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6 reasons why you should take your tweens and teens to see HAMILTON

September 13, 2024 / Sydney Life, Theatre / 0 comment

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you will have heard about the groundbreaking and multi-award winning musical HAMILTON. Created by Lin-Manuel Miranda, HAMILTON is a sung-and-rapped biographical musical that tells a revolutionary story of passion, unstoppable ambition, and the birth of the nation the United States of America.

HAMILTON follows the rise of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton as he fights for honour, love, and his legacy, directing the shape of the new nation in the process. Based on RonChernow’s acclaimed biography and set to a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B, and Broadway, HAMILTON features book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire.

In addition to being highly entertaining, HAMILTON has won 11 Tony Awards, a Grammy®, Olivier Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and aspecial citation from the Kennedy Center Honors.

Why you should take your tweens and teens to see HAMILTON

The characters are relatable!

While the thought of the Founding Fathers of the United States brings up images of stodgy old white men, HAMILTON is so innovative in its casting, with non-white actors taking these roles. Not only is this one of the most racially diverse casts you’ll ever see on a stage, they’re also young and passionate, making mistakes, making amends, emotional, angry, in love – all of the whirlwind of emotions that tweens and teens are exploring themselves.

Inspirational messages are abundant

Hamilton himself is such an incredible figure – a man who came from nothing and achieved great things through passion and perseverance. This strong, positive message is just what teens and tweens need to hear at this stage of their lives where they are realizing that not everyone has been born equally and with the same privileges. This story tells them that anyone can do great things, regardless of their circumstances of birth, that with drive and passion they, too, can achieve great things.

The modern, catchy music

This is not an old school musical, even if the subject matter is a few hundred years old. The music is a mix of rap and spoken word with pop and soul – its modern and fresh and super catchy. You’ll have difficulty STOPPING your kids from singing these songs after they hear them once.

The dancing alone will blow them away

The dance choreography in HAMILTON is an incredible blend of hip-hop and street dance with traditional musical theatre style, making the show visually spectacular to watch, as well as encouraging the younger audience members to try some dance moves themselves when they get home.

HAMILTON makes history fun

HAMILTON can be applauded for many groundbreaking achievements, but I think one that parents celebrate the most is that it makes history fun and accessible for kids. Nothing truly sounds duller than the story of America’s Founding Fathers, however this exceptional musical brings historical figures to life in a way that makes them engaging, fun and interesting to the younger audience members. Getting a history lesson and not even realizing it – what a bonus!

Conversation starter between generations

After the show, the magic of Hamilton continues to work itself on the audience. There will be many questions about the characters and the moments in history that are mentioned in the musical, making it a great way to have a conversation with your kids and it be both meaningful and enjoyable.

HAMILTON contains some strong language and is appropriate for ages 8+.
Running time is approx. 2 hours and 50 minutes, including intermission.

Hamilton is now playing at the Lyric Theatre in Sydney for a limited season. Book your tickets here: hamiltonmusical.com.au

Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella & the Power of Choosing Kindness

December 5, 2022 / Sydney, Sydney Life, Theatre / 0 comment

Immerse yourself in the magic of Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Tony® Award-winning Broadway musical Cinderella at the Lyric Theatre Sydney until the end of January 2023.

Rodgers + Hammerstein’s production of Cinderella was written for television, debuting in 1957 starring Julie Andrews. Premiering in Australia as a collaboration between Lyndon Terracini for Opera Australia and John Frost for Crossroads Live Australia, Cinderella is a stunning production filled with beautiful orchestrations, magnificent costumes and sets, jaw-dropping costume transformations and an extraordinarily talented cast.

Australian audiences will be delighted with the fresh take on the beloved story of “Ella”, a young woman who is transformed from a maid into a princess. The classic moments are all there: the glass slippers, pumpkin, a beautiful masked ball and a fairy godmother – however the story holds some surprising twists.

Our Cinderella is a spirited young lady, a woman with modern ideals living in a fairytale setting. She not only fights for her own dreams, but forces the prince to open his eyes to the world around him and realise his dreams too. This Cinderella isn’t a damsel in distress who needs saving, she is the one who brings change to the world through her courage and kindness.

The moral at the heart of Cinderella has always been the power of choosing kindness. Our heroine, Ella, is a role model for young girls and boys to practice compassion and forgiveness, to believe in themselves and chase their dreams.

