‘Home’ by Patch and Restless, perfectly encapsulates the world of children’s play

KIDDO reviewer Carla Caruso entered the whimsical, wondrous world of 'Home' and had her imagination fired up.

WORDS: Carla Caruso

This new theatre show perfectly encapsulates the world of children’s play, with the colour and sparkle amped up.

Home is a collaboration between Patch Theatre (well-known for making shows for 4- to 10-year-olds) and Restless Dance Theatre – a company, which works with artists with and without disability.

The show stars Zoe Dunwoodie, who’s previously performed alongside Cate Blanchett and Bluey (!), and Charlie Wilkins, who’s a lead dancer with Restless, has Down syndrome, and is also a Special Olympics medallist in swimming.

In this 45-minute production, the pair are playmates, and they invite us to join them in their imaginary games. They’re accompanied by a ‘talking’ toadstool house, which the audience often gets to hand around like pass-the-parcel. (I gather there’s meant to be a fairy hidden inside, voiced by someone offstage, but she’s too small to see!)

Meanwhile, at the centre of the stage, there’s a bright yellow door – and every time it’s flung open, there’s a ‘special delivery’ and a new world opens up.

It was fun to see well-known features of children’s play become larger than life, from pipe-cleaner stick figures magically morphing into real-life dancers to a bunch of cardboard boxes being transformed into a rocket ship with fairy lights.

Throughout the show, young volunteers are also called up onstage to be part of the fun, whether using a glow-in-the-dark rope to ‘hear’ people’s quirky thoughts – “I wish I had lobster hands”, for example – to one moving about the space in a foldable play tunnel à la a giant slug.

Other audience participation comes in the form of eyeball balloons being bounced around the crowd like beachballs and kids being cheered on to dance.

Snails are also a theme of the show. Audience members are encouraged to make ‘hand snails’ with the googly-eyes they’re given before the show starts, and later, a giant, white, parachute-material snail takes over the stage.

As it says in the show notes: “A snail is never far from home, no matter where they roam.” And, in this context, it seems to symbolise that, as a child, you can let your imagination run wild and have many adventures through play – from travelling to outer space to walking with dinosaurs – while remaining within the safety of your home.

At the end, Zoe reminds the audience of their hand snails, created by clipping the googly-eyes to your thumb and making a fist. “You’ve all got your homes right with you; you can go wherever you want.”

And, indeed, a rich inner life can help you dream big and reach for the stars.

Event details

Family performances 

Space Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre: Sat August 13 & Sat August 20, 2pm and 5pm

Hopgood Theatre, Noarlunga: August 27, 11am

School shows 

Space Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre: August 9 – August 18

Regional dates: August 23 – September 8

For more information or tickets:

patchtheatre.org.au

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