The booing and hissing punctuating the second act of the Belgrade Theatre production of The Twits justify the faith of Roald Dahl, its writer, in the juvenile lust for revenge. David Wood's stage adaptation of the book maintains Dahl's simplicity of approach.
The bathroom habits and table manners of the disgusting Twits, particularly their treatment of spaghetti, are explicitly conveyed, to the delight of the audience, and the plot, such as it is (concerning captured monkeys and their rescue from circus life) is brushed in broad strokes.
The MuggleWump monkeys are played by a competent team of acrobatic dancers, and their rescuer, Susan Swanton's Roly Poly Bird, provides some aerial excitement, with Richard J Fletcher and Isabel Ford working very hard to portray the full horror of being Twits.
The sheer presence of Sidney Sloane, who tells the story, overcomes the somewhat awkward narrative device that holds the show together, although he is also used as a construction engineer, wheeling on and off cumbersome props and equipment.
A crowded design by Tom Conroy, taped music, an energetic cast and a very willing audience can't quite overcome the lapses in dramatic pace, which Kathi Leahy's direction emphasises rather than disguises.
Ends tomorrow; bookings on 021-4270022
