Review: The Reluctant Dragon (Cabbagetown Theatre Co.)

Toronto based Cabbagetown Theatre’s The Reluctant Dragon is a delightful song and dance performance that parents and kids will absolutely love

The Reluctant Dragon is a kid friendly modern adaptation of St. George and the Dragon by the Cabbagetown Theatre Company. In this story, twins stumble upon a terrifying dragon who is not at all what they expected. Performed in a small chapel across from Riverdale Farm, the play makes good use of Cabbagetown’s community charm.

This is a colourful, bubbly reimagining of a classic tale, complete with the use of smart phones, Facebook pictures and Twitter references. Even though The Reluctant Dragon is a kid’s show, there are a handful of jokes and references specifically for adults. I do not want to give anything away, but there may be a few about our blundering mayor.

Cabbagetown always charms me to bits with their neighborhoods of beautiful homes and parks, so making my way across town is always worth it. CTC is using the Necropolis Chapel, across from Riverdale Farm, as their home base during the 2013 Cabbagetown Festival. As we arrived at the Necropolis there was a bit of a buzz in the air from the first night of the festival and opening night, or it could be from all the excited children running around on the grass waiting for the show to start.

I am not particularly religious, and my young show buddies have been brought up Wiccan, so I was a bit apprehensive when I realized that the show is an adaptation of a distinctly Christian story – Saint George and the Dragon. Kim Sprenger, Liam Doherty, and company did a great job at soothing my worries. The show embraced today’s society, our obsession with technology and gave the production a particularly Toronto and Cabbagetown-specific tone.

With all the references to Twitter and Facebook, I was not surprised when my youngest niece asked me if she could get her picture with the dragon. And of course when asked what her favourite part of the evening was, she said meeting the dragon. These guys are not the best actors but don’t tell the kids, because they absolutely ate up the show, audience participation and all.

CTC sure know how to cater to their audience, 30 minutes is the perfect length for the little ones watching.  Throughout the show, the actors made sure that the “little sheep” were engaged and were following along. Of course the show ended with a bang in the form of a great song that most of the kids were dancing along to. At $5 this is a fun addition to a stroll in beautiful Cabbagetown.

Details

  • The Reluctant Dragon is playing until September 8, 2013 at The Necropolis Chapel (200 Winchester Street)
  • Shows runs September 7  – 8 at 12 noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.
  • Each show is 30 minutes.
  • Ticket are $5.
  • Tickets are available at the door.