Shadow Necropolis
By day Minerva is an ordinary child but her nights are spent on adventures in the Shadow Kingdom with her friends who exist only there, the Owl, DJ Slug, even Hypnos, the God of Dreams, and why wouldn’t she wish to escape there, despondent at the news which tells her of war and climate change and that the Doomsday Clock is ever closer to midnight, that the world’s richest people are planning to abandon the planet as a lost cause.
Late for school having overslept, Minerva finds there is a new girl in class, Amira, a refugee who she tries to befriend, wishing she could share in the happiness and belonging she feels in the Shadow Kingdom, but in order to do that she must enter the Shadow Necropolis where thoughts and memories are buried, its gate guarded by Baron Samedi, skeletal Spirit of Death and Life, and obtain the Claw of Dreamwalking, more dangerous than Minerva anticipated.
A sequel to Shadow Kingdom though prior knowledge is not vital to enjoy it and also referencing the Space Hippo programme, Shadow Necropolis is the latest flight of magical fancy from the Mochinosha Puppet Company, created and performed by Daniel Wishes and Seri Yanai with music composed by Ian Laurence and Liko Takada, blending traditional shadow puppet techniques with modern lighting equipment and carried by an understanding of story and the hopes and pressures which drive and distress dreamers of all ages.
From trying to mingle at the skeleton party to bargaining with Baron Samedi, offering as gifts the only things she has, her genuine feelings she has tried to hide, Minerva’s kindness and honesty are reciprocated on a captivating and joyful journey of healing through the clouds and into the underworld, fighting the brain gremlin unleashed upon her by Oizys, Goddess of Anxiety, discovering and affirming her strength and sharing it with Amira, a girl who under the skin is not so different from any of the other inhabitants of the Shadow Necropolis.
Shadow Necropolis runs at the Assembly Roxy until Monday 26th August
