Review: Melva @ Front Street Theatre, Prudhoe

Brave isn’t how you feel, it’s what you do

At least that is what Melva Mapletree has always been told, she has not left the house in three years (other than to go to school)  so she isn’t the most out going of children.

Grandpa Pebble is worried about this, he thinks that Melva (Katie Powell)  has too many worrits. Set to make her better, Grandpa Pebble decides to leave the house and pretend to get lost- in order to make his Granddaughter get out of the house and be free of her worrits.

But will she face her fear of the unknown and get rid of her worrits or will she keep them all her tummy and never leave the house? 

Finding this story pertinent to my own life,  I find myself drawing a tear or two. Writer Danielle Burn has touched my heart and drawn upon many experiences where I have had too many bad worrits in my life.

Powell plays the character of  a mischievous little girl perfectly- we see her play timid little Melva to becoming courageous and confident Melva, it is inspiring to watch her character’s personality develop.

Stan Hodgson plays numerous roles in the play, one of them being Gideon who is a hysterical and pompous character. Playing Melva’s voice inside her head, I’d like to think that we all have an inner voice like Gideon who can act devil’s advocate but always finds the right thing to say in the end.

Liking it to  Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s book- The Little Prince. Melva is a funny, heart warming and an inspiring story that teaches both children and adults that you can be whatever you want to be and do whatever you want to do, if you just put your mind to it.

A Mortal Fools production, the performance is in the Front Street Theatre- which is an intimate venue. It’s perfect for this time of year as it means you can snuggle up on the comfortable sofas with your loved ones and experience such an endearing piece of theatre.

Melva is on till January 6th 2018, for more information click here