Saturday I learned all about reduplicative compounds, not from San Diego's friendly verbavore Richard Lederer, but from 11-year-old Lily Corbett. Ms. Corbett plays Mabel in Open Curtain Troupe's production of A Tale of Higgledy-Piggledy Mumbo Jumbo. The show has a one-date-a-month schedule throughout the summer.
The script by Matthew J. Hanson and Christine D'Amico is based on her book, "Higgledy-Piggledy." The play is designed for the very young, beginning with pre-schoolers. The audience, at Compass Theater (formerly 6th@Penn), comprised about 60 percent target audience.
A Tale of Higgledy-Piggledy Mumbo Jumbo is about words and proves a sneaky little learning tool to introduce young reader to the fun world of words. Interestingly, the play works for adult who simply watch as the players interact with their audience.
Mabel, an inquisitive young lady, creates this strange word, Higgledy-Piggledy, only to find it in her dictionary.
Note: Higgledy-Piggledy, adv. 1. In a jumbled, confused, or disorderly manner; helter-skelter. -adj. 2. Confused, jumbled [1590-1600; rhyming compound of uncertain origin.] Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 2001 ed.
Mabel has a cat, Porkchop (Antonio Hays), who has a penchant for knocking over flowerpots. Her mom Maria (Cindy Lewis) is often at wit's-end between the cat and her daughter. Dad Roger (Alexander Wells III) seems, for the most part, oblivious to these problems. His redeeming trait is that of being a good cook.
Rounding out the family is sister Annabelle (Larissa Garcia), who, at times, considers her sister a pain.
A running gag of a misplaced dictionary had the young audience highly amused. They all probably wondered why adults just don't pay attention to them. They knew what was happening, even if Maria and Roger didn't have a clue. Mabel discussed several points with the audience, getting many responses.
The second act takes place in a library. The set is designed as a traveler. The house backdrop (painted on stretched canvas) is reversed to become a reading room and the stacks of a library.
A librarian, Ms. Walderword (Cindy Lewis), properly English, is giving some students a tour. Antonio Hays, out of his cat costume, is Max and Larissa Garcia is Vanessa, another student. They are joined by Francesca Tirpak, Erik, and Serna Nnambi as part of the touring students. Alexander Wells III joins the cast, this time as a professor doing a science demonstration to an older group of students.
As in the first act, words are bandied about, new words are discovered, and the audience becomes an integral part of the action. Mable and Max discover much in the library and get lost, promulgating a chase sequence that the young kids loved.
Director Ashley McGuire ZeMans' young cast, all with stage credits, along with the two older members, produce a totally convincing story of children exploring the wonderful world of words. While A Tale of Higgledy-Piggledy Mumbo Jumbo is kids' fare (preschool to nine), it also plays well with the parents.
Open Curtain Theatre Troupe also provides summer workshops in theatre for children from Kindergarten to the eighth grade. What a pleasure to know that theatre is being brought to the attention of the very young. Our next generation of actors is here.
