(Ralph McCubbin Howell. Pic by Philip Merry)
McCubbin Howell masterfully creates different
characters and the sound and lighting design adds an extra dimension of
excitement. (Review by Caroline Smart)
The Book Binder, an award-winning
production which runs at the National Arts Festival until July 7, is an
excellent show directed and designed by Hannah Smith and performed by Ralph
McCubbin Howell who also wrote the script. The sound design and composition which
makes up an integral part of the play, is by Tane Upjohn-Beatson.
The one-man play is described as a “story of
mystery, magic and mayhem from award-winning New Zealand theatre company Trick
of the Light. An old man sits down to read the tale of an erstwhile bookbinding
apprentice. As he speaks, the story spills from the pages and into the bindery…”
It deals with the story of a young lad who
leaves his home and bids a sad farewell to his father to go and find work in
the nearby harbour town. He sees an old building with a small shop titled Bookbinder
with a notice in the window looking for apprentices.
He enters a world such as he has never seen
before and the old man who runs it takes him under his wing but is very strict
in his rules – for instance, “Book binders never do anything that can’t be
undone.”
He gets fascinated with the books that customers
bring in and a particular one sends him on a dark fantasy journey which ends up
with him being given the order to mend the gap in the world.
McCubbin Howell masterfully creates different
characters and the sound and lighting design adds an extra dimension of excitement.
There’s a lot of ironic humour as well.
The Book Binder has performances at Victoria
Theatre on July 3, 4, 5, 6 at 10h00 and on July 7 at 10h00 and 12h00. If you
are at the Festival, I urge you to see this show but try to get in the first
few rows downstairs so you can appreciate the details in the book that causes
the adventure. – Caroline Smart
(To link direct to the NAF site click on the
large banner that runs across the top of this blog or visit https://www.nationalartsfestival.co.za/)
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