Glow Show puppets to light up the school holidays with Badjelly the Witch show in Wellington

The Glow Show is bringing Badjelly the Witch to Wellington in September this year. Photo / LK Creative

The beloved story-time classic, Badjelly the Witch, is coming to Wellington these school holidays.

All the characters from the classic tale will come to life for this year’s Glow Show production.

Glow Show is a Kiwi favourite in entertainment, with the famous, glow-in-the-dark puppet show always a popular drawcard for children and their adults alike.

Glow Show was created by conceptual artist and creative director Sarah Burren and uses glowing puppets to tell stories in a theatrical setting. Badjelly the Witch is an adaptation of the utterly loony Spike Milligan classic by Alannah O’Sullivan, with music by Geoff Davison and lyrics by John Cairney.

The Glow Show’s utterly original mash-up of science, puppetry and music is a glorious experience for children and this year it will be a wonderfully nostalgic event for adults. The goofiness of Bare Bottom Land, the giggle-inducing catch-cries like “Stinky poo to all of you!”, and the larger-than-life characters of Badjelly are set to bring a little fright and lots of fun to the Opera House in Wellington at the start of the school holiday break.

Tamariki and adults can also take the opportunity to go backstage and discover the secrets behind the puppets, and meet their creator.

The big questions - How do the puppets glow? How big are they really? What are they made of? - will be answered during this special behind-the-scenes peek at the Glow Show.

“You can just hear how special it is when they’re in the audience, and they’re whispering, and clapping along; they get really immersed in the performance,” educator Leah Maihi said.

WIN: Thanks to the organisers of The Glow Show, the Horowhenua Chronicle has a family pass (two adults and two children) to the Wellington show for one lucky reader to win. Children must be accompanied by an adult, and the show has a recommended age of 7 years and older. The show lasts for an hour and there is no interval.

To be in to win, simply email news@chronicle.co.nz with the words Glow Show in the subject line. In your email include your contact phone number and answer the question: What is the name of the witch in the show?

Competition closes at noon, Friday, September 13, and the lucky winner will be contacted that afternoon.

The details:

What: Badjelly the Witch Glow Show

Where: Wellington Opera House, Wellington.

When: Monday, September 30, 11am

Tickets: Via Ticketmaster

Ilona Hanne is a Taranaki-based journalist who covers breaking and community news from across the region. She has worked for NZME since 2011.