The tag line for Axis Theatre, a professional family theatre company, describes it as “smart and inspirational.” Add “roguish” and you would be spot-on.
In their newest touring show, Hamelin: A New Fable, playwright Leslie Mildiner has taken the traditional Pied Piper of Hamelin folk tale and turned it on its head.
In the original tale dating back to the Middle Ages, a Pied Piper and his magical flute are hired to move all the rats from the town of Hamelin. When the mayor refuses to pay the piper his agreed-upon fee, the minstrel leads all the children to the Koppelberg Hill where they are never seen again.
“In the traditional story children get taken away to teach the adults a lesson. In our version children get to lock up the adults at Koppelberg Hill to teach them not to lie and cheat,” said artistic director Chris McGregor.
Mildiner reinvents the story with two heroes – 10-year-old twins Ralph and Celeste who live with their Opa. They are very poor, hard-working people.
The old mayor has since died and been replaced by his son Werner de Metzendorpe, an immature, self-indulgent, greedy politician.
“He’s a very aggressive, Trump-like character. All he thinks about is money and how to acquire more,” McGregor explained.
The young mayor sets about overtaxing the population. Since Opa and the twins cannot pay their taxes, they are evicted from their home.
Just prior to his inauguration, de Metzendorpe hires Opa and the children to cut three cords of wood for the event. In exchange he will forgo the taxes on their house.
“They spend the night cutting wood, but in the morning the mayor takes the wood and their home. Now the three are homeless.”
On their journey the trio meets the Pied Piper and they ask him to bring rats to the town.
“The kids’ logic is if the Pied Piper brings the rats, everyone will have to work together to get rid of them. In adversity people work together and realize they need each other to solve problems.”
Of course, even the best laid plans of mice and children go awry.
But that’s the beauty of a fable, and Hamelin delivers an important message for our times.
“It’s like fighting city hall. They are earnest. All they want is to be treated fairly and honestly. It’s amazing how it parallels what is happening in the States – the ideas of equality and acceptance of treating people for who they are instead of who you think they should be.”
Fans who enjoyed King Arthur’s Kitchen last season, also a Mildiner script, are familiar with Axis’ clever blend of puppets, masks, music and lots of commedia del arte stock characters.
In this production, the grotesque masks and half-masks adults wear are a deliberate and influential artistic choice.
“That’s the way the kids see adults. They’re just a bit warped. There’s something not quite right about these adults. The masks give the adults a cartoonish look. Even though that’s not reality, it’s how the kids see adults.”
One element that always gives McGregor a chuckle is that at one point there are 230 rats on stage.
“They squeeze through holes in the set. They’re on sticks, blankets and ribbons. It’s fun to see the kids so engaged. But it’s the adults that sometimes get queasy and run out.”
“For me, this is highly entertaining. It’s not just drama, but also dance, music, puppetry and storytelling. The message is about lying and bullying and the conversation needs to continue.”
Hamelin: A New Fable plays at the Arden Theatre on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 2 p.m. Free pre-show activities begin at 1 p.m.
Preview
Hamelin: A New Fable<br />Axis Theatre<br />Sunday, Feb 12 at 2 p.m.<br />Arden Theatre<br />5 St. Anne Street<br />Tickets: Adults $18, children and seniors $15 <br />Call 780-459-1542 or ticketmaster.ca<br />Suitable for ages five to 12 years
