Having just arrived from a chocolate making workshop with our own bars in hand, set up alongside this performance, we arrived at the beautiful Scarcroft Allotments in the gorgeous summer sun. Greeted with the very British sight of garden chairs under open gazebos and marquees we were encouraged to take our seats facing the area that was to be the performance space. WMatt Jopling and James McLeanith no staging at all, except for three banners showing the old fashioned style advert of the chocolate we were all there to see the tale of, this would be a friendly affair.
Richard Vergette’s play took us on two simultaneous journeys of chocolate. The first; the birth of chocolate in Britain. Inspired by the different Quaker families who started the trade, with Cadbury’s, Fry’s and Rowntree’s, we saw how one such man used the profits of his pure chocolate to help the people of his community. The opposite was seen when we returned to our own time, where it was made clear how devastating take overs by big corporate companies can be, not only for the people who work there, but the people who have grown up with and grown to love them.
Although dealing with serious topics, such as fair-trade and redundancy, this play was also incredibly funny. By mixing the serious with the humorous, everyone was easily able to have a relaxed, enjoyable time but left with something to think about. The different types of songs, composed by Rebecca Hughes, added to this, with one called 'La Cote D’Ivoire' being so emotional as to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. This was contrasted with 'The Chocolate Machine Song' which was hilariously convoluted and entertaining, incorporating many different instruments and tools to create sounds that were just as complex as the machine they were designed to imitate.
All four actors were wonderful to watch, with their multi-roling completely believable. However, special notice should be given to Stephanie Hackett who appeared to fall into both her roles so realistically that it almost was as if there were two different people playing them. The use of musical instruments and harmonies throughout the play were wonderful, and the top-notch mime that was used for larger props was perfect.
As with any Mikron play, this really was a joy to watch and I encourage everyone of any age to find a canal near them and try and see it.