Review: Endearing and Entirely Captivating, Beloved Children's Book DIARY OF A WOMAT Comes To Life On Stage
By: Jade Kops Mar. 19, 2017
Jackie French and Bruce Whatley's international best selling children's book DIARY OF A WOMBAT makes its way to Australian stages in a wonderful new production from Monkey Baa Theatre Company. Eva Di Cesare (Director) has created a beautifully artistic and visually stunning piece of work that brings the stubborn wombat, Mothball, to life.
The premise of the work is simple as it follows Mothball's day to day antics from eating grass, scratching and sleeping until she comes across humans that live near her. She proceeds to continue doing wombat things much to their displeasure but eventually learns that she can get delicious carrots and oats out of these humans if she trains them.
To bring Bruce Whatley's pictures to life Imogen Ross has created a patchworked hillside for Mothball to graze on and a front door of the humans house that she eventually moves near. Bryony Anderson has created two Mothballs for the production. A smaller, life-sized, Mothball that can amble over the hills in the distance and a larger than life Mothball operated by up to three puppeteers for upstage work. Whilst the smaller Mothball controlled by Michael Cullen is adorable in its ability to romp across the hillside and stop and scratch, it's the bigger Mothball that is really amazing. Given Mothball naturally does not speak aside from the occasional grunt and bellow, Anderson has given her full body movement and an expressive face that can convey meaning with a glare of her eyes or contented eye droop. Whilst designed for three puppeteers, Mothball often ambles along, rolls, romps and plays in dirt and plants her furry bottom firmly at the door as she begs for more carrots under the sole control of Julia Ohannessian whilst Michael Cullen and Shondelle Pratt take the roles of the humans the marsupial is training. Mothball's thoughts are conveyed through Mary Rapp's cello music that naturally includes repeated themes for Mothball's feeling that she needs to scratch, wander, is hungry, or is satisfied with the carrots and oats the humans deliver.
As with other Monkey Baa Theatre Company productions, this beautiful work is for young people but it does not talk down to them. It presents French's story, which she has confirmed is based on a real Mothball who inhabited her garden and she learned to make peace with, with an honesty that does not try to give Mothball words and captures naturalistic movements. Di Cesare has refrained from trying to add any extra plot points or educational elements knowing that the story is presented with lots of learning already. Days of the week, are artfully slipped in and repetition of patterns have youngsters gleefully pre-empting actions and being thoroughly delighted when unexpected moments are slipped in.
This is a beautiful work for children. Its timed to be just the right length for little people to remain engaged and it allows for a level of interaction which actually proves quite delightful for the adults in the audience as well as they recapture their own youth through the childrens' joy. Whilst this is designed for children, I believe that this is suitable for all ages particularly those with a sense of wonder, that want to consider how we interact with the world around us, particularly nature, and those that love animals, especially wombats. Do not miss this production of DIARY OF A WOMBAT as it tours the country.
DIARY OF A WOMBAT
https://www.monkeybaa.com.au/shows/diary-of-a-wombat/
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NSW |
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Parramatta |
21 March - 22 March |
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Liverpool |
23 March - 24 March |
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Taree |
27 March - 28 March |
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Port Macquarie |
30 March - 30 March |
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Wyong |
The Art House, Wyong Shire Performing Arts & Conference Centre |
01 April - 01 April |
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Nowra |
05 April - 06 April |
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Bermagui |
08 April - 08 April |
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Wollongong |
11 April - 12 April |
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Sydney |
18 April - 24 April |
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Tamworth |
27 April - 28 April |
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Gosford |
01 May - 02 May |
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Cootamundra |
Cootamundra Creative Arts & Cultural Centre - Tin Shed Theatre |
05 May - 05 May |
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Narrandera |
Narrandera CRC Theatre |
09 May - 09 May |
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Griffith |
12 May - 13 May |
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Dubbo |
16 May - 17 May |
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Narrabri |
19 May - 19 May |
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Sydney |
23 May - 27 May |
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Penrith |
Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre |
30 May - 30 May |
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Orange |
01 June - 02 June |
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Belrose |
07 June - 10 June |
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Wagga Wagga |
20 June - 21 June |
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ACT |
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Canberra |
15 June - 17 June |
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VIC |
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Wodonga |
22 June - 23 June |
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Moonee Ponds |
05 July - 05 July |
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Ringwood |
07 July - 07 July |
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Warburton |
12 July - 12 July |
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Healesville |
14 July - 14 July |
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Shepparton |
18 July - 18 July |
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Warragul |
20 July - 21 July |
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Colac |
24 July - 25 July |
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Warrnambool |
26 July - 27 July |
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Portland |
31 July - 31 July |
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Hamilton |
02 August - 02 August |
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Ballarat |
04 August - 04 August |
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Frankston |
08 August - 08 August |
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Werribee |
10 August - 10 August |
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Geelong |
12 August - 12 August |
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SA |
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Oaklands Park |
26 June - 27 June |
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Golden Grove |
29 June - 30 June |
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TAS |
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Launceston |
15 August - 16 August |
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Devonport |
18 August - 18 August |
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Hobart |
22 August - 23 August |
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QLD |
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Cairns |
01 September - 01 September |
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Toowoomba |
04 September - 04 September |
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Logan |
07 September - 08 September |
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Gold Coast |
11 September - 13 September |
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Cleveland |
16 September - 16 September |
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Sunshine Coast |
19 September - 19 September |
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Mackay |
26 September - 26 September |
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Townsville |
28 September - 29 September |
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Rockhampton |
03 October - 04 October |
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Gladstone |
06 October - 06 October |
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Mount Isa |
10 October - 10 October |
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NT |
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Alice Springs |
13 October - 13 October |
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Darwin |
19 October - 19 October |
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WA |
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Carnarvon |
24 October - 24 October |
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Crawley |
28 October - 28 October |
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Esperance |
31 October - 31 October |
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Margaret River |
02 November - 03 November |
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Bunbury |
06 November - 07 November |
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