It’s such a pleasure watching the central character of “Mojo” blossom from precocious tyke to rebellious teen that you’ll barely notice she’s a puppet.
But a puppet she is, and she comes to marvelous life in this production from London’s Theatre-Rites, now receiving it US premiere at the New Victory. Though it’s geared to children ages 5 and up, it offers visual enchantments for the whole family.
It begins exuberantly, with virtuoso percussionist Adriano Adewale beating a tambourine while coaxing the performers out from the audience onto the stage, where each must perform a distinctive dance to be allowed through an ever-changing doorway.
After some Mummenschanz-style interludes in which abstract shapes morph into a human figure and spectral circles emerge from a musician’s trumpet, we’re introduced to the puppet baby Mojo. The dancers/puppeteers form a makeshift family, encouraging her to take her first steps and playing with her, at one point joining in on a gleeful tap dance.
But the flaxen-haired little girl quickly grows up, and as she becomes a rambunctious teenager, Adewale’s percussion and Leo Altarelli’s vocals take on a propulsive edginess. By the time Mojo’s wearing a short skirt and rocking a pair of cool sunglasses, the young audience is cheering.
The imagery is striking, as the performers, nearly invisible in all-black, manipulate their puppets into, among other things, a giant spider-like creature and a preening flamingo. It’s all done wordlessly: Only the lyrics of the songs, including the sing-along title tune, comment on the action.
Beautifully directed by Sue Buckmaster and choreographed by Arthur Pita, the 80-minute piece has its slow spots, and would have benefited from a stronger storyline. But the inventive movement and gorgeous visuals — the blue neon framing the stage bursts into multiple colors at the triumphant conclusion — deliver a joyous “Mojo” nonetheless.