REVIEW: Willo the Wisp and the Fire Sprite, Prescot Woodland Theatre

HARRY Potter meets a Shakespeare comedy with a little Tolkien thrown in for good measure in this lovely new promenade piece from Prescot's own MATE Productions.This lively, fantastical walkabout is currently touring outdoor sites around Merseyside and for this one, on the company's home turf, the audience was led to some unexpected spots around their woodland theatre base to reveal a cast of wizards, elves, gnomes, witches and much more besides.The story begins with the Fire King (Kieran Hoare) distraught that his sister Princess Ember (Holly Halford) has been kidnapped by Willo the Wisp (Conor Burns).It just so happens that we the audience have been schooled in the magic that might come in handy for saving the day, thanks to the Story Wizard (Francesco La Rocca) and his helpers; and so we find ourselves along for the ride, on a quest to find Willo in time for the Fiery Fairy Ball.It's like being transported into a real life fairy tale as we are led from scene to scene, singing to a gang of gnomes (oh yes) and getting caught in a domestic with a couple of trolls.There's comedy, there's music, magic, adventure, and of course some romance. In this vein, Director Gaynor La Rocca's script (of a story devised by the company as a whole) is clearly a loving tribute to similar Shakespearean romps, the likes of which have influenced so much of MATE's work - and will be shaping its future.With a cast of non-professionals and crew of volunteers (including local schoolchildren that made props as part of wider educational projects around the show), this Willo is a real community effort that is a joy to see come to fruition.Imaginative, witty and ambitious, once again MATE creates a little bit of magic somewhere you might not expect to find it.