REVIEW – TALES FROM THE LIGHTHOUSE AT HOME MANCHESTER
- Sarah Monaghan
- 24 minutes ago
- 4 min read
TALES FROM THE LIGHTHOUSE AT HOME MANCHESTER: A MAGICAL VOYAGE OF MUSIC AND PUPPETRY
Tales From The Lighthouse at HOME Manchester was performed as part of the Little HOME Family Festival, bringing together storytelling, live folk music and puppetry in a family show inspired by the myths and folklore of the sea.
A co-production between Little Seeds Music, The League of Curiosity and Horse & Bamboo, the show is written and performed by Oliver Bishop and directed by Renata Allen. Original songs are composed by David Gibb, with live music from Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne and puppets created by Gemma Bond.
Aimed at audiences aged 5 to 105, the production introduces younger theatregoers to folklore and mythical creatures while exploring some surprisingly thoughtful themes around fear, loss and rediscovering the things that once brought us joy.
On a distant shore, a Lighthouse Keeper spends his days watching over the sea and helping ships navigate safely past the dangerous rocks. He loves the ocean and the mysterious creatures that inhabit it, but after tragedy strikes during a storm, everything changes.
Unable to overcome his fear of the sea, the Lighthouse Keeper pushes away the magical creatures he once welcomed and gradually withdraws from the world around him.
Years later, a mysterious Stranger arrives with his concertina and songs of the ocean. Through music and memories, he encourages the now older Lighthouse Keeper to confront his fears and remember the beauty and magic he once found in the sea.
There is more depth to the story than you might initially expect from a children's production. Ideas surrounding loss, fear and isolation are explored in a way that younger audiences can understand without the story becoming too heavy. Humour, music and audience participation help maintain a lighter tone, although the pace does dip slightly during some of the longer music-led sections.
The set is simple but effective, with the lighthouse forming the centrepiece of the stage. Fishing nets, wooden boxes and nautical props establish the coastal setting, while fabric and small-scale theatrical effects are used to create everything from the sea to ships battling against the waves.
This simplicity works particularly well for a production aimed at children, leaving plenty of space for their imaginations to fill in the details. Lighting helps transform this small theatrical world, with blues and purples creating the atmosphere of the sea and contrasting with the warmer glow of the lighthouse.
Costumes continue the nautical theme without becoming overly elaborate. The Lighthouse Keeper's bright yellow waterproofs immediately establish the coastal setting, while the Stranger's flowing costume gives him a suitably mysterious presence.
However, it is through the puppetry that the production's visual world really comes to life.
Gemma Bond's puppets are beautifully crafted, with the older Lighthouse Keeper particularly impressive. His detailed face, moustache, glasses and yellow waterproofs give the almost life-sized puppet plenty of character. Using puppetry to represent the Lighthouse Keeper as an older man is also a clever and visually clear way of showing the passing of time.
The mythical creatures bring another layer of magic. The Selkie transforms from a seal into a woman in front of the audience, a lovely piece of puppetry that fascinated the children.
The Water Horse is the real highlight. Large, colourful and beautifully made, it doesn't remain safely on stage but ventures out amongst the audience, allowing the children to reach out and touch it. This interaction makes the creature feel even more magical and was clearly a popular moment with the younger audience.
Music is equally important to the production. David Gibb's original songs are accompanied live by Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne on the Anglo concertina, creating a distinctive folk sound that complements the show's myths and coastal setting beautifully.
The live music is one of the show's strongest elements, adding to the atmosphere without relying on a recorded soundtrack. The singalong towards the end is particularly enjoyable, bringing the performers and audience together for a fun ending to the musical journey.
Oliver Bishop gives an engaging and expressive performance as the Lighthouse Keeper. His physical storytelling makes the narrative easy for younger audiences to follow, while his interactions with the children create some lovely moments without making the participation feel forced.
Early scenes establish this relationship particularly well, with children invited to become part of the Lighthouse Keeper's world, including helping him catch fabric fish with a fishing net.
Bishop also handles the production's puppetry well, particularly when working with the older Lighthouse Keeper. Despite the puppeteer remaining visible, attention quickly shifts towards the puppet and the character he represents.
Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne brings a very different presence as the mysterious Stranger. His vocals and concertina playing are an important part of the production, and his folk style complements the production's coastal setting and stories of mysterious sea creatures particularly well.
Together, Bishop and Braithwaite-Kilcoyne create a warm and engaging atmosphere, balancing physical storytelling and audience interaction with the quieter musical elements of the show.
Tales From The Lighthouse at HOME Manchester is an imaginative piece of children's theatre that successfully combines a meaningful story with live music, audience interaction and some fantastic puppetry.
The pace occasionally slows during the more music-focused sections, and younger children may find their attention wandering slightly at these points. However, at around 55 minutes without an interval, the production is well suited to its young audience, with plenty of visual and interactive moments to draw their attention back to the Lighthouse Keeper's world.
The puppetry is undoubtedly the production's biggest strength, while the atmospheric live music gives the show its own distinctive character. The opportunity for children to meet the Water Horse after the performance and take a closer look at the concertina – even having a little go with help from the musician – is also a lovely extension of the interaction they experience during the show.
With a thoughtful story about overcoming fear at its heart, Tales From The Lighthouse is a charming family production that uses music, storytelling and imagination to bring the myths and magic of the sea to life.
Beautiful puppetry and atmospheric live music make this magical voyage across the sea well worth taking.
For more information about the production, including tour dates and show details, visit the official website below.
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