Has the summer holiday left your home feeling like ‘A Squash and a Squeeze’? Well, the solution is ‘easy peasy’, get your little ones to The Lowry to enjoy a Squash and a Squeeze.
Julia Donaldson’s much loved children’s classic is adapted with love by Barb Jungr and Samantha Lane. While many of Donaldson’s plays are scripted verbatim, this play creates a sense of pantomime- there are key elements repeated from the book and the audience enthusiastically join in- yes there are a couple of ‘it’s behind you’ moments thrown in for good measure too. However, this is also a launch pad for introducing your little ones to the more complex elements of comedy without them even realising. Bonus- cultural capital grand slam.
The play opens when the audience are still taking their seats. The wise old man circulates the stalls, offering out his business card and engaging with the youngest patrons. The curtains then rise, almost reminding him that he should be onstage. Cue laugh number 1.
The first few minutes of the play then introduce good old slap stick humour and, as one, the younger audience slide to the edge of their seats, mesmerised by the wasps and the ladder… you have to be there!
When the little old lady is introduced, classical comedic elements shine through- she just can’t seem to catch a break. The characters are larger than life, making full use of exaggeration to engage even the youngest audience members. Meanwhile, the wise old man is more of a ‘Trotter’ wheeler and dealer, who you can’t help but love and the narrator seamlessly moves between puppet animals and active participant.
The stage is a minimalist one, but the use of the house and its tetras nature was also an excellent introduction to the art of stage craft.
L spent the whole 60 minutes on the edge of her seat, mouth wide open and smarties forgotten- a true testament to Samantha Lane’s direction. We bopped along to the songs and appreciated the moments when the fourth wall was broken- ‘Mummy is he talking to me?’! The final song of the performance even drew some enthusiastic dancing from the oldest members of the audience. Well done Barb Jungr for your catchy songs, they are still being sung 24 hours later.
It is impossible to award the show anything less than 5 stars. It was a thoroughly enjoyable hour and looking round the theatre, there wasn’t a single face, old or young, who wasn’t fully engaged. A family next to us were on their second visit in the run so far and were leading the audience in the final sing along.
And just in case you feel you haven’t ticked all the boxes for cultural exposure, make sure that you also book your slot for the Quentin Blake and me exhibition (tickets are free but there is a timed entry).
Thank you Lowry, we’ll be back for the ‘Smeds and the Smoos’ in October!
A Squash and A Squeeze plays at the Quays Theatre until 24th August 2025.
Photography throughout from Suzi Corker.
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