Isle of Man: M is for Manx Cat

A recent musical adaptation of the book M is for Manx Cat recently finished its tour of Island venues at the Centenary Centre, with many families enjoying an ingenuous interpretation of the alphabet.

Created by local author Gemma Hjerth and illustrated by Kim Gee, the story revolves around two young children and their Manx granny - and her endeavours to read them an unusual bedtime story. But this is no ordinary tale, as granny takes them, and her audience, on a whirlwind journey through the alphabet; with each letter representing a significant aspect of the Isle of Man.

The musical adaptation was both produced and directed by Lisa Kreisky and Kristene Sutcliffe of Stage Door Entertainment, and sponsored by the Isle of Man Arts Council.

Lisa Kreisky commented, "As parents ourselves, Krissy and I are fully aware that it's not always easy to travel with young kids, even around the Isle of Man. But we believe that this should not stop them enjoying the magic of theatre, so we decided to take it on the road."

The show garnered a lot of popularity when first performed at The Studio Theatre towards the end of last year, growing into an Island success with its recent tour.

Copies of the original book are available from local bookshops.

Valerie Caine
© March 2020

(Courtesy of the North Western Chronicle)