“Entertainment with a few life lessons thrown in“
Kate Stratford
4 merit badges
Seymour Centre
Emerging from a case of that particularly nasty RSV which is doing the rounds at the moment, Dale Woodbridge-Brown brings Camp Culture to the stage at the Seymour Centre as part of the Sydney Festival. A master of clowning, this “Faboriginal boy” from the bush brings not only circus skills to amuse and engage his family audience, but an attitude of encouragement for all to be their authentic selves.
It is a very empathetic and inclusive show. Narrative is sprinkled with enough jokes for the grown-ups to stay alert, and with enough magic and embarrassing stories to assure younger audience that we all have the same life experiences no matter how divergent we may be.
This is a show not only suitable for families but for the intellectually disabled. There was a group on an outing there is this particular session. Too often, this latter group are not served by the entertainment industry and when they are, productions are sometimes patronizing. It is a hard tightrope to walk, but Woodbridge-Brown as Bobby does it wonderfully. Audience participation is possible for all and the demands to participate are deftly handled by Bobby and the camp leader (Stage manager).
In this muggy, uncomfortable weather and what must seem to be unending school holidays, a morning or afternoon in the airconditioned Seymour Centre being beguiled by this charismatic performer might be just the ticket. Entertainment with a few life lessons thrown in.
4 merit badges
Kate Stratford, Theatre Now
