children’s theatre

Melbourne Fringe Award: Best Kids Show

We are over the moon to announce that Reasons to Stay Inside received the 2015 Melbourne Fringe Award for Best Kids Show.

Reasons to Stay Inside was only a success because of the brilliant and dedicated team who worked so tirelessly on it.

As a playwright, I am always in a huge debt to director, Prue Clark for her beautiful, insightful, rigorous and generous exploration and realisation of the words I write.

 

Emma Annand and Oliver Coleman as Flora and Pedro won their audiences over within the first ten seconds of the show. They were engaging, open, delightful performers.

The creative and clever design team of Amelia Lever-Davidson (lighting), Yvette Turnbull (set and costumes) and Lachlan Millsom (sound) really brought this piece to life – I was blown away but what they managed to achieve in our tiny space and with our tiny budget.

Finally, stage manager Luke Preer held us altogether and kept the show running smoothly from a technical difficulty on opening to the bump-out on closing. An absolute legend.

This recognition from the Melbourne Fringe adjudicators is such a boost to the work we do. We cannot thank them enough for their support of our work.

 

melbourne fringe award 2015 best kids

Reasons to Stay Inside opens at Melbourne Fringe

photo credit Hayden Bevis

Reasons to Stay Inside has opened at the Melbourne Fringe Festival.

A departure from my usual work, this is a play for kids and families. I wanted to create a piece that I could share with my nieces and nephews. I also really wanted to tell a story about anxiety. I think this is a show I would have liked the 10 year old version of myself to see – so I knew I wasn’t alone and so I could talk about it more easily with my family. Maybe.

Reasons to Stay Inside is about Pedro who, one day, just can’t go outside. Instead, he builds a giant pillow fort. And he won’t leave it. Flora, his best friend, tries everything she can to get Pedro to come back outside. You can’t stay in your fort forever, can you?

A show for 8 to 108 year olds about irritating best friends, dancing pegacorns, pillow forts and that weird anxious feeling.

Playing at Arts House, North Melbourne Town Hall – Tuesday 22 September to Saturday 3 October (no shows Monday or Sunday) 1pm (45 minutes). Tickets available online or call 03 9660 9666.

***

Directed by Prue Clark

Starring Emma Annand and Oliver Coleman

Lighting Design by Amelia Lever-Davidson

Set, Props and Costume Design by Yvetter Turnbull

Sound Design by Lachlan Millsom

Stage Management by Luke Preer

Written and Produced by Katy Warner