Month: January 2018

OPERATION OUCH! LIVE ON STAGE WITH DR CHRIS AND DR XAND REVIEW

| Kidding Around Australia

We were so excited to be invited to go and see Operation Ouch! Live on Stage with Dr. Chris and Dr. Xand as we had heard amazing things about the show. We were not disappointed!

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The show is so much fun, with audience interaction and clever explanations for the awesome way your body works, including your ears, heart, brain and eyes! We got to see first hand into Dr. Xand’s ear and how it moved when he held his nose and blew as well as Dr. Chris’s experiments to show how Dr. Xand’s pupil dilated with light.

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Dr. Chris and Dr. Xand used a cows heart and artificial blood to show us how the blood goes through the heart chambers. Here’s a fun fact, the heart is the only organ that will still work (ie. blood will flow through and the valves still work) after it is removed from the body.

We also learned how we can stop illness spreading! Giant balls floating through the crowd showed how fast disease can be spread and what immunisation does to protect the community.

Most memorably, Dr. Chris and Dr. Xand spoke about their childhood and education experiences. Dr. Chris was a gifted student whilst Dr. Xand was labelled “dumb and naughty”, and they both spoke about how society likes to give people labels, but it’s up to the individual if you accept this label. A great lesson for young and old.

If you ever get the chance to see Dr. Chris and Dr. Xand then make sure you do, the show is a must for science loving kids (and their parents!). We promise you will learn something new and have fun learning it!

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MORE INFORMATION

www.operationouchliveonstage.com

WIND IN THE WILLOWS, The Australian Shakespeare Company

| Kidding Around Australia
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WIND IN THE WILLOWS IS STILL TOADALLY OUR FAVOURITE!

It’s been two years of us telling anyone who will listen about how fantastic Wind In The Willows is! If you have the chance to join Mr. Toad, Ratty, Weasel, Mole, Badger, Otter, Portly and the Head Chief Rabbit in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne to watch them bring to life Kenneth Grahame’s famous tale about life on the riverbank, then please do it!

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Now in it’s 31st year, Wind in the Willows begins with the Head Chief Rabbit turning everyone into rabbits with a waggle of the ears, a wiggle of the nose and some whispering willows!
As ‘rabbits’ you are encouraged to get involved and become part of the adventure by singing out loud, running through the gardens and laughing at all the crazy antics!

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GEORGINA SAYS

DON’T FORGET TO PACK A PICNIC FULL OF YUMMY GOODIES, A RUG TO SIT ON, A HAT, INSECT REPELLENT AND SOME SUNSCREEN. THE PRODUCTION MOVES LOCATION HALF WAY THROUGH SO MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO FOLD UP YOUR PICNIC RUG, GRAB YOUR STUFF AND GO FOR A LITTLE STROLL TO THE NEXT SET.

We LOVE this show if you haven’t already picked up on it! Our top tip is to make sure you send the kids off with the cast and stay behind for some adult jokes and fun! We laugh until our cheeks hurt! This is interactive theatre at it’s best and you and your family will be talking about it, singing the songs and counting down the days until next year!

So, HOP TO IT, the season finishes soon so book your tickets and don’t forget to get a photo with the cast after the show!

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MORE INFORMATION

WHERE: Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. Enter via Gate F on Birdwood Avenue

BOOKINGS:www.shakespeareaustralia.com.au or call 8676 7511

Tickets are available at the on-site box office unless sold out, box office opens one hour prior to each performance.

www.shakespeareaustralia.com.au

Please note all details quoted are correct at the time of publishing. All details are subject to change without notice and Kidding Around Australia takes no responsibility for information contained in this post. Please check the appropriate website to ensure that information is still correct and current.

Artvo, Melbourne.

| Kidding Around Australia

I have to be honest, an art gallery is not somewhere that I take the kids often. Something about being quiet and not touching anything has me in a mild panic before we even get in the car!

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Well, the time’s, they are a changing! The Artvo Immersive Gallery is the first art gallery of its kind in Australia and is located in Melbourne’s District Docklands precinct (formerly Harbor Town). Unlike other art galleries or museums, you can touch and interact with over 100 amazing large scale 3D artworks covering the walls and floors!

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Artvo recruited 14 international artists with over 40 years of experience to complete the awe-inspiring paintings with works complete in just 60 days.

