The Storyman receives a letter inviting him to Russia to hear an amazing story - from Old Man Prokofiev - hmmmn!

Good Morning ladies and gentlemen.This is your captain speaking. I'd like to welcome you aboard this Sea Legs Puppet Theatre flight from London to Moscow. Please fasten your seatbelts, sit back and enjoy the flight.

All aboard the Moscow Express!

Redbird and The Cat

Peter's Grandfather

The Duck

The Hunters

Don't shoot the Wolf! Lets take him to the zoo.

Which way to Russia?

Peter and the Wolf

By Sergei Prokofiev

Adapted by Sea Legs Puppet Theatre

"Absolutely fantastic! My 3 year old daughter and myself loved every minute!" - Audience member, Croydon Clocktower, London.

Welcome to Russia! Travel with Rob and his suitcase full of surprises into deepest darkest Russia, to old man Prokofiev's house in the woods, where lives the big, hungry Wolf.

Meet Sergei Prokofiev’s world famous characters: young Peter and his Grandfather, the supercilious Cat, the silly Duck, quick-witted Redbird, Ivan and Boris the blundering hunters and of course…. the big hungry Wolf.

An energetic and fun adaptation told with the use of Sea Legs' wonderfully creative puppets, Rob's superb storytelling and a brilliant musical score, the audience is hooked from the start as they are led into an enchanting storybook world.

Recommended ages – families/ children age 3+
Running time –  45 minutes + 15 minutes “Meet the Puppets.”

Review of Peter and the Wolf, South Street, Reading

By A.F Harold, February 21, 2010

This production by Sea Legs Puppet Theatre is engaging from the off. Storyteller and puppeteer Rob Ashman quiets the room and focuses the attention with an introductory song based on Prokofiev’s main theme, before setting the guitar and kazoo aside and setting out on his journey into the story.

He receives a letter and a map from Old Man Prokofiev himself, deep in the wilds of the Russian forest, inviting him to come and hear the story. And so he sets out by aeroplane, by taxi, train and on foot across the world to the old man’s cottage. In a movie this would be represented by a moving line on a map and by establishing shots of iconic landmarks along the way, and Sea Legs do the same thing, with a smashing travel montage to some raucous scene setting Cyrillic music.

At the cottage in the deep wilds Rob is told the story of Peter and the Wolf, which he tells to us. As he does so his suitcase becomes a forest and a lake, inhabited by the characters of the tale, the little Red Bird, an argumentative and easily startled duck, a sneaky and supercilious cat and, of course, Peter, his grandfather and later on the Wolf itself.

The story is funny and, although there are some necessary pantomime moments, is never overly hammed up or watered down. The moment the duck gets eaten by the wolf (caught up in his clacking crocodile-like jaws) is quite a brilliant shock, and to balance moments like this against the cat’s very enjoyable double-takes when first introduced to the calm and serene (though still hungry) wolf is both skilful and satisfying.

The ending – which avoids bloodshed by sending the wolf to the zoo and sees all the puppets displayed on procession – ties the loose threads up and puts a lid on the story in a way that won’t leave any nightmares hanging around in children’s brains, but which send them off home with big smiles on their faces and a story to tell whichever adult it was who didn’t get to take them to the theatre.

Peter & the Wolf Crew

Artistic Director - Rob Ashman

Director - John Cartwright

Musical Director - Jack Bishop

Puppetry & Performance - Rob Ashman

Puppets & Props - Rob Ashman, Matthew Hart, Dominic Harbour & Craig Powell

Set - Matthew Farmer

Costumes - Rhona Muckart, Christine Quinto

Seamstress - Karen Hughes

Musicians

Vocals - Rob Ashman, Lorna Dale and Martin Blake

Guitar - Martin Blake

Piano, bass and saxophone - Jack Bishop

Clarinet - Mick Freeman

Violin - Rob Strawson

Mandolin - Ian Smith

Tuba - Simon Ellam

Trumpet & Flugel Horn - John Prestage

Poster Photography & Design - Adam Cove

Many Thanks to Craig Powell at Trading Post Ltd, Wembley for providing the very hard to find suitcase