The Walls of Poetica - Cheryl Threadgold, Melbourne Observer - 2/4/15
"A delightful, cleverly written musical tale presented by four very talented performers."
The Walls of Poetica ★★★★ - Adelaide Theatre Guide - 14/2/15
Children's entertainment – theatre, film, television – comes and goes, but the productions that stand the test of time are those which remember that children need to entertained and educated – and that their parents need to be entertained by them too. This show is a great exemplar of that philosophy.
Adventurous orphan Quinn breaks through the supposedly impenetrable walls of Poetica to find a strange land ruled by the sinister Teacher and where everyone speaks in rhyme. It's a simple but surprisingly well-fleshed out story aimed at young children but catering to adults. Familiar musical stings, clever wordplay and fourth wall mockery keep mum or dad satisfied while catchy tunes, colourful costumes and the opportunity to play a part on stage get full marks from the nippers.
Comedy, poetry, live music, puppetry, mime and audience interaction are the vehicles for heartwarming messages about acceptance and difference with something for everyone to take away. It's a genuinely enjoyable show for all ages, brought together by simple yet slick production design and some seriously talented performers.
$60 for a family might seem pricey – but do the math on how much you would spend going to the movies with a family.
Highly recommended.
Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)
Adventurous orphan Quinn breaks through the supposedly impenetrable walls of Poetica to find a strange land ruled by the sinister Teacher and where everyone speaks in rhyme. It's a simple but surprisingly well-fleshed out story aimed at young children but catering to adults. Familiar musical stings, clever wordplay and fourth wall mockery keep mum or dad satisfied while catchy tunes, colourful costumes and the opportunity to play a part on stage get full marks from the nippers.
Comedy, poetry, live music, puppetry, mime and audience interaction are the vehicles for heartwarming messages about acceptance and difference with something for everyone to take away. It's a genuinely enjoyable show for all ages, brought together by simple yet slick production design and some seriously talented performers.
$60 for a family might seem pricey – but do the math on how much you would spend going to the movies with a family.
Highly recommended.
Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)
A Pocketful of Joy ★★★½ - Taylor Yates, Herald Sun - 6/4/14
HOLLY takes us on a ride through Joyville, equipped with her ukulele, puppets and a stunning singing voice.
A Pocketful of Joy not only entertains the kids, but holds a giggle here and there for the grown-ups, too.
I admit — I thought I’d get a little bored during this show, but, to my surprise, it’s actually funny and endearing, with jokes that are not just for the kids.
The town mayor has been kidnapped and Holly and friends are on a quest to find her — and bring joy back to Joyville.
Somewhat reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz, it’s obviously a musical — heaps of singing and dancing, so no stand-up lines here.
The best thing about this show is the level of crowd interaction. Holly invites the audience to join the cast and become part of the show, and with parodied versions of pop songs such as “Paten-style”, (Gangnam Style), A Pocketful of Joy will have everyone singing and dancing along.
This is a great way to spend a day with the kids — but only the under-10s. Any older than that might get the deeper subtle jokes — and that wouldn’t exactly lead us to Joyville!
A Pocketful of Joy not only entertains the kids, but holds a giggle here and there for the grown-ups, too.
I admit — I thought I’d get a little bored during this show, but, to my surprise, it’s actually funny and endearing, with jokes that are not just for the kids.
The town mayor has been kidnapped and Holly and friends are on a quest to find her — and bring joy back to Joyville.
Somewhat reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz, it’s obviously a musical — heaps of singing and dancing, so no stand-up lines here.
The best thing about this show is the level of crowd interaction. Holly invites the audience to join the cast and become part of the show, and with parodied versions of pop songs such as “Paten-style”, (Gangnam Style), A Pocketful of Joy will have everyone singing and dancing along.
This is a great way to spend a day with the kids — but only the under-10s. Any older than that might get the deeper subtle jokes — and that wouldn’t exactly lead us to Joyville!
'A Pocketful of Joy' review by Sally Hussey, Arts Hub - 8/4/14
"A mix of puppetry, physical and musical theatre, with comedic touches to warm the over-fives audience . . . This is children's theatre at its best." See full review.
'A Pocketful of Joy' Review by Daniel Lammin - 20/10/13
It’s a common misconception that children’s theatre is an easier gig than theatre for adults. With all of the effort involved in intellectually engaging a mature audience and giving them a worthwhile experience, surely entertaining kids is a much simpler exercise - follow a formula, have a few rude jokes, and they’ll laugh at anything. The reality is the complete opposite. The true test for any theatre maker is whether they can create a piece of work that satisfies the most honest and ruthless audience of all, an audience full of demanding children. They have no concept of theatre etiquette or waiting for a pay-off. You can’t expect them to sit for hours or pick up on subtlety. So often though, children’s theatre is condescending, lazy and uninspiring, and children leave with no lasting impression, thanks to a group of theatre makers who do not understand how their brains work.
Thank goodness for Sausage Dog Productions. With their first show, the wonderful ‘A Pocketful of Joy’, they have established themselves as one of the most exciting children’s theatre companies working today. These four women and their considerable artistic skill have crafted a show that will not only delight and inspire children, but keep their parents just as entranced.
