The Stone Lion by Meerkat Productions | Review
The Stone Lion is a delightful theatre production based on the book by Margaret Wild. It is not merely a straight adaptation of the story, this show is musical, has added audience interaction and participation, as well as more emphasis on some of the key themes of the book – especially about imagination and kindness.
During the production it highlights empathy for those in need – we feel sorry for the plight of the young girl Sara and her baby brother who are all alone with no parents to look after them, no food to eat or anywhere to live. We are also asked to imagine what it would be like to be a stone lion, to have feelings and dreams but not able to move and run free.
Children are asked to use their imagination and cleverly told to do this by “taking a picture with your brain”. What a simple but clever way to describe imagination.
There is a discussion about being kind and they give examples of how childen can be kind to others around them. They even sing a cute song about kindness, and everyone is encouraged to sing along:
It’s cool to be kind,
being kind is cool.
Be kind to your parents, your sisters,
your brothers, your teachers,
and all of the kids at school.
There are times when we all
feel sad and lonely
and friends can be hard to find
so be kind ‘cus being
kind is cool.
The two engaging performers, Luke Reeves and Debbie Neilson are very versatile, role playing different characters, with some witty ad libbing when interacting with the audience. They are also the puppeteers for the Stone Lion and the gargoyle.
There is so much depth to this production but the themes are cleverly portrayed to children in a way that they are able to understand them easier. If you are a fan of Windmill Theatre and Patch Theatre productions, you will enjoy this show.
The Bakehouse Theatre is an intimate venue with tiered seats looking down onto the stage. It’s great for families as it offers a good view for everyone. Children get priority seating in the front row and there is the opportunity for a few kids to participate and be part of the show. At the end of the show the actors also allow children in the audience to ask questions and show us how the puppets work.
The Stone Lion is theatre with so much heart – lessons in imagination and kindness are wrapped up in an entertaining story; tailored specifically for children and their families.
For more information about this show and ticket bookings please see the Adelaide Fringe website here.
Read our other Fringe Reviews here. See our posts about all things Fringe here.
What: The Stone Lion | Adelaide Fringe 2016 | Review
When: Remaining shows: Mon 29 Feb at 11am | Sat 5 & Sun 6 March at 2pm | Wed 9 March at 11am | Sat 12 & Sun 13 Mar at 2pm
Where: Bakehouse Theatre | 255 Angas Street, Adelaide (just near Hutt Street)
Who: Ages 4 to 10 yrs
All photos by Play & Go
Play & Go Adelaide have media access to the Adelaide Fringe 2016. All reviews are our own opinion from personal experience, unpaid and not influenced by the artist/s and/or promoter/s in any way.
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.
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