Sydney Lyric Theatre, The Star
Season To 29 January 2023
Performance Times Tues-Sat 7.30pm, Wed 1pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 1pm & 6pm (Performance times vary weekly)
Prices: From $69.00 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: ticketmaster.com.au or 136 100
https://cinderellamusical.com.au/

See “Come From Away” Sydney And Restore your faith in human kindness

June 10, 2021 / Sydney, Sydney Life, Theatre / 0 comment

See “Come From Away” Sydney And Restore your faith in human kindness

The multi-award winning musical Come From Away opens in Sydney this week at the Capitol Theatre. After being postponed in 2020 due to Covid, it’s been a long journey for this show to make it to the Sydney stage.

2021 marks the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in Washington and New York. US airspace was closed for the first time in history and 38 planes carrying 7,000 people from over 100 countries were diverted to the tiny island of Newfoundland where 9,000 locals welcomed 7,000 scared “come from aways” (visitors) and demonstrated extraordinary generosity and kindness to strangers in a time when they needed it the most.

This is not a story about the terrorist attacks. It is a detailed telling of the experiences of the terrified “plane people” as they came to be known to the locals and the remarkable outpouring of generosity and hospitality they received in Gander, Newfoundland.

Above all, it’s a story of kindness, perhaps the story we need to hear even more so today when the world is constantly torn apart by fear of the “other” and where we might look to outsiders with suspicion instead of reaching out a hand to help.

On September 11, 2001, 7,000 people arrived unexpectedly in Gander. They sat on the tarmac inside airplanes for up to 15 hours, after long flights from all over the world. They were told nothing of the terrorist attacks that had occurred that morning. They were scared, confused, exhausted.

The small town of Gander and its nearby communities took in these terrified visitors for five days, providing bedding, basic necessities, food, clothing, inviting them into their own homes for warm showers and a place to stay.

In 2011, on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Irene Sankoff and David Hein flew to Gander to interview locals and returning flight crew and passengers on the extraordinary events that had occurred. The 1000 of stories they heard of the incredible generosity of the Newfoundlanders inspired the team to write Come From Away.

Each character in Come From Away was inspired by a person they met in Gander, which is evident throughout the musical with the incredibly detailed experiences relayed by the cast.

The casting of the same 12 actors as both locals and “plane people” both shows the incredible versatility of the actors in being able to switch accents from the fascinating Newfoundland brogue to American, British, Australian, French and Egyptian, as well as reminding the audience that at any moment, we can be the ones helping or needing help.

Above all, Come From Away is a reminder of the impact of actions that we as individuals have on others, and the importance of paying forward the kindness thats sorely needed especially when the world is thrown into crisis as it is again in 2021.

Come From Away Sydney is playing at the Capitol Theatre from 3 June, 2021.
Times: Tuesday 7pm; Wednesday 1pm & 7pm; Thursday 7pm; Fridays 8pm; Saturday 2pm & 8pm; Sunday 2pm & 6pm.

Tickets on sale now at http://www.comefromaway.com.au

I received tickets for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own. Show images courtesy of Come From Away.

The Hunting of the Snark: Theatre Review

July 18, 2018 / Sydney, Sydney Life, Theatre / 0 comment

Come on a voyage of the ridiculous in the weird and wonderful world of Lewis Carroll. Will our fearless adventurers find the mythical snark on their voyage? Or will they find something else more important instead?

From July 7 – 22 at the Sydney Opera House, the entire family can enjoy searching for the legendary snark in this hilarious quest adapted from Lewis Carroll’s The Hunting of the Snark.

Life-like puppets, fantastical creatures, lively songs and a knitting beaver sidekick will enchant the young and young at heart in this modern adaptation that blends a classic tale with current and local references. We couldn’t help but be swept up on this silly but heartfelt journey.

Join Boy, the Banker, the Butcher, the Baker, the Bellman and the Beaver as they sail across the ocean to Snark Island in search of the mythical creature. Can the snark be caught? And should it be caught? Are there more important things than the money to be made from such a capture?

This fast-paced show will please little ones and their adults alike with its humour, catchy songs and colourful puppets.

Cheese, who is almost 7, and I saw the show and both really enjoyed it. As we left the theatre she turned to me unprompted and said, “I loved it!”. You can’t get a better review than that.

Before and after the show, kids will enjoy the free, immersive Creative Play that has returned to the Western Foyers with Reach Out Sounds. This interactive installation encourages kids to make music through connections. Complete a circuit with your little one to create fun noises on the sound pods.

