When The Best Seats Are In The Garden
THE SUNDAY AGE
Sunday January 15, 1995
MELBOURNE'S parks and gardens have become a stage this summer for a boom in outdoor children's theatre.
At least 15 outdoor shows are being staged in the school holidays at venues including the Botanic Gardens, Yarra Bend Park, Rippon Lea, the Collingwood children's farm and Puffing Billy's Emerald Lake.
According to producers, this is not merely a resurgence in popularity for pantomimes but a revival of interest in genuine theatre.
Mr Jason Buesst, producer of the `Little Lord Fauntleroy' production at Rippon Lea, said these were not the ``Behind you, behind you, run around in circles and count to 10" type of pantomime but real theatre aimed at children rather than adults.
He said the secret of the shows' success lay in the fact that children were treated seriously by the plays, not just in the matter of the acting but in the attention to detail in the outdoor settings.
``Being outdoors generally gives the kids a better taste of realism in the show and they are absorbed more by it," said Mr Buesst, who also produced the first `Secret Garden' show at Rippon Lea before it moved to the Botanic Gardens for these summer holidays.
Mr Buesst said the number of productions being staged outdoors for children had increased about 40 per cent in the past few years.
The show that sparked the boom when it was first put on nine years ago at the Royal Botanic Gardens was `Wind in The Willows', which remains just about the most popular production.
This year it was joined at the same venue by `The Secret Garden' which, because of its success when it was put on last year for the first time at Rippon Lea, was bought and relocated by the promoters Elston Hocking & Woods.
``The main bonus from the increase in the number of outdoor programs for kids is that there is more entertainment on and more local entertainment for families, and that is an exciting thing," said Mr Glenn Elston, a director of Elston Hocking & Woods.
``The style of children's theatre over the years was very patronising and I think that it underestimated the intelligence of young people, who can keep up very well.
``Outdoor theatre involves kids to a greater degree in an adventure story. The sense of adventure is very important to its success because the kids are not just sitting there watching but they move and take part and feel more a part of the adventure."
Mr Elston said the company planned a third children's outdoor production at the Royal Botanic Gardens next year.
A host of new productions have already sprung up this year, such as `Alice in Wonderland' at Puffing Billy's Emerald Park Lake, which is being put on there for the first time.
The show's producer, Mrs Pamela Greenaway, said the success of outdoor shows in Melbourne such as `Wind In The Willows' was resposible for a shift from the stage to the bank of a lake. It has been so successful a second season is now almost guaranteed.
THE CRITIC'S VIEW.
By Steven Carroll, `Sunday Age' theatre writer.
`The New Adventures of Robin Hood', Yarra Bend Park.
One of the most impressive aspects of this adaptation of yet another English folk tale is that Robin Hood (Michael Gibbons) is a competent enough archer actually to hit a tree at 10 metres. This may sound trivial, but a lot depends on it. If he misses, he is obviously not much of a Robin Hood.The tale is well adapted and Martin Broxham as Allan-a-Dale keeps things ticking over well in his dual roles of narrator and minstrel. Good fun most of it wisely located under a large oak but the singalongs can be a bit corny.
`The Secret Garden', Royal Botanic Gardens.
Enjoyable enough, but seems to lack on-stage action a lot of the story being related to the audience. The acting was good, with a pretty cool rabbit almost stealing the show. There was also a good scene where the audience was enlisted to find the key to the secret garden.
`Little Lord Fauntleroy', Rippon Lea, Elsternwick.
Clearly the most professional of the three. Director Robert Chuter makes very astute use of the Rippon Lea grounds: the production has a pony ride, a game of cricket and a good shoeshine song. The acting is also consistently good, with Bruce Kerr doing a fine job as the cantankerous old earl. But what is most impressive about this production is the unobtrusiveness of the direction.
THE CHILD'S VIEW.
By Lauren Weir, 9 of Donvale.
`The New Adventures of Robin Hood'.
I thought it was good that Robin Hood got to be with Maid Marion in the end because the sheriff was terrible. I also thought it was good that he gave money to the poor people and they sang a lot of songs. It made it very real being outside because the trees were real and not fake ones they normally have at shows like that.
`The Secret Garden'.
I have read the book but I still like the storyline because the costumes were very good and the people in it were very funny. They got three kids to help them look for the secret key and entrance and then they found the garden. It looked awful when they found it and then you had to close your eyes and sing a song and when you opened them again the garden was beautiful. It was magic.
`Little Lord Fauntleroy' I hadn't read this story before or seen it on TV and I like it because the grandfather was mean and nasty at the start and Little lord Fauntleroy made him nice. I liked the accents they all had. I wasn't sure where they were all supposed to be from, I think England and America. Wilkins (the butler) was the funniest. The mansion and gardens were good for the show because the house was huge and it looked like a castle.
I also liked it because the actors came back out at the end and spoke to you and you could meet them.
© 1995 THE SUNDAY AGE
