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Michael Cox reviews a cute production.
Flora: adventurer, explorer and collector of selfies. She's currently at the North Pole looking for that last selfie on her wish list: one with Santa. She thinks she's in with a chance when she finds a letter from Santa, but instead of an invite he's asking for her help. You see, to fly around the world he needs fairy dust. However, the fairies have decided to go on holiday, so it's up to Flora to make fairy dust in order to save Christmas.
Andy McGregor’s production is cute. The set and costume design by Neil Haynes come across as charming, and McGregor’s music is mostly good. However, his script (written with Marianne Yeomans) is thin. The story doesn't have to be Shakespearean, but a little more substance would have been welcome. You know you're in trouble when Flora asks the children in the audience for advice, and what is suggested is far better or more interesting than what ends up happening. Still, there is a nice charm to everything.
This is mostly found in Stephanie McGregor’s rather terrific performance. She is consistently earnest and brings a warmth to the production, and her interactions with the children are engaging and sweet. She creates a character easy to root for, even if at times it feels she's working against the script rather than with it.
All of this makes Flora’s Fairy Challenge a worthy enough experience. But without a nourishing script, it lacks one key ingredient: magic.
Flora’s Fairy Challenge is at the Citizens until December 31, 2015.
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