Mouse and Mole

Following the arts council’s change of direction in funding young people’s theatre in the eastern region, Tiebreak Theatre has decided this is its last show. Mouse and Mole therefore marks the end of an era – 25 years of entertaining children in fact – and if this imaginative offering is anything to go by, the company is sure to be missed.

David Farmer adapts Joyce Dunbar’s original tales with the story tracing a year in the life of housemates Mouse and Mole, beginning at Christmas and jumping from one adventure to another as the seasons change.

On the whole director Dianne Hancock cleverly integrates the different narrative threads, staying true to the humour and charm of the characters wonderfully brought to life by Elise Davison (Mouse) and Philip Oakland (Mole).

So much is packed in that the production can occasionally lack cohesion, leaving the action a little disjointed at times, but the sweetness of friendship is evident throughout.

Adding magic and atmosphere is onstage harpist Xenia Horne (music is composed by Francis Goodhand) while designer Kerry Bradley cleverly creates each different environment via props discovered in all four corners of the stage.