Brave Bettie Review – One night for a daring duo to save a mighty oak tree | stage

TTwo stories intertwine in Tatenda Naomi Matsavai’s new play, rooted in the natural world. The first is a folk tale, read downstage by schoolgirl Betty, about Bida Moyo, who protects her Zimbabwean kingdom from “men with a sword” and rescues an injured lioness. The second is Bettie’s own nighttime adventure, accompanied by Paida Moyo, to save a cherished oak tree from falling as part of the evil local council’s plans for a new car park.

The back story is delivered with the reckless rush of the avid reader and risks escaping a young audience (it’s aimed at children aged between three and eight). The latter, which makes up the bulk of the show, has a more halting pace as the sass is interspersed with bits of wisdom.

Matsvay showed a flair for evocative, poetic writing in their delightful teen play, Hot Oranges, co-written by Amal Khalidi. Brave Bettie soars as she glorifies the wonders of the forest where the adventure unfolds. The power of nature’s ancient and mysterious communication networks, conveyed in part through music and discovered through a child’s eyes, has shades of My Neighbor Totoro, especially when Betty magically passes inside the old oak tree. With the play’s impassioned message of activism and respect for wildlife, Betty also becomes the modern Lorax, speaking on behalf of the trees.

Abena Aduma, who plays the gentle ancestral guide Baida Moyo, charms the audience from the start. Adoma leads an introduction to the Shona language and ritual rain dances against the twinkling green lanterns of the forest lit by Emily Walls, the design of which is a bit subdued, even for a nighttime adventure. Oscillating between awe and determination, Betty (Joanna Nsengwana) discovers that her new companion is not quite as brave as the story suggests. The duo comes to each other’s rescue in a story of friendship, not only between these two but with the animals that sometimes literally appear in the design of the Bolu Dairo collection.

A few strenuous changes in scenery slow the pace of the trip, which stops often to offer lessons—whether in recycling, nesting, or the soothing qualities of sidewalk leaves. If Abigail Kelly’s production for Half Moon and Z-arts sometimes lacks dynamism, particularly when the duo attempts to navigate a path through the forest, it is attuned to the smells, tastes and rhythms of nature, supported by music and sound effects by Axel Cacuti. There is also a strong sense of mythology embedded in the tale such as the ancient tree. It’s a stage for expanding your horizons, best followed by a stroll through your nearest green space.