The Hunting of the Snark show days and times:

Tuesday, 17 July at 2.30pm
Wednesday, 18 July at 12.30pm and 2.30pm
Thursday, 19 July at 12.30pm and 2.30pm
Friday, 20 July at 10.30am and 12.30pm
Saturday, 21 July at 2.30pm and 7.30pm
Sunday, 22 July at 10.30am and 12.30pm

Show runs for apprx 70 mins (no interval)

Appropriate for ages 6+

Get more info and tickets for The Hunting Of The Snark here.

Presented by Sydney Opera House, RG Media and Alice House Theatre.

Sydney Opera House
Bennelong Point Sydney

You can reach the Opera House by:

Car – park in the onsite Opera House car park. For discounted parking, book online with Wilson car parks and check the Sydney Opera House website for any current promo codes.

Buses, trains and ferries – all service nearby Circular Quay which is an easy 5-10 min walk to the Opera House.

A huge thank you to the Sydney Opera House for hosting us on this fantastic day. All opinions are my own.

Kids’ Theatre Review: Brainiac Live

January 16, 2018 / Sydney, Sydney Life, Theatre / 0 comment

Live at the Sydney Opera House, for a short time only, kids who love science and explosions can catch the wildly entertaining show Brainiac Live.

Based on the British documentary TV show Brainiac: Science Abuse, the show is a fast-paced journey through a series of experiments that answer a question or challenge a common conception, or just simply makes a big bang.

Brainiac live is an action-packed hour of science on speed. Impressive explosions, loud rock music, high energy action and daredevil stunts are the perfect way to engage kids in science and remind them that chemistry, biology and physics are not only important, but also a whole lot of fun.

The show contains a lot of loud noises and music, so might not be suitable for sensitive kids. After the show I found out that there were earplugs that could be collected and used for free – it would have been good if they had been passed to us as we were walking to our seats however, as the noises were extremely loud during the show and we could have used them.

As the parent of a daughter, I was happy to see a woman in the cast of Brainiacs, even though she was a minor character. It’s important for girls to see women in careers in science to encourage them to dream of a career in the sciences themselves.

The cast are an engaging crew in general, and kept the kids highly entertained for the duration of the show. My very sensitive daughter was concerned that people were going to get hurt while conducting the experiments, so either think twice about taking super sensitive kids, or prepare them in advance that what they will see on stage is a performance, with no one in danger.

Brainiac Live
Duration: 1 hour
Suitable for ages 6+
Dates: Tuesday 16th January – Thursday 25th January, 2018.

Sydney Opera House
Bennelong Point Sydney

You can reach the Opera House by:

Car – park in the onsite Opera House car park. For discounted parking, book online with Wilson car parks and check the Sydney Opera House website for any current promo codes.

Buses, trains and ferries – all service nearby Circular Quay which is an easy 5-10 min walk to the Opera House.

A huge thank you to the Sydney Opera House for hosting us on this fantastic day. All opinions are my own.

Kids’ Theatre Review: Operation Ouch!

January 6, 2018 / Sydney, Sydney Life, Theatre / 0 comment

Science-loving kids will highly enjoy this new show about the incredible human body, Operation Ouch!, based on the hit ABC Me series.

Twin doctors, Dr Chris and Dr Xand, have brought their incredible medical stunts and crazier experiments to Sydney in a kid-friendly live show.

The 75 minute show is packed with fascinating facts about the body, such as our ears, eyes, digestive system and brain. It’s education at it best – highly entertaining and informative all at once.

We went into the show with no knowledge of the TV program. While I do think it’s beneficial to watch the TV show first so you have a connection to the doctors and know what to expect, it’s not crucial to enjoying the performance.

Dr Chris and Dr Xand are extremely personable as well as smart, and it was really interesting hearing their stories about growing up, not being so good at school, and how and why they became doctors. I thought it was great for kids to hear from successful people how they overcame adversity to become professionals in a demanding field.

I also thought it was great for kids to see science presented from a kid-friendly angle but not dumbed down in any way. All the proper medical terms were used for each part of the body, and the experiments were equally interesting for adults as they were for the kids.

My favourite part of the show involved the doctors explaining how germs spread and the importance of vaccinations in an interactive and easy-to-understand way. We’ve been trying to explain this for a while to the 6-year-old, but it’s a lot of concepts that aren’t easy to visualise, so big props to Dr Chris and Xand for making the topic accessable.

Operation Ouch! is entertaining for the whole family – including the adults. The husband and I found it highly enjoyable to watch and both learnt a few things along the way, too!

