Roald Dahl’s The Twits

Fans of Roald Dahl’s cheeky children’s classic The Twits will know that it is one of Dahl’s typically non-PC tales of terrible, smelly, ugly characters who run a circus, play practical jokes and fight with one another – a lot! This gives the award-winning team at shake & stir – one of our premier touring companies – a wonderful setting to bring the tale to life for theatre goers, young and old. Shake & stir’s penchant for Dahl has been proven in the past with successful stage adaptations of Fantastic Mr Fox, George’s Marvellous Medicine, and Revolting Rhymes & Dirty Beasts. And the team behind this production are some of Queensland’s absolute stunners – many recognised at the recent Matilda Awards for their shining talent in 2020 and 2021.

Versatile performers Nelle Lee and Leon Cain are absolutely unrecognisable as the repulsive Mrs and Mr Twit. The characters’ ongoing feuding and nastiness requires a commitment leaps above the panto bar and this pair of performers really relish inhabiting this terrible twosome. They know how to hold an audience (even the easily distracted) and have just the right measure of twinkle in their eyes (well, in one eye in the case of Mrs Twit!) to avoid terrorising the very young. It is a finely balanced performance.

Narrating, tumbling, performing magic tricks, playing the Muggle-Wump monkeys and mischievous children, are a terrific trio of entertainers: Darcy Brown (recent Matilda Award winner for Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role for shake & stir’s Animal Farm), Johnny Balbuziente (shortlisted for Best Actor in a Lead Role for shake & stir’s Fourthcoming) and Ellen Bailey (recently seen as the Dead Puppet Society’s eponymous Ishmael) who also plays a gloriously glam Roly-Poly Bird. This trio move like acrobats, act with finesse and display split-second comic timing – essential for this cartoon-like setting – as they have fun in fabulous costumes and sets designed by Josh McIntosh. Kids will love their liveliness and older audiences will find it a treat to watch them work seamlessly together.

The show is honed to perfection with humorous sound effects, pre-records and lively music (sound design and composition by Guy Webster, another Matilda shortlistee for three productions in 2020/21) and brilliant lighting by Jason Glenwright (Matilda winner for Best Lighting for his work on The Little Red Company’s Your Song) creating a circus-like and story-book atmosphere that is key to enjoying this material. The pace and timing essential to hold youngsters’ attention is deftly directed by Ross Balbuziente. And the team’s Creative Producer, Nick Skubij, and Adaptor (and Mrs Twit performer!) Nelle Lee, were also shortlisted for Best Director at the recent Matildas for shake & stir’s Fourthcoming. So, this really is a glittering collection of Brisbane-based talent to enjoy.

Beth Keehn

Photographers - Promotional photo: David Fell. Production images: Morgan Roberts

Following the Brisbane season, The Twits tours to Sydney and Canberra in July.

Find out more: https://shakeandstir.com.au/twits/