Triple bill of holiday treats

Madeleine Sami is back in Badjelly the Witch.

Children's theatre is unpredictable drama. Playing the lead is no guarantee you won't be upstaged by a cat. And bringing to life an extremely bad witch doesn't stop the little darlings leaping on stage to declare they're not scared of you.

It's not only on-stage antics that create a to-do, either. Ben Crowder, who's directing Badjelly the Witch, has had to devote time to explaining to a cast member's pre-school son why he can't be in the show.

These holidays, there are three shows for families to check out.

The first is The Lighthouse Keeper's Lunch, brought to Takapuna's PumpHouse Theatre by Tim Bray Productions, which specialises in keeping the kids entertained during holidays.

Based on Ronda and David Armitage's children's books about lighthouse keeper Mr Grinling, it combines three stories and is one of the most technical shows Tim Bray Productions has staged.

It features seagull puppets, a whale beaching and a surfing scene - not to mention a cameo appearance by TV3 newsreader Hilary Barry.

"We're looking forward to a very entertaining and funny show," says Bray. "Like all our shows, there will be plenty of opportunities for the audience to be involved."

The Lighthouse Keeper's Lunch stars Paul Norell, Madeleine Lynch, Natasya Yusoff and Jonathan Martin. Like most professional children's theatre, it's an energetic romp which, says Norell, leaves the cast fairly exhausted by the show's end.

While Norell will be playing the beloved Mr Grinling, he says the character of Hamish the Cat (Yusoff) is likely to be the audience favourite.

The season will also includes school and pre-school performances after the holidays, from October 9.

Badjelly the Witch is the second show on the bill. It's a return season after last year's sell-out success at the Silo where it was extended for a week and an extra show added each day.

Written by comedian Spike Milligan in 1973 for his children, Badjelly the Witch has been reprinted in New Zealand more than any other country and is the most licensed play in the country.

This may explain why the classic tale of good triumphing over evil, with its weird and wonderful characters and scenarios, was so popular last year.

Director Ben Crowder says cast and crew knew Badjelly would be popular but they didn't expect queues outside the Silo box office or people to driving up from the Waikato to see it.

Madeleine Sami, who takes the title role, says for the cast it felt as they were living, eating and sleeping at the Silo: "It was mad."

This year's production, at the Wintergarden in the Civic Theatre, promises to be bigger and better. For starters, the set is made of wood rather than cardboard and there are a couple of extra characters like a cheeky chicken who pops up every now and then.

Leisha Ward-Knox takes over the role of Rose after Mia Blake pulled out in favour of a feature film lead. And Margaret Mary Hollins swaps directing for acting to portray Mudwiggle the world's strongest worm. Other than that, the cast, most with their own fond childhood memories of Badjelly the Witch, remains the same.

Last but not least is Phineas Phrog Productions' The Hare and Tortoise, where young and young-at-heart are invited to come and talk to the animals.

Based on the classic Aesop's fable, it is set at Auckland Zoo where the wise morepork, beautiful pink flamingoes, stripy zebra and even the slithering snake live together in harmony.

Well almost; the hare is loud, brash and irritating so the other animals have high hopes that the arrival of a new animal will put hare in his place. But how will a slow old tortoise do that?


Performance

What: The Lighthouse Keeper's Lunch
Where: PumpHouse Theatre , Takapuna
When: September 25-October 7, 10.30am and 12.30pm. School and pre-school groups October 9-20
Tickets: The PumpHouse Box Office (09) 489 8360 or tix.co.nz

What: Badjelly the Witch
Where: Wintergarden, Civic Theatre
When: September 25-October 8, two shows daily
Tickets: Ticketek

What: The Tortoise and the Hare
Where: Bruce Mason Centre, Takapuna
When: October 2-6, 10am and 12pm
Tickets: Ticketek