Nicky' gives serious topic a heavenly touch

From: Seattle Post Intelligencer, WA - 04 Mar 2003

By LESLIE HOLDCROFT
SPECIAL TO THE POST-INTELLIGENCER

Dance, feathered wings, life-size puppets, sign language and live music create a sparkling tour through the ethereal in Seattle Children's Theatre's "Nicky Somewhere Else."

THEATER REVIEW

NICKY SOMEWHERE ELSE

WHEN: Through March 30

WHERE: Seattle Children's Theatre, Seattle Center

TICKETS: $12-$26, 206-441-3322

AGES: Recommended for 6 and older

Little Nicky discovers his twin brother, Noel, died at birth. Curious, he writes his brother an introductory letter, which the angels answer with: "Just imagine. You can find me. Signed, Noel, Somewhere Else."

The play weaves the audience in and out of Somewhere Else, a beautiful land filled with mountains, rivers, spacious skies and raucous angels. The boys do meet, and then learn they must part again.

Sounds simple? It is. But in the hands of director Onny Huisink and playwright Saskia Janse, "Nicky" travels the death issue with deep tenderness and cloud-spun beauty. The little puppet -- beautiful work by Janse -- gamely works through his loss, longing and curiosity with an effervescent spirit.

Costumes from Huisink favor white wings, red eye shadow and swirling Sufi skirts. Angels Jason Collins, Sarah Harlett, Mara Hesed, Billy Seago and Candace Vance provide athletic dance and movement. Hesed gets the best role: Disapproving, she tries to thwart Nicky's adventure and she plays the frump well. Vance is funky on a clarinet trimmed with angel wings.

The fine journey turns sour with an overlong visit from a duck, the improbable appearance of Santa Claus and the crowd-rousing addition of a Britney Spears number.

Lights from Michael Wellborn favor a cool, sky-hued palette, and sound from Chris Walker is jaunty -- just the thing for a child's version of trekking through heaven.

The eventual reuniting of Nicky and Noel is predictably both tender and awkward. No real revelations here, just meat-and-potatoes fun at seeing each other again.

The addition of American Sign Language and Russian Sign Language works in this kinetic playground of heavenly ideas, bringing it alive with six languages -- Dutch, ASL, Russian Sign Language, English, music and dance.

All in all, "Nicky" handles the difficult issue of death with great success.

© 1998-2003 Seattle Post-Intelligencer