With quite a bare stage, and 5 performers on it, The River People have created a little gem of a show in the 2010 Fringe. Accompanied by three talented musicians, they tell three little stories with the aid of puppetry, songs and slaps-tick vaudeville.
Edward Wren is fantastic as the storyteller, his voice enchanting the audience. But he is not the only highlight in this cute production, since Kate Hadley, Claire Harvey, Mandy Travis and Amy Tweed also excel, their constant presence on stage full of character and silliness. The four actresses reenact Wren’s word, with the aid of a beautiful puppet who’s interchangeable face plays a major part on the narrative.
Only issue with this quirky and beautiful production is that the tales per se are not tightly constructed. The Vanishing Boy is split into three segments throughout the whole production, which makes it a bit disjointed. The other two segments, though with some stunning visuals (the puppet flying around grabbed to the moon, for example), don’t have great resolutions, which leaves you with a sense of wasted opportunity.
In saying that, this is a show where the whole makes up for its parts, and as such, it is a joy to watch. On top of that, seeing the delight with which all actors play their parts is contagious, and you leave with a happy feeling inside.
4/5 
Adrian G. Velazquez
(2 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
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