It's the holiday season. The kids are running roughshod throughout the house, and are already tired of their new toys. Gah! What to do next? Take them out for a toe-tapping good time and see Lifeline Theatre's KidSeries production of "Lyle, Lyle Crocodile." This musical adaptation of the 1965 Bernard Waber book of the same name follows the adventures of Lyle, a Manhattan-dwelling crocodile who lives in a Victorian brownstone with the Primm family.
Gentle as a lamb, and a friend to all, Lyle has discriminating tastes and loves to perform. As the Primms learn, Lyle had a stellar theatrical past, so his new tricks and penchant for going for laughs are merely daily events. Everyone in the neighborhood loves Lyle, yet two shady characters seek to remove Lyle from his comfortable, happy home.
The small cast takes on a variety of characters through quick costume changes and voice inflections; they are all capable singers and can deftly tackle small dance numbers. The changes in character roles may be confusing at first to younger audience members, but soon they'll be able to find the game and keep up with the story. Of note, Danielle Brothers as Mrs. Primm handles her singing parts with great dexterity and would shine equally in a larger venue.
Given the small performance space, Lifeline is able to transform the stage into 1960s Manhattan through a set design taken directly from the original book's illustrations. All scenery changes are handled by the actors without a hitch. As Lyle gets himself into a prickly situation, and becomes tempted to return to his nomadic past, you really want him to get back to his happy home. And with a bit of luck (and trickery), you'll soon see why all neighborhoods could benefit from having a crocodile live up the block.
Reviewed by Centerstage!
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