Review: ATTENBOROUGH AND HIS ANIMALS, Wilton's Music Hall

Fresh from the Edinburgh Fringe, Clownfish Theatre has just swum into Wilton's Music Hall with the London debut of its family-friendly production, Attenborough and his Animals.

Inspired by everyone's favourite nonagenarian naturalist, the show purports to re-enact David Attenborough's 1954 documentary Zoo Quest live on stage, with a special guest appearance from the man himself. There are just a couple of problems with the plan; Attenborough's not here. And neither are the animals. The only option is for the two plucky presenters to step into the shoes of the beloved broadcaster, as well as the tentacles, paws, and claws of quite the collection of creatures from the animal kingdom.

What follows is 70 minutes of mime and clowning which bring to life some of the most memorable moments from David Attenborough's nature documentaries, from 1994's The Private Life of Plants to the award-winning 2017 series Blue Planet II.

The show is performed by its creators, Jonathan Tilley and Jess Clough-MacRae, who discovered their shared love of David Attenborough documentaries when they met at world-renowned physical theatre school École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq. These shared experiences shine through in this hilarious love letter to their hero.

It's a great premise that has audience members of all ages howling with laughter from the start, but my early impression was uncertainty as to whether this could be sustained for longer than an actual episode of an Attenborough documentary. It just about does, but things do start to feel a little samey as the show goes on, so it would probably benefit from the culling of a couple of creatures. And although entertaining in its own right, it will definitely be better appreciated by those who are already familiar with David Attenborough's work.

Performed on a bare stage with minimal props and simple costumes, the show relies on strong physical theatre skills and great comic timing. Tilley provides the narration with an uncanny Attenborough impression while Clough-MacRae shows off some seriously silly miming as she transforms into an array of animals and the occasional plant. Her facial expressions alone are enough to have the audience in stitches, but she also offers an impressive selection of animal noises.

Far more than just an Attenborough impersonator, Tilley also gets involved in the action as he jumps into various roles including predator, prey, and mate to the animals embodied by Clough-MacRae. Particular highlights include Clough-MacRae's menacing Komodo dragon, a kangaroo boxing match, and a mating ritual set to Hot Chocolate's "You Sexy Thing'" (My ten-year-old companion was bemused by this section, which just made it all the more amusing.) They even manage to capture the plastic pollution messaging from Blue Planet II in a powerful section that segues neatly back into comedy for the finale.

Attenborough aficionados should be sure to catch Clownfish at Wilton's Music Hall for a nature documentary like you've never seen before. Just remember that this is a live event and there are risks involved in observing clowns in their natural habitat, particularly for those in the front row!

Attenborough And His Animals is at Wilton's Music Hall until 3 September

Photo Credit: Wilton's Music Hall

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