leave little folk phizz-whizzing with ideas of how to invent and create … although with suitable warnings of recreating ACTUAL medicines at home.
The set too is a star which imbues the anarchy of the story with slanting shelves and secret cupboards, echoing through every element of design that this is a big adventure. Right, we’re off to find our lab coats and protective eyewear.
George’s Marvellous Medicine is part of the Everyman and Playhouse’s Spring – Summer Season which also includes the footstomping family show Paint Your Wagon.