Operation Ouch!
Saturday, 6 January 2018 at 1.15pm and 3.45pm
Sunday, 7 January 2018 at 10am and 12.45pm
Show length – 75 mins
Suitable for ages 6+
Book your tickets here.

Sydney Opera House
Bennelong Point Sydney

You can reach the Opera House by:

Car – park in the onsite Opera House car park. For discounted parking, book online with Wilson car parks and check the Sydney Opera House website for any current promo codes.

Buses, trains and ferries – all service nearby Circular Quay which is an easy 5-10 min walk to the Opera House.

A huge thank you to the Sydney Opera House for hosting us on this fantastic day. All opinions are my own.

Theatre Review: ERTH’s Prehistoric Aquarium

September 24, 2017 / Sydney, Sydney Life, Theatre / 0 comment

Dive into the past and get up close with the mysterious creatures of the deep who roamed our oceans eons ago with ERTH’s Prehistoric Aquarium.

We love ERTH’s creative and educational productions. You can see my review of ERTH’s Dinosaur Zoo here. An Australian company, founded in Victoria and now based in Sydney’s Inner West, ERTH’s works are globally relevant, with local influences and themes. They specialise in eye-popping visual effects including giant puppetry, stilt-walkers, inflatable environments, aerial and flying creatures.

ERTH’s current touring show, Prehistoric Aquarium, immerses the audience in a giant fishbowl at the bottom of the ocean and back in time, where they meet some of the world’s most amazing prehistoric marine reptiles.

Through clever puppetry and special effects, the audience is able to dive into the giant aquarium and meet creatures up close in a delightful and educational show that introduces kids to palaeontology at the same time as filling them with wonder and delight.

Two thoroughly entertaining narrators take the audience on a voyage through the beginnings of life as single cell creatures, to the first apex predator and onwards through various geological periods and the creatures who ruled the ocean during those times.

We met prehistoric marine animals (NOT DINOSAURS, let’s be very clear, dinosaurs did not swim underwater) such as the Dickinsonia Rex, who was the first complex life form that developed the ability to move, and for whom the first fossil recorded was found right here in Australia.

The showstopper was the plesiosaur, whose enormous size drew “wows” from adults and kids alike.

What we enjoyed about the show

The narrators have a perfect balance of educational and entertaining commentary. The adults and kids BOTH learned a lot about these prehistoric creatures in a show that was as fun as it was packed with facts. It’s an absolute MUST for kids who are keen on dinosaurs (yes, even though they are not ACTUALLY dinosaurs!).

While being incredibly educational, the show is also interactive which makes kids not even realise they are learning. At the start of each performance a small group of kids are selected from the audience to participate in the show. The lucky kids chosen following the narrator through the “aquarium” and get up close to the creatures.

For kids left remaining in the audience, it is still interactive, with plenty of opportunities to respond to the narrators as well as get close to the creatures as they soar overhead within hands reach.

The majority of creatures mentioned (possibly even all of them!) had strong links to Australia, with their fossils being found in locations such as Coober Pedy. It really helped localise the experience for the audience and help the kids imagine what their own city might have looked like millions of years ago when dinosaurs roamed the Earth.

We also found the show to be highly engaging and interesting for the adults as well as kids. Let’s be honest, if you’re paying money and sitting through a show, even if it’s really for your kids, you want to enjoy it too!

Suitable for kids ages 5+

I would highly agree with the age suggestion. There were scary bits as well as a lot of language that is hard for younger kids to follow.

If you arrive early, kids will enjoy Stringdom, the new free creative play area that is inside the Sydney Opera House these school holidays.

After the show, grab a casual sandwich or hot meal like pasta from the Portside Sydney cafe inside the Opera House (they have a Kid’s Lunch Box for $12.50 that includes a wrap, donut, fruit, juice or water) or duck down to Opera Bar and Opera Kitchen for food with a view. Both have kid-friendly meals.

ERTH’s Prehistoric Aquarium is showing at the Sydney Opera House September 23 – October 8, 2017.

Saturday, 23 September at 10.30am and 1.30pm
Sunday, 24 September at 10.30am and 1.30pm
Wednesday, 27 September at 10.30am and 1.30pm
Thursday, 28 September at 10.30am and 1.30pm
Friday, 29 September at 10.30am and 1.30pm
Saturday, 30 September at 10.30am and 1.30pm

Sunday, 1 October at 10.30am and 1.30pm
Wednesday, 4 October at 10.30am and 1.30pm
Thursday, 5 October at 10.30am and 1.30pm
Friday, 6 October at 10.30am and 1.30pm
Saturday, 7 October at 10.30am and 1.30pm
Sunday, 8 October at 10.30am and 1.30pm

Buy your tickets online

Show time is one hour.

