It’s hard to believe that a company as small as Kipper Tie could become a victim of their own success but their hugely successful The Mole Who Knew It Was None Of His Business has helped scupper their new production, Millicent Must Share.
It’s not that Millicent is bad in any way, as it is an extremely competent and well realised play, it’s just that it’s nothing like Mole, so an audience expecting the singalongs and participation of its predecessor are ultimately disappointed. This is a shame, as it is clear that a lot of work has gone into this completely original work.
While their audience figures may not bear this out, Kipper Tie shouldn’t be disappointed with Millicent, as it is really good. The only problem is that it is a bit vague on which age group it caters for, as it is probably too complex for toddlers and too simple for ten year-olds. It would undoubtedly work well in primary schools but in the Fringe arena, where audience numbers and ages are unpredictable, it’s really hard to judge how children see it.
If it could get the decent audiences, Millicent Must Share could be seen for what it is – an interesting and engaging play that refuses to condescend to children.
4/5
Richard Biggs
