“Mrs. Bedonebyasyoudid. â€Little boys who are only fit to play with sea-beasts cannot go there,’ she said.” LC-USZC4-6608, LC-USZ62-123074, Prints & Photographs Division, Library of Congress (9)
Topanga Actors Company (TAC) will present a holiday production of Charles Kingsley’s beloved tale, The Water Babies, on Dec. 19, repeated on Dec. 20 at 4 p.m., on Zoom.
This beloved fairy tale is the story of Tom, a chimney sweep, whose master, Mr. Grimes, is a drunk and foul-tempered fellow. One day, Tom accompanies Grimes to do a job at the manor house of Sir John, a home with ninety chimneys! He loses his way in the chimneys and, by mistake, comes out in the room of a young girl, whom he frightens, because of his filthy, sooty appearance. The little girl screams for help, and everyone chases him. He makes a valiant escape, but, unfortunately, he dies. Not really! He is changed by a fairy and transformed into a water-baby. He then makes a long journey to become a real man again.
The show is directed by Antonia Bath and Paula LaBrot, and is suitable for children and adults. Originally meant to help reform abusive child labor practices in England, the first edition is, as well, a moral fable, a treasure trove of naturalist lore.
Charles Kingsley was supportive of Darwin’s “Origin of the Species” when writing “Water Babies.” There are many moral reminders in the story which is a serious critique of closemindedness. A man of his time, hence unpublishable in the current climate of political correctness, Kingsley always supported the one rule we can all agree on as the most beautiful rule of all time, all people, all cultures: The Golden Rule.
So, gather the children, the grownups, the grandparents, for high tea together and watch this wonderful story unfold. Happiest of holiday wishes to you all from Topanga Actors Company! Cheers! n
The link to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86813675846
Or iPhone one-tap: US: +14086380968,,86813675846# or +16699006833,,86813675846#
