Over the next few weeks I’ll be writing a few reviews of Adelaide Fringe and Festival shows. It’s the best time of year to be in Adelaide and I’m so very excited. A few perks of being an Adelaide blogger is that I’ve had the chance to gain media access and luckily I can take some people along with me, people mainly being these crazy three kids.
Yesterday, we went to the Garden of Unearthly Delights to eat fairy floss, hot chips and drink slushies (ok, that’s a lie, Twiggy and I drank beer). The Garden is an awesome place to take kids. There’s heaps of delicious food, a few rides, music, loads of fabulous shows and awesomely quirky, freaky, arty, funny, flexible, flamboyant people everywhere. It is the perfect people watching place.
I asked the kids to help me review a show and they took their role quite seriously, when they weren’t eating, wriggling, laughing and asking for stuff. Here goes it.
Dr Brown, Brown, Brown, Brown, Brown and his Singing Tiger…Again.
We saw their previous show at the Fringe and to be honest I think it was a little better. In 2012, the show won Best Kids’ Show at both the Adelaide and Melbourne fringe shows. I’m not sure if it was the hot weather or because it’s the start of their run, but this felt a little flat at parts. Having said that, this two person show is one I’d highly recommend to people with kids aged between 4 and 7. Dr Brown and his Singing Tiger are both gloriously quirky, dishevelled, and sweet. They talk to kids like they are smart, savvy and with respect. There’s no baby voices, no crappie songs, no over exaggerated joy and at times their dialogue is a little naughty – just how kids like it. There’s even enough lines in there to keep the adults laughing, which I think is a sign of a great show because if adults are laughing, then the kids laugh even harder. And I’ve sat through enough crap, formulaic, patronising kids’ shows, to tell you how refreshing it is to know my children aren’t being treated like idiots.
They take the kids on a silly adventure through the jungle and along the way discover that it’s not the destination, but the journey which is most important. And this journey was a super fun one for the kids and one poor dad who needed up being the third cast member. The crowd interaction and participation made this show even more enjoyable for the kids and there were many big broad smiles and laughter throughout.
I asked my girls for a rating out of 10 stars (1 being the worst and 10 the best):
– the 8yo gave it 4 stars
– the 6yo gave it 7 stars
– and the 4yo gave it 25 stars, which she later changed to 28 stars.
I gave it 7 stars and recommend you take your kids. It’s fun, silly and will make you giggle.
Are you going to the Fringe this year?
Bianca x
Hi Bianca. We saw this one and loved it. My hubby was the poor dad dragged up the night we were there and my 7 year old was beside herself with laughter. I would say 28 stars also.
Good luck with your new job. I hope you do still have time to post here I always enjoy your thoughts.
T.