Revolting Rhymes & Dirty Beasts

La Boite Shakes Up Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes & Dirty Beasts

Known for their creative adaptations, shake & stir have collaborated with La Boite to create the world premiere production of Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes & Dirty Beasts, playing these school holidays from 8 to 18 January. Combining two of Dahl’s most famous rhyming storybooks, the show mixes the familiar stories of Cinderella, The Three Little Pigs, Goldilocks, Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, Jack and the Beanstalk, along with some Dirty Beasts tales.  Shake well and the results are hilariously gory and frighteningly silly. “If you think you know this story… you don’t!”

Directed by shake & stir’s Ross Balbuziente and starring Nick Skubij, Nelle Lee, Judy Hainsworth and Leon Cain, Revolting Rhymes & Dirty Beasts, is an hour long frenetic work-out for the actors. With the energy and pace required to keep kids entertained, this show should be sponsored by Red Bull!

The four talented actors play multiple characters (and accents) that are strange, twisted, animated and just a whole lot of fun. Skilled in physical comedy, they jump, slide, dance and frolic from moment to moment, squeezing the juice out of every line of Roald Dahl’s text to create high quality entertainment for little and big beasts alike.

Brisbane’s most creative production design team power-up again – Designer Josh McIntosh, Lighting Designer Jason Glenwright, and Sound Designer Guy Webster – to create an inspired presentation. With a flexible revolving stage design complete with trapdoors and windows, the team presented the best special effect I’ve seen to date on stage: the 360 Ninja moment, borrowed from The Matrix; a special effect previously only thought possible on film, was quite impressive.

Just because it’s a kid’s show doesn’t mean the production is painted with colour-by-number lighting cues. Revolting Rhymes & Dirty Beasts has more lighting and sound cues than other epic adaptations created by shake & stir and the creative team, including their highly successful productions of Animal Farm and 1984. It’s a credit to La Boite’s continuing commitment to children’s theatre and to nurturing the next generation of theatre lovers.

What I love about coming to La Boite’s children’s shows is the instant mood change as you walk into the theatre and leave behind the exhausting, suffocating heat outside, and the constant nag of your bored child on the school holidays wanting something to do. Within the cool air-conditioned Round Theatre at La Boite the music is pumping, the lights are dancing around like a blue light disco, and so are the kids!

The after party was just as impressive with its carnival-like atmosphere including fairy floss, popcorn, slushies (including alcoholic slushies to satisfy the bigger kids) and a photo booth complete with a costume box full of hats, scarves, glasses and other bits and bobs to play dress-ups for the photos.

Revolting Rhymes & Dirty Beasts will play at La Boite’s Roundhouse Theatre till 18^th January. The hour-long show is appropriate for five to 12-year olds. Given that the opening day boasted La Boite’s biggest day of ticket sales in years, and that some shows are already sold out, you’ll need to get in quick to see this kids show of the year.

See La Boite’s website (www.laboite.com.au) to book tickets and view their kid friendly show times, or call (07) 3007 8600.