Credit: Robert Day

Once on This Island is a musical set on the Caribbean island of Haiti. A little girl is frightened by a storm so to comfort her a group of storytellers tell the tale of Ti Moune, an orphan girl who was found after a hurricane. Four of the storytellers dress up as voodou spirits and they direct the action, playing with Ti Moune's destiny, making her fall in love and tempting her towards death but also providing protection.

Living in a poor black village, Ti Moune saves the life of a wealthy mulatto boy. While nursing him to health she falls in love and believes that it is her destiny to marry him. When his father's staff arrive to take him back to his hotel, Ti Moune follows him and they have an intense love affair. However, society does not allow marriages across this social divide and his father demands that he gives her up to marry a rich mulatto girl. The story of Ti Moune's life has a bitter-sweet ending and reflects the tragic history of Haiti, where white colonial masters were overthrown but black people were subjugated by the mulatto minority.

I'm not normally a fan of musicals - in fact I generally detest them - but I have to admit to rather enjoying this production. I tend to think of musicals as plays that have very little drama and which are constantly and annoyingly being punctuated by cheesy pop songs and dance routines. However the songs in Once on This Island tell the story effectively and the performers don't stop acting their parts as they sing. The play is fairly short (an hour and three-quarters including interval) and the action is fast paced making it a great show for children.

My only gripe is a technical one: the performers voices are amplified and as the sound was balanced it was was hard to tell which actor was speaking or singing as the focus of the action moved across the stage. Also the sound was tinny and, combined with the Caribbean accents, I sometimes found it hard to make out the words. However, the bright colours and vivacity of the production made this a very enjoyable evening. Although it might seem a shame to go to the theatre when the weather outside is so nice, the temperature in the auditorium only added to the Caribbean atmosphere.

Once on This Island plays at the Nottingham Playhouse until Saturday 11th July.

Once On This Island