IF you have overindulged in TV viewing this Christmas, Malvern Theatres is offering a chance for the whole family to enjoy a production of a classic tale live on stage.
The Jungle Book will be performed by the Malvern Players and looks to be a perfect post-Christmas treat to relieve the January blues.
A brave production for an amateur group to take on, experienced director Andrew Howie - in his first production for the Players - is thrilled to be involved in bringing the Rudyard Kipling magic to life.
"I have always loved Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Books, since I first read them as a boy many years ago.
"As anyone who read the books will know, Disney 'Americanised' and sanitised the stories, cutting out any hint of the true brutal nature of the jungle.
"We have tried to recapture the original spirit of the stories about the jungle boy, Mowgli."
The Jungle Book tells the story of Mowgli, the jungle boy who, having escaped from Shere Khan the tiger, is reared by a family of wolves.
He is taught the jungle law by Baloo the bear and Bagheera the black panther.
The audience will be able to follow Mowgli's adventures until the time comes for him to return to the world of man. But the boy has not finished with the jungle. One day he returns to exact his terrible revenge on Shere Kahn.
The animal costumes posed a certain hurdle for the Players as they can be a real challenge for designers on a budget, but HND costume and make-up students from Worcester College of Technology, School of Art and Design rose to that challenge, according to the theatres' Louise Russell.
"The costumes are fantastic. It is hard to create so many different creatures and make them look realistic, so they have done an amazing job - people will just have to come and see for themselves."
l The Jungle Book is due to run at Malvern Theatres from Thursday, January 12, to Saturday, January 21.
Tickets are £8.50 for adults and £5.50 for children and are available from the box office on 01684 892277 or by visiting www.malvern-theatres.co.uk
PORCHA TREANOR
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article