REVIEW: Thumbelina at Valley of the Moon

-----Original Message-----
From: Zack Jarrett [mailto:zack@zackswagon.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2014 9:07 AM
Subject: Thumbelina at Valley of the Moon

This review was written by Laurence Winn, a retired engineer who has been a
Valley of the Moon visitor and supporter for several years.
Zack Jarrett
President, Valley of the Moon

Laurence Winn:
I took my daughter and grandkids to see the show, and this is what I found:

Thumbelina is, of course, a retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's classic
tale adapted to the adventure tour format used at Valley of the Moon. The
show is a feast of great lines well delivered.

Each performer adds something of their own. You have never met a more wicked
toad than Toad or a fiercer defender of her right to choose than Thumbelina,
nor encountered a more dangerous-looking spider, or a more Dickensian mouse.
Bird's successful attempts to tie the world low-altitude record are
perfectly-timed comic relief, just when things are becoming a little too
grim.

Forgetting he was a member of the audience, our six-year-old flew off with a
luminous band of fairies, excited to see the Fairy Queen, radiant in white.
I thought I caught a glimpse of the spirit of George Legler, creator of this
place, laughing in a corner of his old digs overlooking the Queen's grotto,
altogether pleased with himself.

My list of fun times would be incomplete without a tip of the hat to
Greenman with the guitar, from whom I will need to get the words to that
hilarious song about the indestructible cat.

A minor complaint: Having been shrunk to the size of a fairy so we could fit
in fairyland, I was alarmed at the size of cars in the parking lot. I
believe our storyteller forgot to enlarge us on the way out. No matter, it
wore off before I had to drive.

Did I say it was fun? I even glimpsed the caped author/director Leora
Renteria as she entered the park. So many of the audience come in garb, but
I am sure it was she.