Kurt Guba and Kathleen Betsko Yale in "The Witches."

(photo: Ken Barney)

Theatre of Youth has had a successful run with stage adaptations of the odd children’s stories of Roald Dahl. Their current production of The Witches, a play by David Wood based on Dahl’s book, follows Theater of Youth productions of Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach and The BFG (Big Friendly Giant). Can Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory be far behind?

The Witches, arriving just in time for Halloween, is a fanciful journey with a character named Boy who, following the Dahlian death of his parents, lives with his grandmother. The Grandmother, played with mercurial lightness and humor by Kathleen Betsko Yale, tells the boy, played with charm and exuberance by the boyish Kurt Guba, horrifying stories of witches and their clever devices to destroy children. Low and behold, shortly after Boy and Grandmother move to England, Boy finds himself pursued by witches who succeed in turning him into a mouse. Undiscouraged by this unfortunate turn of events, Boy and Grandmother combat the witches to rescue the children of England.

Eye-popping stagecraft is part of the Theater of Youth signature style, and set and costume designer Kenneth Shaw has not disappointed on this occasion, taking us through the locations of the story with imagination and wit. His mice are endearing and comical; his witches are peculiarly otherworldly and have great wigs (hair and makeup by Lisa Rokicki).

Kathleen Betsko Yale and Kurt Guba make a likable and dynamic duo as they face life and its evils together with total confidence and indefatigability. Under the direction of Meg Quinn, their lightness of tone keeps the story from becoming authentically frightening as it travels down some pretty treacherous roads.

Mary McMahon is especially delicious as the head witch of all England, an oddly Teutonic cross between Cruella DeVille and Uma Thurman.

A hardworking supporting cast makes its way through multiple characters, Christopher Michael LaBanca, Anne Roaldi, Matthew LaChiusa, Bill Schmidt, Moira Keenan and Bret McCormick among them. The Verizon Telecom Pioneers did a credible job as guest witches.

Brian Wantuch has provided a fun musical score which keeps the production moving with great humor and agility.

To say that the show is delightful is not to pretend that the Roald Dahl story, like so many of his stories, is not bizarre. The culminating moment, when Mouse and Grandmother discuss their imminent mortality, is as disturbing to me as the death of Bambi’s mother. No, Boy will never regain his human form. And yet, the Theater of Youth audience clearly took the violent and threatening turns of Dahl’s story in stride, and left the theater happy, energized and optimistic.

The play is appropriate for anybody age seven or older. Performances run Saturdays and Sundays at 2pm, October 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29 and Friday, October 27 at 7pm. Call 716-884-4400 for tickets or details.

A correction from a previous Theater Week: Katie Menke was the designer of the excellent sound for the Road Less Traveled production of The Dodo Bird.