Sydney Opera House
Bennelong Point, Sydney

We received tickets to the show courtesy of the Sydney Opera House. All opinions are my own.

Sydney School Holiday Activities: The Bockety World of Henry & Bucket

September 7, 2017 / Sydney, Sydney Life, Theatre / 1 Comment

Looking for school holiday fun in Sydney? Take the kids to see a show the whole family will enjoy – and yes, I mean the adults, too. During the September school holidays catch a hilarious new show, The Bockety World of Henry & Bucket at Monkey Baa Theatre Company in Darling Harbour.

The Bockety World of Henry & Bucket is a work by Irish theatre company Barnstorm, and is presented in Australia thanks to Monkey Baa, the preeminent Australian children’s theatre company.

What can you expect from the show? The Bockety World of Henry & Bucket is a story about friendship, told through a day in the life of two friends.

Henry and Bucket are best friends. Like all friendships, their have their ups and downs, battles and reconciliations and shared adventures. Sometimes things go badly and the pair have a falling out. What can they do to fix the problem and make their friendship work?

Through Henry and Bucket’s relationship the audience can explore what it means to be someone’s friend, and how to fix it when things go wrong. Told with humour, poetry and visual antics, The Bockety World of Henry & Bucket is a show that will reinforce the importance of friendship for viewers of all ages.

Monkey Baa are Australia’s widest-reaching touring company, having conducted over 25 national tours to 135 regional and remote communities across every state and territory of Australia, 3 international tours and over 2,500 performances, and engaged with 1.3 million young people.

Make a day of it
Monkey Baa usually has free craft activities and books inside the foyer for kids to enjoy prior to the show.

You can also get lunch at a nearby cafe or bring your own to picnic on the grass if the day is fine.

The Darling Quarter Playground is right outside the theatre, a great spot for kids of all ages although it can get very busy so keep a close eye on kids.

Getting there
Catch the train to Town Hall and walk down to the theatre or, if you’re driving, park at the Darling Quarter Car Park (weekend rates are excellent).

The Bockety World of Henry & Bucket

Dates: 25 – 30 September, 2017
Location: Lendlease Darling Quarter Theatre, Terrace 3, 1-25 Harbour St, Sydney

Times: 10.30am & 12.30pm, Sat 30^th 12.30pm performance only

Relaxed performance: 28 September, 12.30pm

Suitable for ages 4+

Duration 45 minutes

Tickets (no booking fees) $29 (adult/child), $104 (family of four), $125 (family of five) $19 (relaxed performance)

https://www.monkeybaa.com.au/shows/bockety-world-henry-bucket/

This post is a collaboration with Monkey Baa. All opinions are my own. I genuinely love attending shows at Monkey Baa and always find them to be the highest quality and really entertaining.

Sydney School Holiday Activities: Thai-riffic! at the Lendlease Darling Quarter Theatre

June 5, 2017 / Sydney, Sydney Life, Theatre / 4 Comments

The Sydney winter school holidays are always the hardest holidays to entertain kids. With a strong possibility of cold days needing to be spent indoors, I always recommend families book into at least one activity where possible so there is a guarantee of a fun day out where no one is freezing.

During the Sydney June school holidays, I highly suggest taking kids to see Thai-riffic! presented by Monkey Baa Theatre Company. The show is an adaptation of the Oliver Phommavanh book by the same name.

The show faithfully brings the beloved Thai-riffic! book to life, along with the humour and pathos that made the book a classic story of growing up and trying to fit in.

Thai-riffic! is very much a tale of the challenges many kids face when growing up: the search for acceptance, struggling with cultural identity and learning to love yourself for who you really are.

Sick of being his father’s curry guinea pig, Lengy longs to eat pizza and transform his image from the kid who lives in a Thai restaurant to a cool and popular Aussie teen.

At school, Lengy tries to hide his Thai background in order to fit in. However he finds that his past can’t be escaped when his teacher sets a group assignment that focuses on culture, and Lengy’s best friend decides to become Thai for a day for the project! Through a series of hilarious incidents Lengy comes to the realisation that being Thai is actually pretty awesome after all.

