Charlotte's Web

The friendship between unlikely allies, a pig and a spider, are at the core of the classic E.B. White children's book, "Charlotte's Web."

Epic Theatre Company decided to stage the adaptation as a change of pace from their usual dramatic fare and, based on what they have accomplished here, it was a smart decision.

Director Kevin Broccoli ("American Drag") and his production team have mounted a winning adaptation of the story, which features a lot of heart and soul.

Ian Hudgins is tremendously appealing as the terrified pig Wilbur, who is shunned by the other animals on the farm until he is befriended by Charlotte, a spider with tremendous intelligence.

Other characters include Fern (a spunky Betsy Rinaldi), a young girl who adores Wilbur and wants to save him from being turned into someone's dinner; Fern's brash brother Avery (Ibrahima Tylar Jahumpa), Uncle Homer (Ryan Leverone, who also serves as a narrator), Aunt Edith (Vanessa Paige), and featuring Sarah Quintiliani ("Steel Magnolias") in a dual role as Fern's mother and as an old sheep.

Broccoli, working from a script by Karen Foster, generates gentle humor and warmth from the cast. The action is staged in Artist's Exchange's black box theatre. It's a limited space but Broccoli makes the most of it – through some props and sound effects, we can imagine being on a farm. The actors mimic the sounds of farm animals and Hudgins has fun pretending to eat from a metal bucket.

The always wonderful Kerry Giorgi ("Dada Woof Papa Hot") exudes a hypnotic charm as Charlotte spins her webs in an effort to save her friend from the butcher's block.

Justin Pimentel ("The Married Name") is a blast as the self-centered rat Templeton, a shameless opportunist who is motivated by food, not money.

When Templeton learns that Wilbur is going to be competing for a prize at the county fair, he decides to go along only after learning of the possible food droppings on the ground. He is a rat after all.

Samantha Gaus and Laura Ash also turn in stellar work as a goose and a gander.

"Charlotte's Web," which runs a swift 45 minutes, is uplifting in its depiction of sacrifice and friendship. It may be regarded as a children's story but there's plenty here for adults to appreciate. Wilbur's life is ultimately about love and hope, not cruelty and cynicism. That's a message we should all welcome in these troubled times.

"Charlotte's Web" runs through July 27. Epic Theatre Company. Artists' Exchange. 50 Rolfe Square, Cranston, RI. For tickets, visit Artists' Exchange website or www.epictheatreri.org. Ticket prices are $20 General Admission, $15 for Seniors, and $10 for Students and Children.