‘Yellow is the Colour of Sunshine’ is the latest family-friendly show from Leeds theatre company Tutti Frutti, that my daughter Emily (4) and I saw today at the Carriageworks Theatre. We were the official South Leeds Life press team, and treated accordingly – being ushered around to meet the actors and directors, and so on!
The simple and heart-warming show – written mainly for children aged 3-11 – tells the story of two children (Hani and Yoshi), their meeting, friendship, and falling out, and finally their reconciliation. Above all else, the show explores the emotions of the characters through this journey – but as you’d expect, for a play aspiring to be highly accessible, in very visual ways.
Indeed, there is only one speaking part – that of Hani (played by Phoebe Stapleton). Yoshi (played by Connor Bryson) communicates through British Sign Language, and the Magpie (played by Holly Irvine) through dance. Furthermore, the three actors – whilst themselves all adults – manage to convey a childlike energy, expressed in this very captivating and physical form of theatre. The changing emotions of the characters are boldly portrayed through colour changes in the lighting and expressive music; and the production makes smart use of simple props.
It’s a dynamic and unusual show. Emily said she enjoyed it, she certainly remained engaged throughout, and I think it intrigued her – especially the character who only communicated with BSL. She was perhaps too young to understand all the complexities of the dialogue and the interactions – but she definitely engaged with the emotional mood swings that you encounter as the actors skillfully lead you through their relational journey.
The play is written by Brendan Murray, and directed by Wendy Harris (formerly of Red Ladder Theatre Company). It’s touring until July, in a range of schools and venues across the country – and is still available for further bookings: click here for full info.
This post was written by Tania Carlisle, with input from Emily. We encourage anyone living or working in South Leeds to use this website to tell their news. You can either use the Create an article for South Leeds Life page, or email us at: info@southleedslife.com. Specifically, if you’re interested in getting free tickets to review theatre shows, get in touch.
