Me and My Shadow | Patch Theatre | 2026 Review
When a show comes with rave reviews from your colleagues and has been running for 16 years, expectations are high. But after seeing Me and My Shadow, the only thing you’ll be wondering is why it took you so long to see it.
To test how good this show really is, we sent two junior reviewers at each end of its target audience – Miss 4 and Miss (Almost) 8. Thankfully, it passed with flying shadows… we mean, colours!
Review by Lisa Bachmayer
Full of clever physical theatre, playful humour and a little bit of magic, Patch Theatre’s much-loved production has been captivating audiences around the world since premiering in Adelaide in 2010.
Now it has come back home for a limited 2026 season, with original cast members Nathan O’Keefe and Astrid Pill returning to their roles after 16 years.
The 45-minute show is full of physical theatre, exploring friendship, imagination and the curious relationship between a child and their shadow.
Using light, movement, everyday objects and sound effects, the playful performers and creative crew create all sorts of enchanting surprises.
Me and My Shadow draws on the magic of theatre without relying on dialogue, giving children (and adults) a chance to briefly wonder ‘how’ before being swept away by the charming illusions unfolding on stage.
Miss 4 was completely entranced for the entire 45 minutes, while her older sister guffawed with delight and amazement at the shadow tricks and grabbed my arm.
There were repeated exclamations of “Oh my goodness, what on earth is happening?” as arms and legs stretched impossibly long, shadows went rogue, and plenty of giggles when a crumpled paper bag suddenly became something much more than a paper bag.
There was plenty of amusement for adults too, with clever moments involving red lights, playful props, and growing/shrinking shadows that had us as intrigued as the kids.
In a world of screens, sitting beside your child as they laugh hysterically at on-stage antics, clutching your arm and exclaiming in wonder is a refreshing reminder of the magic of real-life entertainment.
Me and My Shadow runs for 45 minutes; perfectly manageable for its target audience of 4-8-year-olds, although our experience suggests older primary-aged kids will also enjoy the cleverness and comedy.
As with all general admission tickets, we suggest arriving early for a good spot, but seating is on an incline so there is easy viewing all round. There are also mats at the front for children who prefer to sit on the floor.
There’s something special about seeing the magic of theatre through a child’s eyes, and Me and My Shadow is a delightful introduction to physical theatre for young audiences – and their grown-ups, too.
Plus, we guarantee you’ll never look at a paper bag the same way again.
As we walked away from the theatre afterwards, with the River Torrens sparkling and lit up beside us, Miss 4 asked: “Aren’t we lucky?”
And after experiencing the magic of children’s theatre, that’s exactly how we felt.
Miss Almost 8: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Miss 4: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (20 stars!)
Me and My Shadow is showing at the Space Theatre at the Adelaide Festival Theatre on 15, 22 & 29 August 2026.
Read more about Me & My Shadow here
CLICK HERE TO BOOK TICKETS
Location:
Space Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre
For more information and all enquiries please visit the Patch Theatre website.
At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.
As per all our Play & Go reviews, this is not a sponsored post and our review is done completely independently. All photos are by Matt Byrne for Patch Theatre.
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