David Walliams’ ever growing list of popular storybooks for children are bit by bit finding life in other mediums. Some have been turned into television adaptations, some into theatrical productions. Awful Auntie is the latest to be given life on stage and is playing at Bloomsbury Theatre over Christmas.This adaptation was written and directed by Neal Foster and tells the story of Lady Stella Saxby, a twelve-year-old girl who wakes up from a coma to find herself trapped in a full body bind. Her Aunt Alberta insists that Stella (Georgina Leonidas) has broken every bone in her body after a terrible car accident that killed both her parents. However, Stella is savvy enough to realise something fishy is going on and tries to break free to investigate.
Aunt Alberta (Richard James) is a grotesque, scheming, 6”3 tower of a woman who cheats at tiddlywinks and has an odd obsession with owls. Her aim in life is to inherit the deeds to Saxby Hall which she can’t do unless Stella signs them over. Although the action is set at Christmas, and features snowstorms and ghostly visitations, there is not anything particularly festive about the plotting, murder, torture and imprisonment that follows.
It is no doubt that children love these kind of themes, most great stories for young people contain terrible adults that treat the children in their care disgracefully. But Aunt Alberta is scarier and meaner than Miss Trunchball, The Dursleys and Miss Hannigan put together. There were some moments during the performance that had me turning around to children in the audience to check we wouldn’t have tears before bedtime.
The use of puppetry was brilliant, and the giant eagle owl Wagner felt as alive as any of the human characters and there was an exciting car chase with a bashed-up Rolls Royce and an angry black motorbike. The stage was made up of large rotating pillars that were supposed to illustrate different rooms of the great, crumbling hall. However, it was hard to keep track of the constant location changes and the visuals weren’t defined enough to transport us immediately.
The pranking scene where Aunt Alberta faces a series of traps laid by Stella and her ghost pal Soot (Ashley Cousins) had the audience roaring with laughter but apart from that the play was mainly dark and scary. I personally was expecting more laughs but even towards the end the show there was a sombre note about growing up and childhood loss. However, a friendly Grandmother turned around to me after the curtain call and said her Grandchildren had loved every minute and I should definitely give it a glowing review. And who is to argue with that?
