The Book of Everything

The Book of Everything, penned by award-winning Dutch author Guus Kuijer, is a multidimensional novel for children that balances youthful imagination and exuberance with unexpectedly complex and mature subject matter. 

Presented by: Presented by the Adelaide Festival Centre & Windmill TheatreVenue: Her Majesty’s Theatre Adelaide  Saturday, 27 August, 2011  The Book of Everything, penned by award-winning Dutch author Guus Kuijer, is a multidimensional novel for children that balances youthful imagination and exuberance with unexpectedly complex and mature subject matter. Kuijer tactfully combines religion, violence, love and fear with creativity, imagination and fantasy, and the result is a rich and thought-provoking piece of children’s literature.
Thankfully there is nothing lost in translation in the stage adaptation by Richard Tulloch who, apart from being a superb playwright, has a strong understanding of Dutch idiom. The combined creative strength between co-producers Company B and Kim Carpenter’s Theatre of Image is enviable, and raises the audience’s expectations for The Book of Everything. The masterful vision of renowned director Neil Armfield does not disappoint, ensuring that this production is equally enjoyable for the young and the young-at-heart – having been broadly (and appropriately) marketed to people from 8 to 108. 
In the setting of post WWII Amsterdam, with the after-effects of Nazi occupation still evident in the climate of fear and mistrust, the play follows the story of young Thomas Koppler, an inquisitive nine-almost-ten-year-old. Thomas, charismatically portrayed by the lovable Matthew Whittet, sees things other people cannot, and dutifully documents all his encounters, big and small, in his leather bound book: The Book of Everything. 
Whether it’s a summer hailstorm that rips the leaves from the trees, tropical fish swimming in the canals, or even, with the help of the whole audience, an epic plague of frogs, Thomas’ encounters shape the way he understands and perceives the world. 
Thomas’ family and friends (real and imaginary) also play a pivotal role in his personal development. Firstly, the Koppler family: nurturing Mother, heavy-handed and God-fearing Father, and dumb-as-an-Ox sister Margot (Claire Jones, Pip Miller, and Rebecca Massey, respectively). The shifting family dynamic is acutely felt by the audience, as Margot and Thomas witness and begin to understand their father’s violence. 
We meet the neighbourhood: the witch, Mrs. Van Amersfoort (Julie Forsyth); trouser-wearing feminist Auntie Pie (Deborah Kennedy); and the ‘princess’ with the squeaky leather leg, Eliza (Lucia Mastrantone). Though on the surface their roles are mainly comic, these strong female characters each provide Thomas with a unique insight into his world.
Then there’s Thomas’ imaginary friend and confidante, Jesus. Clad in sandals and robe, John Leary’s laid-back portrayal starkly contrasts with the Old Testament blood-in-the-Nile Lord of Thomas’ strict religious upbringing. Providing some classic one-liners (perhaps more appreciated by adults) and a good variety of magic tricks, Jesus really is a crowd pleaser. 
In a story filled with robust, multi-dimensional characters, each performed with strength and feeling, singling out star performers is impossible. Director Neil Armfield expertly drilled his accomplished cast, ensuring that the energy levels never faltered throughout the two-hour show.
It was Kim Carpenter’s vision for set design that really allowed the story to come to life. The ease with which the transition from the mundane and everyday to the fantastical and whimsical was achieved was as simple as the turn of a page. The music by Iain Grandage, and supported by the entire cast, provided another dimension to the show: soundtrack, atmosphere, and comic relief.
The Book of Everything delicately balances youthful exuberance with adult complexity, delving into moral and spiritual dilemmas without pretension. In contrast with some other theatrical productions targeted towards children, The Book of Everything does not underestimate the depth of understanding of younger theatre-goers.
At Her Majesty’s Theatre in Adelaide, The Book of Everthing was thoroughly enjoyed by all, with rapturous applause and heartfelt laughter. This rich and thought-provoking piece of children’s theatre is an absolute gem, and should be seen by all!! York Theatre Seymour Centre, Sydney20 September – 1 October The Book of Everything will play in New York at the New Victory Theater in April 2012
Photo by: Heidrun Lohr