Holly and her rat sidekick, Boris, are on a mission. The Mayor of Joyville has been kidnapped, and without him, all the joy in the town will be lost. Following a series of clues, and encountering many colourful characters along the way, Holly and Boris seek out the Mayor, and learn something about their own sense of joy in the process.
The Sausage Dog team (Tara Rankine, Maddie Thiele, Chanelle Sheehan and Hannah Tivendale) are the creators and performers of ‘A Pocketful of Joy’, and their extensive theatrical experience is apparent in every aspect of the production. The music is terrific and catchy, and never slows the rhythm of the show or feel extemporaneous. So often, kids shows seem to be flimsy narratives constructed around pre-written songs, but here the narrative and music are vital to each other, and the musical moments heighten the development of the characters and offer vital clues for Holly and Boris’ quest. The design is absolutely gorgeous, a simple set of colourful screens that move and change to create the different environments on the journey, and the costumes are simple and vibrant. Rather than going for literal, the team have gone for something functional and abstract. As a learning tool, this might be one of the most valuable lessons children can learn about the theatre, even at a young age, that sets and costumes need to be literal and elaborate. The use of the space is very sophisticated compared to most children’s theatre.
All four of the team give dynamic and arresting performances, pitched at exactly the right energy and tone. There’s always a sense, even when they aren’t speaking directly to the audience, that they’re aware of us and are always inviting. Their interaction with the children in the audience is considered and engaging. Perhaps most importantly, though, at no point do they talk down to the kids. There are some strong messages in the show, particularly about finding the strength and joy within yourself rather than from others, but often the messages in children’s theatre appear like a sledgehammer, shattering the enjoyment of the experience with a heavy-handed moral. The trick with this genre is to speak to children rather than at them, and this is something that Sausage Dog excelled at. The morals were clear and sincere, the children were engaged on a level they could understand, with jokes pitched well and an invitation to learn from the show as well as being entertained. It’s a hard line to walk, and this team walk it beautifully.
It feels strange to analyse something so purely entertaining and enchanting as ‘A Pocketful of Joy’, because, when it boils down to it, the show is everything you want in a kids show. It’s colourful, exciting, incredibly funny, with a snappy script, great songs and top-notch performances. It has more joy in it than anything I’ve seen in a very long time. I want to have kids just so I could show them this one, and that’s probably the highest praise I could ever give it.
Thank goodness for Sausage Dog Productions. With their first show, the wonderful ‘A Pocketful of Joy’, they have established themselves as one of the most exciting children’s theatre companies working today. These four women and their considerable artistic skill have crafted a show that will not only delight and inspire children, but keep their parents just as entranced.
Holly and her rat sidekick, Boris, are on a mission. The Mayor of Joyville has been kidnapped, and without him, all the joy in the town will be lost. Following a series of clues, and encountering many colourful characters along the way, Holly and Boris seek out the Mayor, and learn something about their own sense of joy in the process.
The Sausage Dog team (Tara Rankine, Maddie Thiele, Chanelle Sheehan and Hannah Tivendale) are the creators and performers of ‘A Pocketful of Joy’, and their extensive theatrical experience is apparent in every aspect of the production. The music is terrific and catchy, and never slows the rhythm of the show or feel extemporaneous. So often, kids shows seem to be flimsy narratives constructed around pre-written songs, but here the narrative and music are vital to each other, and the musical moments heighten the development of the characters and offer vital clues for Holly and Boris’ quest. The design is absolutely gorgeous, a simple set of colourful screens that move and change to create the different environments on the journey, and the costumes are simple and vibrant. Rather than going for literal, the team have gone for something functional and abstract. As a learning tool, this might be one of the most valuable lessons children can learn about the theatre, even at a young age, that sets and costumes need to be literal and elaborate. The use of the space is very sophisticated compared to most children’s theatre.
All four of the team give dynamic and arresting performances, pitched at exactly the right energy and tone. There’s always a sense, even when they aren’t speaking directly to the audience, that they’re aware of us and are always inviting. Their interaction with the children in the audience is considered and engaging. Perhaps most importantly, though, at no point do they talk down to the kids. There are some strong messages in the show, particularly about finding the strength and joy within yourself rather than from others, but often the messages in children’s theatre appear like a sledgehammer, shattering the enjoyment of the experience with a heavy-handed moral. The trick with this genre is to speak to children rather than at them, and this is something that Sausage Dog excelled at. The morals were clear and sincere, the children were engaged on a level they could understand, with jokes pitched well and an invitation to learn from the show as well as being entertained. It’s a hard line to walk, and this team walk it beautifully.
It feels strange to analyse something so purely entertaining and enchanting as ‘A Pocketful of Joy’, because, when it boils down to it, the show is everything you want in a kids show. It’s colourful, exciting, incredibly funny, with a snappy script, great songs and top-notch performances. It has more joy in it than anything I’ve seen in a very long time. I want to have kids just so I could show them this one, and that’s probably the highest praise I could ever give it.
