Review. ‘The Secret Garden.’ Theatre at The Tabard.

The Secret Garden – by Frances Hodgson Burnett, adapted for the stage by Louise Haddington. The Tabard Theatre, Bath Road London W4

🍷🍷🍷🍷 – 4 our of 5 glasses of fine claret! (Or Blackcurrant squash!)

A world of ageless kids for kids of all ages.

“Magic is all around us”, says Colin, a character that only appears in the second half of this theatre production of the classic book, The Secret Garden.

And, with full disclosure, I’ve never read the book. Or seen any of the various film and TV productions that have apparently been made.

But it’s a magical production. There are times early on where the action is a bit static – probably because of the scope of a book condensed into a 2 act play. But once again, the tiny Tabard have created a beautiful theatrical production – a classic outsider story that feels very contemporary indeed.

Director Simon Reilly has assembled a cast and creative crew that are, as is the tradition of Theatre At The Tabard punching above their weight. The central character, in her professional debut, is a delight, giving a performance that is both tender and humorous. I shall never watch children skipping in the same way again! But the whole cast wonderfully inhabit the stage with strong and confident performances and there are some very cute puppets.

And the design of the Secret Garden is actually quite a surprise too! But I shan’t spoil it. This is another brilliant alternative to the traditional pantomime. Young and old will enjoy The Secret Garden. The characters will grow on you and prove that the Tabard Theatre is blooming and a crucial branch of London’s rich forest of cultural offshoots.

TICKETS: £19.50/£15.50 concessions – performances 7th to 15th December, and 27th to 31st December. £23.50/£19.50 concessions – performances 16th to 26th December.

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