Review: AN ELEPHANT IN THE GARDEN, Poonamallee Productions & Barn Theatre (Online)

Produced by Poonamallee Productions, in collaboration with The Barn Theatre, An Elephant in The Garden is based on the book by Michael Morpurgo and is the first of two productions being revived and streamed as part of their Morpurgo stream season.

An Elephant in The Garden has been adapted & directed for the stage by Simon Reid and performed by Alison Reid. It follows the story of Dresden teenager Elizabeth (Lizzie), her Mother (Mutti) and a young elephant named Marlene. Lizzie’s zookeeper Mother has rescued Marlene from Dresden Zoo and placed her in their back garden in order to save her, as she has been told that dangerous animals must be shot to stop them running loose should the city be bombed.

In 1944 Dresden, with the bombs starting to drop & Lizzie’s Father away fighting with the German army on the eastern front; Lizzie, her Mother and Marlene must flee Dresden to escape the bombings and the Russians. On their travels across the wintry landscape, they encounter lots of different situations, including the army, soldiers from different countries and a family they seek shelter from, which would be hard enough to do without an elephant in tow. 

The play captures our attention during the unravelling of the story and the scenes are fairly fast paced. Though there are constant reminders of the hardships and pain of war, we find kindness along the story’s journey too. Also intertwined is a developing love story between Lizzie and a lost RAF pilot who joins them along the way. 

Alison Reid (Lizzie) single handily delivers the entirety of the show and her performance is truly captivating, as she really holds her own throughout and has a wonderful energy, both physically and emotionally, in portraying a host of different characters. 

Max Johns’ circular stage design includes a burnt-out wall backdrop, which works brilliantly with the lighting design by Matthew Graham as it gives us an atmospheric feel to what happened during that time. It is also educational for those who want to learn more about this era.

The sound design by Jason Barnes uses war time and classical music to help further create the story of World War II Germany, along with radio voices by Chris Bianchi, which also adds to the overall feel. 

This production is brilliant in its transfer from page to stage and works well as a one-woman piece. It proves that you can create something fabulous, even with a minimal cast. 

***** Five stars

Reviewed by: Emily East

An Elephant in The Garden can be viewed online here from 2-18 April.