Thai-riffic!, a production by The Theatre Division is presented by Monkey Baa Theatre Company at the fully accessible Lendlease Darling Quarter Theatre.

Make a day of it
Monkey Baa usually has free craft activities and books inside the foyer for kids to enjoy prior to the show.

You can also get lunch at a nearby cafe or bring your own to picnic on the grass if the day is fine.

The Darling Quarter Playground is right outside the theatre, a great spot for kids of all ages although it can get very busy so keep a close eye on kids.

Getting there
Catch the train to Town Hall and walk down to the theatre or, if you’re driving, park at the Darling Quarter Car Park (weekend rates are excellent).

Thai-Riffic!
Dates: 4 – 8 July, 2017
Times: 10.30am & 12.30pm
Relaxed performance: Thursday 6 July, 12.30pm
Suitable for ages 7 – 14
Duration 60 minutes
Tickets (no booking fees) $29 (adult/child), $104 (family of four), $125 (family of five) $19 (relaxed performance)
monkeybaa.com.au/shows/thai-riffic

This post is a collaboration with Monkey Baa. All opinions are my own. I genuinely love attending shows at Monkey Baa and always find them to be the highest quality and really entertaining.

Tinkerbell and the Dream Fairies

April 22, 2017 / Sydney, Sydney Life, Theatre / 0 comment

“I can see a fairy!” the children scream as a pair of wingers flutter through the trees. We are sitting on a picnic blanket in Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden waiting for the performance of Tinkerbell and the Dream Fairies: Adventure to Bubble Land to begin. The stage is the lawn in front of us, a fitting location for a production about the adventures of fairies.

The fairies flutter to the “stage” and the show kicks off with catchy songs sung by gorgeously costumed and very talented fairies. The children are captivated seeing their dreams come to life before them – real fairies in a real garden! The adults relax and enjoy their children’s joy.

This is a “theatre” where there’s no need to hush your little one or beg them to sit still in a seat. Dancing is allowed, interaction encouraged. This production is a dream come true not just for kids but for their parents, too. With age appropriate content, gentle music and a relaxed environment, this is a show for families to truly enjoy themselves.

Tinkerbell and the Dream Fairies: Adventure to Bubble Land arrived in Sydney for the Easter holidays fresh from a sell out tour in London’s Kew Garden. Created by the award winning artistic director of the Australian Shakespeare Company, Glenn Elston, Tinkerbell and the Dream Fairies was imagined especially for a young audience after years of experience creating theatre in magical garden settings.

The storyline for the show is simple: the adventurous Tinkerbell happens upon the fairies from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Travelling from the Dream Land, the cheeky Mustardseed, fluttery Moth, daring Cobweb and sweet Peasblossom all go on a magical quest with Tinkerbell to find her wings, learning about the different worlds they are from along the way.

Plenty of upbeat songs and dances pepper the show, with simple actions the young audience are able to follow. The fairies from A Midsummer Night’s Dream drop in and out of Shakespearean language which lends a poetic tone to the dialogue, but amazingly in a way that the children were still able to understand and be engaged by what was going on in front of them. I would call this a young child’s first introduction to Shakespeare!

There is no set seating for this performance, just a large space to throw down a picnic blanket to enjoy the show. After about half an hour of singing and dancing, the fairies encourage the children to join them on a seperate part of the lawn where bubble machines are set up.

There is much bubble-popping and dancing by the children, followed by forming small groups to assist the fairies in their quest to find Tinkerbell’s wings. How lovely for kids to join in the action rather than being forced to sit for an entire performance! It was not at all surprising to read afterwards that the show was developed with early learning experts to ensure it truly engages and inspires young minds and bodies.

After the show the fairies returned to meet their fans and have a photo opp. These talented young performers gave an enchanting performance that many of these children will remember for a long time to come.

Tinkerbell and the Dream Fairies: Adventure to Bubble Land
The Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney
Dates: Sunday 9 to Sunday 30 April
Times: 10am & 12.30pm (No Shows Good Friday/Easter Monday)
No Shows (Monday 24 – Friday 28 April)
Prices: $25 for weekday/Sunday performances; $30 Saturdays
Group price 4 tickets $90 weekday/Sundays & Saturday $110
Bookings: shakespeareaustralia.com.au and ticketmaster.com.au
Cash and card sales available at the on-site box office unless sold
out, box office opens one hour prior to each performance.

We were provided with tickets for reviewing purposes. All opinions my own. Additional images courtesy of Shakespeareaustralia.com.au.