Theatre review: The Girl With No Heart, Bedlam Theatre, Bristo Place

SUPPORTED by The Japan Foundation and inspired by the Second World War atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, The Girl With No Heart is the tale of a young girl entering another world. ***

The Girl With No Heart

Bedlam Theatre, Bristo Place

Star rating: * * *

Leaving her loving, colourful world behind, the girl goes through a gate into a fragile world of paper. This is a realm where wishes never come true and the ashes of life can be blown easily into the wind. As she discovers how vulnerable her new environment is, she forms bonding relationships that will stay with her forever.

Told via puppets, actors and paper, the story is a tenderly poignant one.

Centre stage, a large story-book allows the characters to intersperse the main narrative with smaller tales. The gentle background music (played throughout) attempts to arouse the audience’s senses. The highlight concerns a beautifully choreographed scene that involves the children flying on a paper bird. Yet there appears to be something missing here. Something you just can’t quite put your finger on.

So while The Girl With No Heart is, in the main, a charming tale, it’s lacking that one special ingredient.

• Until tomorrow