WAF Young Reviewer - Meg in the Magic Toyshop

By Yash

Throughout Wandsworth Arts Fringe, there were multiple performances with many talented individuals and groups taking part to deliver quality entertainment to all different age groups. As a youth reviewer, I have a tendency to go to shows more catered to my age group or even a little holder, however, in this review, I’m going to be talking about another performance which you wouldn’t catch many people like me at!

Meg in The Magic Toyshop, which, as the name suggests, is more catered for young children around 3-6 years old and moody parents, who aren’t as passionate and energetic as their children when being read a funny little story and looking for a glove that magically disappeared!

As I entered the venue, the kids were already intrigued by the chests and backgrounds presented, which in my opinion, was a strong field for Meg and her cohost, Penny, showcasing their wit, creativity and passion for performance and drama. This was definitely one of the greatest ways I’ve seen someone settle a group of young kids down and I could tell by the looks on everyone's face that we were in for a great treat!

Then, we were presented with Meg and Penny, two incredibly dressed personalities, resembling some very familiar (and popular) story characters we know and love today! The first great thing about their costumes is that they looked unique and very remarkable, just by first glance you can see how much effort was put in which just shows how much commitment performers like Meg and Penny have, considering the time period for their performances and how many shows they have to do for kids all over wandsworth.

There was a lot of colour, which a small but important touch, they are unique and vibrant but aren’t too over the top, which makes Meg and Penny more approachable and makes it easier for the young audience to settle. They were certainly better dressed than me in my white shirt and grey shorts for sure! But aside from my slight bitterness over how much better at fashion they were than me, I was very impressed with their attention to detail in their costumes and how distinctive they were, shining their personalities through very well and leading everyone (well the kids) into a whole world of fun.

The whole performance was very interactive, with Meg and Penny engaging with the kids and us older people which, again in my opinion, is a very underrated skill that not many people appreciate as it makes performances more memorable for everyone and makes everyone feel like they are part of something no matter the age range. Every act that Meg and Penny did was absolutely well made and well rehearsed from the beginning with Meg losing her glove and embarking on a journey to find it, to the sing-a-longs, which were beautifully sung by Penny, and stories, which Meg made exciting and suspenseful for everyone in the room, to the ending where Meg, somehow, managed to find her glove with the help of the kids (who carried the task of finding her glove!)

I had a great time watching this performance and I believe performances like these are important for young children as they are fun but they also provide lots of other benefits like being educational, with Meg teaching kids to be kind, and increasing their creativity, from activities like dancing and singing. You can see the effects of these performances from the engagement of the target audience. The kids were so cheerful and excited to just be there and participate, and the parents, while being a little less cheerful than their kids, still took part with all the activities like dancing.

Overall, Meg in The Magic Toyshop is a fun, engaging and even perhaps educational experience for all the family to enjoy, hosted by two incredibly talented artists who have great flair in performing for young children and while, I myself wasn’t too big into the performance due to it not being targeted towards my age group, I can certainly appreciate that younger children will definitely love Meg and The Magic Toyshop and I certainly recommend this performances for families that want to get out there and enjoy something fresh and original or want their young children to get their energy out before dinner!

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