The Worlds Inside, a play put together by Brian Wiltshire, Clarisse Bonello, Catherine Murphy and Shona Scorringe, explores the curiosity and the imagination of a young child’s mind, and the struggles that accompany it.

The original production follows the story of a young boy, Brian, whose wondrous and playful personality sometimes can be a struggle in the real world. Faced with real life problems, Brian retreats to his dream world, which is filled with monsters, cute little animals and adventures that are yet to be taken. Unfortunately, this puts some pressure on his single mother, who wants nothing but the best for Brian, even if it costs him his safe haven.

The story itself is very touching to those who are unable to remember both the joys and the struggles of childhood. There are moments where you can’t help but smile at Brian’s adventures in his imagination. Brian Wiltshire, who portrays the character of the same name, is the heart of the play. Being eleven years old, he perfectly understands what it is like to be a child, which is evidently seen in the performance. The supporting actors also help put together the young boy’s world, by placing the set together or by acting alongside him.

The performance is amplified by theatrical elements. The set of the play is very simplistic, filled with nothing but boxes, which helps represent the mother’s struggles of raising Brian. The props are typical, everyday toys that a child would enjoy, including meerkat John, which is one of the most heartwarming props in the play, as Brian constantly makes reference to the Compare The Meerkat TVCs.

But what really captures the innocence of childhood, however, is the music and lighting. Composed by Evan Chapman, the score consists of the soft sounds of xylophones, which is played whenever Brian ventures into his imagination. The use of lighting is also extremely effective. Whether it’s used to create the tone, or to project silhouettes of animals, the lighting was well thought and executed.

On the other hand. while the production certainly had its strong points, the narrative somewhat fell short. Brian uses his imagination to escape from his problems, however it could have been explored more. There was a well-structured moment where Brian was reading a story to meerkat John, which it was acted out with the use of silhouettes. Moments like these captured the very essence of the production, and the show could have been stronger had there been more of this.

The story also abruptly ends, leaving you with a sense of uncertainty, unsure of what to take out of it. In addition to that, the scene transitions were done so with the lights on – perhaps it would have been more effective had the transitions been done with a dim, simplistic lighting.

The Worlds Inside uses strong elements to put together an overall heartwarming, exquisite and curious production that can be enjoyed by audiences both young and old. A reflective production put together by four talented actors and producers, the play highlights that even a small child’s imagination can be the bring out the best in the world. Despite the narrative’s weak spots, the production as a whole was still a joyful experience.

Click here for more information and to purchase tickets to the show.