From Manchester On Stage, a performing arts e-zine, May, 2003.
Reprinted in full by permission.

Happy - Library Theatre
reviewed by Jo Beggs

Happy follows the lives of a bunch of misfits, thrown together in a boarding house: A washed up, chain-smoking broad, a fat, fey old queen, his Puerto Rican boyfriend and a lonely bachelor whose only companion is the memory of his dead mother. This might be the latest offering from Brad Fraser or Russell T Davies, but in fact, these are puppets - made and animated by Canadian performer Ronnie Burkett.

Put your preconceptions of puppetry aside. This is a spectacular production filled with moments of tender storytelling, biting black comedy, with sharp dialogue and ingenious revelations to match. Burkett is a genius, whose skills seem endless.

Happy refers to the elderly central character, a man whose life has brought him much sadness but who continues to search for colour amidst the drabness of the world. Ironically, unhappiness seems to gravitate towards the very boarding house he lives in - everyone has baggage they just can't leave behind, losses they haven't come to terms with. And here lies the core of the story as we see Carla, grieving for her dead boyfriend, dealing with her loss, helped by Antoine Marionette, a sinister cabaret compere and his cast of singing celebrities.

Burkett operates and voices the puppets from the stage and nothing about the process is hidden. In fact he often uses his own body as an extension of the set, characters emerge from behind his legs, some are stringless and are directly manipulated. The simple set is used brilliantly too, doors open to reveal rooms, props are brought out of drawers and the puppets themselves hang lifelessly as a backdrop to the action. Spotlighting seems to create tiny, exquisite changes in the wooden faces of the puppets.

This is a return visit to the Library for Ronnie Burkett, who was here last year as part of the Cultureshock Festival. I heard great things about the show then but didn't make it. Once again it's a short run - so put off what you're doing this week and see it - the rumours are true.

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