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Now, I could go on and on about it but really, our photos do all the talking! I will say, that capturing photos on your smart phone is simple – we did take our “big” camera as well and to be honest, we got better photos on the phone. All you need to do is step onto the clearly marked photo point on the ground in front of each painting and follow the easy to read directions. There are TV screens showing you how to get the best results as well as the photo tips on the floor that tell you if you should be using a vertical or horizontal image capture, camera flash on or off and how to position yourself for a mind-bending picture result. There are also staff on hand to help you get the best image and to take family and group shots!

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There are 11 themed galleries in 1900sqm, so let’s get to it!

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As you can see, Alegria absolutely loved hamming it up for the camera, and Isaac liked it for about an hour and then started to get antsy. On this basis, I’d say that you have a limited time frame for under 5’s whilst school aged kids will have a great time. Everyone loves seeing the results of the image they just took as it looks completely different on screen!

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Artvo is open 7 days and is a fun, family-friendly destination – get ready to pose and get your photo taken!

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MORE INFORMATION

Venue: Artvo, 26 Star Crescent, Level 1, Harbortown Docklands, Melbourne
Dates &Times: Sun-Thurs 10am-6pm / Fri-Sat 10am-11:30pm / Open 7 Days
Tickets: Adult $28/ Child 5-15yrs $18/ Child up to 4 yrs Free / Conc $25 / Family from $55
Booking and Info: artvo.com.au
Social Media: facebook.com/ArtVoMelbourne , instagram.com/artvo_melbourne ,   twitter.com/artvo_melbourne

OPERATION OUCH! LIVE ON STAGE WITH DR CHRIS AND DR XAND GIVEAWAY!

| Kidding Around Australia

OPERATION OUCH! Live on Stage
With Dr Chris and Dr Xand

Following their sold out Australian tour in January 2017, Dr Chris and Dr Xand, the
stars of hit ABC Me children’s television series Operation Ouch!, are coming back to
Australia with a brand new show! The Operation Ouch Live! Summer Tour will visit
15 venues across Australia throughout January 2018.

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TV’s favourite identical twins have been hard at work – creating more incredible
medical stunts and even crazier experiments … and the show is packed with
fascinating facts about biology and the awesome things your body can do. Plus they’ll
share their favourite bits from the TV show!

Dr Chris and Dr Xand van Tulleken grew up in London and trained in medicine at
Oxford University, graduating in 2002. They have combined work in the UK’s National
Health Service with global health work and television; appearing in Blizzard: Race to
the Pole, Medicine Men and Medicine Men Go Wild.

According to Xand, he is seven minutes older, half an inch shorter and five kilos
heavier than his brother! Chris is seven minutes younger, half an inch taller and five
kilos lighter. And for this, he believes he is twice the man Xand is!

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GIVEAWAY!

We have 2 x Family Passes (4 tickets) to give away for Perth, Melbourne, Geelong and Canberra! Please make sure you can attend these dates and times before you enter!

CONGRATULATIONS TO!

PERTH, Riverside Theatre 21 January – 6PM x 2 family passes WINNERS: Kylie Mitchell and Mandy Gebhard

MELBOURNE, The Plenary 23 January – 5.30PM x 2 family passes WINNERS: Carly Newsome and Angela Amaya- Brandt

GEELONG, Costa Hall 25 January – 5pm x 2 family passes WINNERS: Lois Foster and Jodie Clark

CANBERRA, Llewlyn Theatre 28 January – 6PM x 2 family passes WINNERS: Sarah Gibbs and Louise Skinner

To Enter, simply send us an email and tell us why you want to win!

FOR MORE CHANCES TO WIN – Please head to www.facebook.com/kiddingaroundaustralia 

Entries close: For PERTH 20/1/18 at 12pm, for MELBOURNE, GEELONG and CANBERRA 22/1/18 at 5pm AEST.

Don’t miss Dr Chris and Dr Xand LIVE ON STAGE as they explore medical science

from a kid’s-eye view.

