On Stage: Outback Adventures

At one stage it was hard to know if parents or their children were enjoying the family musical Outback Adventures more.

Both groups of a certain age  appeared  involved in the one-hour performance staged by Melbourne Shakespeare Company at the St Kilda Botanical Gardens.

For the youngsters it seemed those aged three and over were the most responsive to the young and enthusiastic cast.

Adult laughter at some of the jokes suggested they were equally immersed in the production. And most rose from their picnic rugs to join younger members of their families in singing and dancing to the show’s original songs whenever the opportunity arose.

One wonders how many are still singing such songs as Blow Bubbles Not Balloons and Put It in the Bin!

As these songs suggest, protecting the environment by not dropping litter and not using plastics is the key message of the show. The importance of wearing a hat is also highlighted.

Presenting the messages are a Wombat (Isabelle Davi), a Bandicoot (Naomi Leigh), a Cassowary (Joey Phyland), a Penguin (Shanu Sobti) and a rubbish collector (Ethan Rutledge).

The actors playing the three animals all displayed their singing and dancing skills as they explained the environmental damage caused by littering in a fun and entertaining way. The show also gave Rutledge and Davi the chance to show their comic abilities.

While most youngsters lasted for the one hour, those parents who brought food with them with them seemed to have a more relaxing time especially with very young children!

Ensuring Outback Adventures is light-hearted, humorous, and not too long hopefully ensures some of the important messages it is looking to impart to its audience are never forgotten.

As an added bonus Melbourne Shakespeare Company is aiming to make the show accessible to all families by offering pay-what-you-can tickets. This allows audience members to either grab a ticket for free or donate to the company as payment thus aiming to reduce the financial barriers stopping many families accessing high-quality theatre.

Outback Adventures is playing at the St Kilda Botanical Gardens until December 23. For more information visit the Melbourne Shakespeare Company website.

*Photo credit: Chelsea Neate.

Jenny Burns attended Outback Adventures as a guest of the production company.