If you are looking for something fun to do these school holidays, then head to the Arts Centre Melbourne’s Fairfax Studio from July 11 – 15 and you could go on a hunt for the legendary Snark.
If you, like us, have no idea what a Snark is or what it looks like, it might help to know that it comes from the magical imagination of Alice in Wonderland creator Lewis Carroll.
Don’t worry, you won’t be hunting on your own! You will be joined five high-energy actors and a puppet who will take you on a musical comedy adventure in The Hunting of the Snark.
On the journey to Snark Island you will meet a Boy, his Banker father who is so rich he puts diamonds on his cereal, a knitting Beaver, a funny Baker who can’t remember his name, a crazy Butcher who has an appetite for exotic animals and a Bellman who is the world expert on Snarks!
You will also get to know some larger-than-life characters such as the colourful Jub Jub Bird, a tricksy Bandersnatch who will steal literally anything (including your father’s favourite underwear), and the terrifying Boojum who with one touch ‘can softly and suddenly vanish you away’. Luckily for us, we survived and we’re sure you will too!
The Hunting of the Snark is designed for four to 94-year-olds. It is funny, witty and will entertain the kids and provide animated tales to tell for show and tell next week!
DATES & TIMES:
Friday 13 July and Sunday 15 July: 10am, 12.30pm
Thursday 12 July, Saturday 1 4 July and Sunday 15 July: 10am, 12pm and 3pm
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!
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!
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!
MORE INFORMATION
WHERE: Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. Enter via Gate F on Birdwood Avenue
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.
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.
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!
Top Tip: Don’t put your kids in clothes that you don’t want grass stains on the knees!
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.
Photography during the performance is not allowed, but there are plenty of photo opportunities after the show.
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
Somewhere, hidden amongst thorny brambles is a little kingdom of Elves and Fairies. Everyone who lives here is very, very small…
We were excited to be invited to Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom Live on Stage! We went to the show at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Melbourne and it was fantastic! It so great that kids get to experience going to a real theatre.
The show is aimed at children 2-7 years old and follows Princess Holly and Ben the Elf as they help Gaston the Ladybird clean up his messy cave, go on a trip into The Big World with tooth-fairy Nanny Plum and plan a surprise birthday party for King Thistle.
We don’t want to ruin the plot, but there may or may not have been a jelly flood!
Georgina Says
The show goes for almost 90 minutes with an intermission. Isaac didn’t move throughout the first half – he was mesmerised!
For the adults, the masks take a little bit of getting used to as you can see the actor’s mouth and chin and the rest is part of the costume. Whilst Alegria noticed them, they didn’t bother her and Isaac was totally unaware because he was swept away in the show!
If you have a Ben and Holly fan in your house, then they are going to love this live performance as both Alegría and Isaac really enjoyed it!
The live theatre production of Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom Live on Stage! is touring Sydney, Newcastle and Perth from 30 March 2016.
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.
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We were invited to join Mr. Toad, Ratty, Weasel, Mole, Badger, Otter, Portly, Polly and the Head Chief Rabbit at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne to watch them bring to life Kenneth Grahame’s famous tale about life on the riverbank. Amazingly, this year Wind in the Willows is celebrating 29 years in the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne and 15 years in the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney!
The cast of Wind In The Willows – from left Badger (Ben Noble) Mole (Chloe Bruer Jones) Ratty (Leigh Piper) Head Chief Rabbit (Roscoe Mathers) Weasel (Paul Morris). Photographer Matt Deller.
For over 90 minutes, we were entertained by all of the classic characters who were introduced by the narrator, Head Chief Rabbit. The children (and let’s face it, most parents) were transformed into rabbits by the Head Chief Rabbit with a waggle of the ears and a wiggle of the nose!
All of the young ‘rabbits’ were encouraged to get involved and become part of the adventure where we (oops, I mean THEY) sang out loud, ran through the gardens, screamed and laughed hysterically!
Head Chief Rabbit (Roscoe Mathers), Ratty (Leigh Piper), Toad (Ryan Hawke), Portly (Dante Arestia), Badger (Ben Noble) and Weasel (Paul Morris). Photographer Matt Deller.
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.
Head Chief Rabbit (Roscoe Mathers) Toad (Ryan Hawke ) and Ratty (Leigh Piper). Photographer Matt Deller.
The kids loved the Head Chief Rabbit (played by Roscoe Mathers) and by far the most entertaining for me was the Weasel (played by Cheltenham local Paul Morris). He has shades of Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow and rumour has it that whilst I was away from my picnic rug with the children (I won’t tell you why) he helped himself to my popcorn!
Paul Morris is fantastic as Weasel!
We LOVED the show. Seriously, there is something for everyBUNNY (see what I did there?) to enjoy. Everyone from 4-84 will be have a laugh at one of the jokes and thoroughly enjoy being whisked away to the world of Wind in the Willows. This is interactive theatre at it’s best and you and your family will be talking about it for a long time!
So, HOP TO IT, book your tickets and don’t forget to get a photo with the cast after the show!
MORE INFORMATION
Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne (Enter via Gate F on Birdwood Avenue)
Season: 24 December 2015 – 23 January 2016
Bookings: (03) 8676 7511 or online at: www.shakespeareaustralia.com.au
Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney (Harbour side of main pond)
Season: 6 – 23 January 2016
Bookings: 1300 122 344 or online at: 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.
ALL PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES ON THE KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA WEBSITE ARE THE EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OF THE KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA AUTHORS. ALL IMAGES ARE SUBJECT TO COPYRIGHT AND CANNOT BE USED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA.
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