Photos by Nile Scott Studios
‘Library Lion’ — Adapted from the book “Library Lion” by Michelle Knudsen and illustrated by Kevin Hawkes. Directed by Ran Bechor. Book and Lyrics by Eli Bejaoui; Music by Yoni Rechter and Roy Friedman; Songs composed by Yoni Rechter; Puppet Design & Build by Jim Henson Creature Shop. Scenic Design by Cameron Anderson; Costume Design by Ula Shebchuv; Lighting Design by Daniel H. Jentzen; Sound Design by Irene Wang. Presented by Adam Theater at The Calderwood Pavilion, 527 Tremont St., Boston through Jan. 25.
By Shelley A. Sackett
Last Sunday, I was probably the only adult at the noon performance of Library Lion unaccompanied by kids and/or grandkids. For 70 uninterrupted minutes, I was treated to an uplifting, high-quality production of one of the most delightful musical shows I’ve seen in a while. Plus, I had the dual luxuries of watching a room full of youngsters and eavesdropping on their comments without having to be “in charge” of any of them.
Before the curtain even comes up, there is enchantment in the air. Three “agents of magic” wearing khaki jumpsuits and matching hats mount the stairs to the stage and stand in front of the curtain. (They later double as puppeteers). One flicks her wrist, and the music comes up (clarinet, cello, piano); another’s gesture turns down the house lights, and the third cups her hand and lifts it, raising the curtain on the most glorious library this side of Hogwarts.
The audience responds with squeals and applause — and those were the adults!
Mr. McBee (played with charm and a dose of OCD by Robert Saoud), the librarian, sings his introduction to the library and the all-important rules that must be obeyed while visiting — no shouting, no eating/drinking and no running. When he breaks the fourth wall and points to a child in the second row (“This means you — no candy”), he has the crowd eating out of his hand.
“Oh, library,” he rhapsodizes, “you are my shrine.”
The plot is fairly straightforward. Kevin (Aaron Mancaniello is a riot) and Michelle (Jayden Declet) have come to the library to work on an assignment. They are to find fables and report on them in their classrooms. Mr. McBee is all rules and stuffiness, reminding the youngsters that the library is a serious place. Kevin, exasperated, finally asks, “But where’s the fun?”
On cue, head librarian Miss Merriweather (lithe and lovely Janis Hudson) arrives. She is as ethereal and playful as Mr. McBee is grumpy and earthbound. The most surprising thing about the stuffy Mr. McBee, in fact, is the passion igniting the flaming torch he carries for her.
With Miss Merriweather at the helm, the library takes on a different pallor. Books let you travel the world without leaving your chair, she tells them. Storybooks come to life, thanks to stagecraft special touches. Blue silk doubles as an ocean and books mounted on sticks open and shut like umbrellas. “Extraordinary things really happen when you read,” she explains.
Soon it’s story time with Storyteller (Clara Hevia), and the three puppeteers reappear with the star of the show — the lion. And what a lion it is.
Jim Henson Creature Shop has created a magnificent creature, all mane, tail and emotion. The slightest angle of head, the tilting of eyelids or the placement of paw or tail reveals a range of emotion that is deeper and more varied than Mr. McBee’s. Everyone is delighted — everyone except Mr. McBee, of course.
Miss Merriweather prevails when he complains, asking if the lion has broken any rules. Caught in his own web, he has to admit the lion is blameless. “Then let him be,” she chides.
Eventually, Mr. McBee finds a reason to banish the lion, but when he realizes he was wrong, he makes amends and counsels the children that “even adults can make mistakes.” Other life lessons follow. First impressions are not be trusted because fear of the unfamiliar might color them an incorrect hue. You can’t tell a book by its cover. Forgiveness and apologies are important for children and adults and sometimes, it’s O.K. to bend or even break rules depending on the situation.
Although the Adam Theater is a contemporary theater for young audiences, dedicated to making high-quality theater accessible to all youngsters, Library Lion is a top-notch production as suitable for adults as their progeny. Skilled musicians, a perky score, a libretto full of rhyming couplets and double entendres, charming song and dance numbers, and a talented cast make for a thoroughly enjoyable and refreshing theatrical experience. Treat yourself to a vacation from the news and the weather and hi-tail it to see Library Lion while you still have time. You won’t regret it.
For more information, visit https://www.adamtheater.org/library-lion
