I am not familiar with Gruff Rhys’ 2007 album Candylion but I am assured that this show includes some of its tracks, including Circle of Violence, while others, like Turbo Capitalism, have been specially written for this retro psychedelia show – think Yellow Submarine meets Hair meets Das Capital.
I enjoyed the experience but I think the show will particularly suit two age groups, the very young and those who can remember being young. The story of this good and bad morality tale adventure in the Kingdom of Candy and Pixel Valley is reasonably straightforward on a superficial level but the bulk of the political theory will be lost on kids. Unless, that is, they are more intellectually sophisticated than when I was aged under 16 (or should that be 58).
As we enter the surprisingly sparse space for the show, an indoor space within the SWALEC Stadium, the home of Glamorgan County Cricket Club, we see a stage for the band, a ramp around the walls so we are within the action, and some illuminated clouds, a big pile of linked pillows (important they are linked to form a comfy bed), some cut-out landscape shapes and a rise of wide, large pink steps. All a bit Telly Tubbies without the rabbits, although bunny Dylan from The Magic Roundabout would have been right at home.
Toddlers will enjoy the fantasy animals characters that gives a new meaning to Cardiff’s half’n’half. They are, for example, Polar Pear (half Polar Bear, half pear), Cheffyl (half horse, half chef), and, of course, Candylion, half lion and half candyfloss. The hero of the show who refuses to worship the Golden Calf. Oops that’s another fairy story, is Caruin (half carnation, half penguin). Also for that younger audience is the fun of the “pixel fruit” (white inflated balls of varying sizes that have positive vibes, man) thrown around the space in this standing around, sitting around, wandering around experience and following the car as it drives around.
Adults will find all of the above fun but for them is the anti-capitalist (or is that Candyist) morality tale where the greedy Candylion gets so hungry after consuming a negative vibe, man, that it devours all and believes that trickle-down economics works, that voters (like this audience who respond to placards telling when to applaud and jump up and down etc.) are easily manipulated into handing over autocratic power to a charismatic leader and that there is strength in unity and keeping the faith. You get the idea, and no, they don’t all take their clothes off and sing Aquarius. Instead we have some Welsh lyrics. Oh and I should think the comfy bed that supports them all which is torn apart by Candylion in her Greed Is Good phase serves as an NHS symbol.
The music from the Super Furry Animals frontman is enjoyable ranging from some straight forward tunes that children of all ages will enjoy the sort of simple, easy on the ear music you expect from, say, a children’s cartoon, to some more memorable compositions and then, of course, we have some pretty out-there lyrics for a family show. This also applies to the spoken script that combines references to mindless conveyor belt production lines, corporate greed and exploitation, and even fascism thrown into the pot. As for the Stoned People, oh sorry, Cone People, on their Magic Mushroom Cone Mountain (I made up the magic mushroom bit) with their badminton ritual and, naturally, turning out to be goodies rather baddies (don’t believe what those politicians tell you about the “enemy”), I leave them to your own imaginations. Without ruining the denouement, I did like the idea of key changes being the sign for the audience to jump up and down to induce vomiting.
Joining Gruff for this festive fantastic voyage were creatives Pete Fowler and Mark James and a cluster of musicians that I am sure will be familiar to those who follow contemporary Welsh music and acting scenes Sweet Baboo, Lisa Jen Brown, Dyfan Dwyfor, Natasha Lewis, Dyfrig Morris, Kliph Scurlock and Emma Daman Thomas, with Remy Beasley plays the Candylion and Matthew Bulgo as Caruin. No Caruin, not Carwyn.
Until Saturday, January 2.
Read Lowri Haf Cooke’s review: http://www.asiw.co.uk/reviews/insatiable-inflatable-candylion-national-theatre-wales-2