Roald Dahl and the Imagination Seekers @ Subiaco Arts Centre
Thursday, September 29, 2022
The Twits, The BFG, Matilda, Esio Trot, George’s Marvellous Medicine… all beloved tales of our childhood. But what happens if the words start to vanish?
This is the premise of a delightful children’s theatre production Roald Dahl and the Imagination Seekers. Coming to the rescue to restore these Dahl classics are two Tale Tenders, the straitlaced Terrance and bubbly Brenda.
The effervescent Brenda, played by Madi Savage, was immediately beloved by the audience with her childish enthusiasm and joking manner connected with the kids. Madi’s energy is catching and keeps the show moving at a cracking pace. Madi’s role is primarily audience engagement – soliciting suggestions from the kids, teaching them the salute, and getting the audience onside as she battles with Terrance who just wants to give up and go fishing.
Playing the straight man opposite Madi is Josh Burton as uptight Terrance, a Tale Tender who has lost his love for the job he once cherished, and whose slacking off has gotten them into the terrible mess. Josh’s masterful slapstick and improvisation was hilarious from the first slip, as he quickly transforms into mean old Mr Twit, a skittering cockroach and a lovesick teenager (all audience suggestions). Josh had the audience laughing within 30 seconds of entering the stage.
It is a bare bones production, relying on the brilliant cast instead of flashy sets, however given that a family pass costs less than one seat in a large scale musical, it is a very cost effective option for a family theatre experience. There is a little bit of magic as the words disappear and reappear on the page, which will leave your kids stumped and debating the trick for days.
The run time is only one hour, so you can be assured the littlest family member won’t get restless (they will be having too much fun to notice the time passing!). Whilst the website says ages six and above, this reviewer has no hesitation recommending it for younger viewers. Little four loved it just as much as her big brother.
The only disappointment was the number of empty seats in the theatre.
There are just a few dates remaining on the 2022 Australian tour, including Tuesday, October 4 in Broome, and October 6-8 in Tuggeranong, ACT. So if the Tale Tenders are coming to a town near you, get your tickets now at www.taletendersaustralia.com
MELISSA MANN
