Susie and the Story Shredder review: All the absurdity a young audience needs

SUSIE AND THE STORY SHREDDER

Project Arts Centre, Cube
★★★★
Once upon a time, in the kingdom of Levitas, stories ceased to exist. Faced with writer's block, the book-loving King Levi decided to destroy them all, and hired the efficient and effervescent Susie as one of his chief Story Destroyers. Even when charged with destruction, however, Susie just can't help being creative: her black-and-white office, a tribute to pandas, is covered in shredded-paper flowers and shredded-papier-mache figurines.

Ursula McGinn and Mollie Molumby's new play has all the absurdity a seven-plus audience needs, from painful puns to silly dances, as well as some perfectly managed audience interaction. Clodagh Mooney Duggan and Matthew Malone bring youthful vim to the stage, with the shape-shifting Malone appearing as Levi, a Story Stealer, and Susie's animated robot sidekick, Shredder. Under Molumby's direction the show is lots of fun, but Bombinate Theatre also follow through on the meaningful moral by ensuring all young audience members get a story pack to get them started at home.

Runs until Sunday, September 16th