MORE INFORMATION

www.operationouchliveonstage.com

FULL TOUR DETAILS

MANDURAH, Performing Arts Centre
19 January
Bookings: 08 9550 3900 or
http://www.manpac.com.au

BUNBURY, Entertainment Centre
20 January
Bookings: 1300 661 272 or
http://www.bunburyentertainment.com

PERTH, Riverside Theatre
21 January
Bookings: 132 849 or
http://www.ticketek.com.au

MELBOURNE, The Plenary
23 January
Bookings: 13 28 49 or
http://www.ticketek.com.au

BENDIGO, Ulumburra Theatre
24 January
Bookings: 03 5434 6100 or
http://www.gotix.com.au

GEELONG, Costa Hall
25 January
Bookings: 03 5225 1200 or
http://www.gpac.org.au

CANBERRA, Llewlyn Theatre
28 January
Bookings: 1300 665 915 or
http://www.ticketek.com.au

 

Alice in Wonderland – The Australian Shakespeare Company

| Kidding Around Australia

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As you know, we really enjoy the Australian Shakespeare Company‘s productions. We think they are a great way to introduce children to the world of live theatre! We had never seen the Australian Shakespeare Company’s version of Alice in wonderland (based on Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll’s classic story) so we knew we had to change that!

We grabbed our picnic blanket, our chairs and a picnic and headed off to Rippon Lea Estate (the gardens are amazing to explore after the show) and joined Alice as she follows the White Rabbit into the fun and magical world of Wonderland.

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Of course, the production is funny and there’s plenty of audience participation. We would expect nothing less of an Australian Shakespeare Company’s production! You can expect to see a hoard of little caterpillars are encouraged to crawl away as fast as they can before the Queen shouts “off with their heads” and they are all cheered on by a large deck of playing cards!

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Top Tip: Don’t put your kids in clothes that you don’t want grass stains on the knees!

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All of your favourite characters are there! Alice dances with the Dodo, is surprised by the Cheshire Cat, sings with Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee, talks with a Caterpillar, sneezes with the Duchess, has tea with the Mad Hatter and keeps her head from the Queen of Hearts.

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Photography during the performance is not allowed, but there are plenty of photo opportunities after the show.

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Alice in Wonderland is a fun, fast-paced journey into fantasy and the kids will love it!

MORE INFORMATION

9 – 28 January, 2018
Tues – Sun, 11am and Thurs and Fri, 6pm
Tickets: $25 (children under 12 months free), $90 Family (4 people). $20 and $80 Family Early Bird Tickets available till 11 December
Bookings: 03 8676 7511 and online at www.shakespeareaustralia.com.au/productions/alice-in-wonderland/
Venue: Ripponlea House and Gardens – 192 Hotham St, Elsternwick (entry via main gate on Hotham St)
www.shakespeareaustralia.com.au

Tinkerbell and the Dream Fairies – Australian Shakespeare Company

| Kidding Around Australia

If you have been thinking about introducing your little ones to live theatre, then Tinkerbell and the Dream Fairies by the Australian Shakespeare Company is the perfect introduction.

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Returning from a sell-out season in London, the Tinkerbell and the Dream Fairies musical is being performed in Melbourne’s Athenaeum Theatre 2, and Geelong’s Botanic Gardens.

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The show has been moved indoors for the Melbourne season (the Melbourne weather was too unpredictable to ensure the comfort of your littlest theatre fans), which is great for children aged between 3 – 8 as they join Tinkerbell and her friends the Dream Fairies, from a Midsummer Night’s Dream, as she searches for her wings.

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Together with Tinkerbell, the cheeky Mustardseed (who entices the most laughter from young and old), fluttery Moth, daring Cobweb, sweet Peasblossom create a flurry of fun and encourage all of the little fairies and elves to help them as they sing, dance and do some pretty impressive acrobatics before heading off on a special adventure to ‘Bubble Land’.

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Photography is prohibited during the performance, however if you remember to bring your camera you can get a photo with the cast after the show!

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MORE INFORMATION

MELBOURNE SEASON
2 – 27 January, 2018
Tues 11am, Wed – Sat, 11am and 2pm
Tickets: $20 each (children under 12 months free), $80 Family (4 people)
Bookings: 03 8676 7511 and online at www.shakespeareaustralia.com.au/productions/tinkerbell-and-the-dream-fairies or via TICKETEK
Venue: Athenaeum Theatre 2 – 188 Collins Street, Melbourne.
www.shakespeareaustralia.com.au

GEELONG SEASON
29 December 2017
11am and 2pm
Tickets: $20 each (children under 12 months free), $80 Family (4 people)
Bookings: 03 8676 7511 and online at www.shakespeareaustralia.com.au/productions/tinkerbell-and-the-dream-fairies/ or via TICKETEK
Venue: Geelong Botanic Gardens
www.shakespeareaustralia.com.au

Please note all details quoted are correct at the time of publishing. All details are subject to change without notice and Kidding Around Australia takes no responsibility for information contained in this post. Please check the appropriate website to ensure that information is still correct and current.