An enthusiastic audience of youngsters greeted Kansas University’s Theatre for Young People’s production of Paul Maar’s “Noodle Doodle Box” Monday afternoon at Crafton-Preyer Theatre. This quirky little play, directed by guest director and KU alumnus Beate Pettigrew, is the story of two clown-like characters, each living in a fantastic box full of wonderful treasures like giant toothbrushes, broken umbrellas, mismatched shoes, a handkerchief with holes, a teddy bear and a rubber fish.

Adorned in costumer Jessica Cook’s wacky outfits of stripes, patches and polka dots, Zacharias (Niccole Thurman) and Pepper (Alex Haynes) tease and taunt one another in familiar childish ways: “My box is better than your box”; “You’re fatter than I am”; “Don’t touch my stuff!” Their endless and petty games of one-upmanship grow a bit tiresome after a while, but children will recognize these kinds of playground wars immediately.

Their arguments stem in part from jealousy: Each wants the other’s box. So when the arrogant, pompous Drum Major (Meg Saricks) strides through, she is able to use their jealousy against them. Dressed in a wonderfully wacky ruffled drum-major outfit, she pits them against one another in a contest to be the best drummer. Then she uses their distraction to steal both of their boxes. Zacharias and Pepper must come to terms with one another and learn later to share a remaining box as they discover their friendship is more important than their competition.

Pettigrew and choreographer Scott Stackhouse have Thurman and Haynes zipping wildly across the stage and through the audience with infectious childlike abandon. Haynes is particularly loose-limbed and adept at physical comedy. Thurman has a steady, forceful stage presence, and both actors have clearly tapped into their inner children, producing believable childlike characters. Saricks is very clever as the manipulative Drum Major, and all of the actors interact very well with the audience of children.

The play is full of very funny moments whose simple humor appeals to children and adults alike. Scenic designer Jennifer Stimple has designed a simple but effective set, dominated by the colorful, eye-catching boxes, and there is a nifty bit of stage magic, accomplished with the audience’s “help.”

Although “Noodle Doodle Box” is long on episode and short on plot — and the lesson of acceptance, sharing and friendship seems a bit forced — it is also bright and fun and full of energy that kids will enjoy. Children in Monday’s audience were jumping up out of their seats in excitement.

The show continues in the Crafton-Preyer Theatre with a public performance at 2:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets range from $5 to $10 and can be bought by calling 864-3982.

— Sarah Young is a lecturer in Kansas University’s English department. She can be reached at youngsl@ku.edu.

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