This is what theatre is all about!

Last week, DN and I watched a play at The Arts House. In The Garden was part of the Act 3-Prudential Children's First Festival. It was a good choice, and I'm glad it was pitched at the right level (1-4 years). There was no story, which was fine because at DN's age, to get them to concentrate, absorb and try to understand a 45 minute story is impossible anyway. There were hardly any words too, and honestly, it didn't need words because it was so visual. There was the use of shadow puppets, multi-media and music, and that was enough to grab DN's attention. The entire performance was made up of tiny tiny action sequences - being chased by elephants, looking for a boat in choppy waters, getting wet in the rain etc... things that very young children can understand and enjoy. No words needed.

DN was engaged throughout! He laughed at the funny moments, shouted out the names of the animals that he saw on the screen, tried to imitate the actions of the actors (only 2 of them) and basically enjoyed himself very much. He responded to this so much better than when we watched The Rainbow Fish last September. Of course, he's older now, but I think the content, and our seats (we were seated almost right at the back for that one! LOL), also made a difference. This time, it was a much smaller theatre space, very intimate and we sat on the floor.

However (and you can crucify me for this one), I was just a little disappointed to hear other parents in the audience repeatedly shush their little ones during this performance. It's children's theatre, CHILDREN'S theatre! Let them laugh out loud, let them them shout "elephant!", let them enjoy themselves! Come onnn... they're not watching The Bridge Project, so give them a break already! As another parent in the audience, I won't mind if your child makes "noises" during the show. If I did mind, then I didn't deserve to be there. I should be watching The Bridge Project instead.

I'm now reading David Wood's Theatre for Children and he puts it succinctly when he says...

I shall never forget standing at the back of the auditorium of the Swan Theatre, Worcester watching the first production of "The Owl and the Pussycat Went to See...", my second play for children, co-written with Sheila Ruskin. The children responded with huge enthusiasm, rooting for the Owl and the Pussycat as they pursued their quest to get married, beset by marauding Jumblies and the ever-hungry Plum Pudding Flea. One minute they listened attentively, the next they participated with ear-splitting excitement. The way they willingly suspended disbelief and entered into the spirit of the performance was incredibly exciting and strangely moving. They laughed, they shouted warnings, they became emotionally involved, they cared. And the victorious, abandoned cheer when justice prevailed and the Plum Pudding Flea was vanquished was sheer joy to behold. A couple of years later Braham Murray, director of the prestigious 69 Theatre Company in Manchester witnessed the same triumphant moment with tears rolling down his cheeks. "This," he said, "is what theatre is all about!"

How brilliant!

He then carries on to say...

Such uninhibited displays of happy enthusiasm are all too rare in adult audiences.

Aiyoh. But that's true in everything we do isn't it? We lose all those wonderful child-like behaviours as we grow up and we mind our p's and q's (although many living in Chin Swee Road don't and still pee in HDB lift toilets!) with everything. Oh well. I guess I'm also not going to jump like a kangaroo when I find my favourite Kate Spade bag on sale at 50% off. Hmm... okay, I might.

Two days after the performance, we decided to do a little art project at home. After the performance on Sunday, every child was given a little butterfly to bring home. Of course, by the time we put DN in the car seat, it didn't look like a butterfly anymore, more like a beetle. But I kept it anyway and traced it out onto many sheets of coloured paper.

DN and I then decorated the butterflies with other little bits of coloured paper which he tore up into smaller pieces. We were aiming for the mosaic look, but failed miserably!

That night, I got him to help me scotchtape the butterflies onto a piece of ribbon and we strung it up on his cot. He loved it! You could detect a big dose of pride in his voice when he showed it to his Dad the next day. And he says goodnight to them every night now. Awww...