Review written by Flossie Waite
Half Moon presents a Tam Tam Theatre production
Reviewed at Half Moon Theatre
At Half Moon Theatre until 26th November 2016, touring nationally from Spring 2017
For ages 0-3

Today, I watched a grown man carefully and intentionally cycle in the narrow pathway of piled leaves on the side of the pavement, clearly giddy on the feeling of crunchy joy under-wheel. Last week, I was with a group of 14 and 15 year olds in a park, and all they wanted to do was play with leaves – throw them in the air, lie in them, take selfies with them. Tam Tam Theatre’s newest production explores a fascination that will be fairly new for its very young audience, but surely life-long.

Though the production taps into a universal appreciation for leaves, perhaps none of us love them as much as the one-woman show’s central character. Marleen Vermeulen is a warm and friendly Mother Nature figure, with foliage sprouting behind her ears and falling from her sleeves. She cares so much about a single leaf that she’ll cradle it in her arms and sing it to sleep, or dress it in a tailor-made mackintosh when it rains.

For her especially, then, Leaf comes with both highs and lows. As the seasons pass, we watch Vermeulen’s joy at a branch covered with new-grown greenery, and her sadness when her favourite leaf has fallen from its tree. But don’t despair – this play ends as it began, with the life-cycle starting anew.

Sometimes the props can be a bit fiddly (trying to clothe a single leaf is no easy task) but as the piece is so early on in its run, this will only get smoother. A gentle soundtrack accompanies this production about simple pleasures, and at 25 minutes the show is short and sweet.

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