YCT offers tickets for magic carpet-square ride

It's been a while since I've fantasized about magic, and while The Magic (And What Tanya Did With It) didn't make me a born-again believer, it did evoke a smile. Penned by first-time playwright Emily Breunig, BK '03, and starring a pair of red Converse All-Stars, an apt magician, and two lovable lions, "The Magic" has all the elements of a crowd-pleasing children's play. Not only that, its activity-filled playbill provided me with a terrific excuse for academic procrastination.

KATIE ALDRICH/YH What Tanya did with the magic does not explain why she left a horse's head in little Jimmy's bed.

Co-directed by Megan Dean, BK '03, and Breunig herself, "The Magic" is the story of A 12-year-old boy named Charlie (Matt Johnson, MC '03), his precocious eight-year-old sister, Tanya (Fei Liu, ES '03), and their fantastical journey to the city zoo. Armed with a mission dubbed L.O.L. (and, no, chat room junkies, that's not "Laughing Out Loud"), the duo brave a bus station, a crowd of pushy pedestrians, and flagrant age discrimination on their way to freeing a couple of giant felines.

While the leads and the main plot are solid, the heart of the show is in its vignettes and the energy of its supporting cast. The show opens with an ensemble clap-passing sequence that goes around and over the head of the awkward Charlie. When done right, the cast creates the illusion that something—who knows what—is moving from actor to actor with only a few claps of their hands. Over-analytical student that I am, I found myself pondering the significance of Charlie's nonparticipation in the game, but for a child audience member, the sequence serves an important purpose—it gets his imagination up and running. The street-crossing scene is another gem, mainly thanks to the farcical antics of the ensemble.

The Magic does not attempt to hide behind any sort of theatrical proscenium—as in most children's productions, the actors repeatedly hide among, parade through, and solicit help from their audience. Beyond that, the play embraces its genre, making characters of two "Stagehands," (Lance Ching, MC '03, and Megan Trice, TD '04) who act as narrators, stunt doubles, and rather obvious prompters for the main characters. The two have a natural comedic rapport and likeable story-telling styles. Some of the play's funniest moments are the Stagehands' goofy facial expressions and quirky dialogues. Their parody of a TV western is practically flawless—and even better when Charlie puts them on mute.

Erica Pritzker, SM '03, adds little old lady humor and a pivotal tap dancing sequence as Mrs. Horatio Windslow, the fairy godmother of the play. Rounding out the supporting cast is Ted Sink, CC '02, a juggling, soap-bubble-wheeling, card-trick-dealing, and all-around scene-stealing magician.

But my absolute favorite was Llama, Tanya's stuffed lion who sometimes comes to life, played to perfection in a golden mane by Matt Robinson, PC '03. After viciously pouncing on the terrified Ching (who stunt doubles for Charlie), Robinson curls up on top of him and purrs just like a kitty cat I'd want to take home to my mom and dad. Bless his heart, he comes roaring back later in the show as one of two caged lions at the city zoo, along with Emily Barton, JE '04, who also plays the heroes' anxious working mom. In a priceless bit, the two beasts parade in triumphantly, butts shaking, noses in the air, and then proceed to perch regally upon two golden blocks, meowing in snooty unison at the Stagehands who deliver them to the audience. I'd see the show again for that scene alone.

Nevertheless, the show is far from perfect. It is plagued by several rough transitions and, at times, I found myself struggling to hear what the rapid-tongued Charlie and Tanya were saying. While attempting to maintain the show's slightly uneven momentum, they actually rush through some of their lines, and Tanya's baby talk, although adorable, is not the most comprehensible form of speech.

Theater

The Magic (And What Tanya Did With It) Directed by Emily Breunig and Megan Dean Produced by Ashley Morris and Maizin Burke Fri., Oct. 20, 7, 9 p.m.; Sat., Oct. 21, 3 p.m.; Sun., Oct. 22, 1, 3 p.m. Yale Children's Theatre 248 Park St.

On the whole, this production teems with spontaneity; its minimalist set is comprised of two moveable blocks, and its script maintains a casual and straightforward narrative style. These are crucial points for any well-crafted children's play, establishing a comfortable rapport with the audience and inspiring kids to continue exercising their imaginations at home.

Breunig and Dean's cast makes The Magic look effortless and fun, a refreshing break. The Magic and its playbill of games is an hour of fun worth having. Because every once in a while—particularly amid the stress of midterms and visiting parents—there's nothing wrong with putting away the problem sets and concentrating on coloring in the lines and connecting the dots.

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