Bronwyn Fullerton

JOSEPHINE WANTS TO DANCE – JOYOUS FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT

This image: Rebecca Hetherington                                                                                                                    Featured image: Hayden Rodgers, Chloe Dallimore, Amanda Laing, Rebecca Hetherington Photos by Heidrun Lohr

Monkey Baa Theatre Company was established in 1997 by its Creative Directors, Eva Di Cesare, Sandra Eldridge and Tim McGarry.  Their first tour was an adaptation of Tim Winton’s ‘The Bugalugs Bum Thief’.  In 2017, at the Sydney Theatre Awards, they won a Special Award for 20 years of Outstanding Achievement.

Now the resident company at Darling Harbour’s  ‘Lendlease Darling Quarter Theatre’, their latest production, JOSEPHINE WANTS TO DANCE, has opened for a school holiday season, to be followed by a six month national tour.

Adorable kangaroo, Josephine, is not content to hop with her fellow marsupials, she was born to dance.  She secretly studies the glamorous, elegant brolgas and the beautiful, chatty lyre-birds, but when a ballet troupe arrives in town, she discovers a lot more. 

Based on the award-winning book by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley, the play could not have a better creative team and cast.  With seasoned humorists, Jonathan Biggins as director, and Phil Scott as lyricist and composer, (who are both well known for their legendary Wharf Revues at the Sydney Theatre Company), the show is sharp and funny and the songs suitably witty, appealing to all ages. 

Rebecca Hetherington as Josephine radiates elegance, charisma and an optimism that the audience could not resist.  The Helpmann, 2005 award-winning musical actress, Chloe Dallimore, is fabulous in her four roles, particularly the mesmerising Russian ballet director.  Amanda Laing is vibrant and funny and creates three fantastic characters.  Up and coming musical actor, Hayden Rodgers, is also very talented.  His eccentric Russian designer is great.

Former Australian Ballet dancer turned choreographer, Tim Harbour, has done a splendid job of authenticating the ballet throughout the play.

Spectacular costumes and set have been created by James Browne, and sound by David Bergman and lighting by Emma Lockhart-Wilson.

I strongly advise that you take your children to see JOSEPHINE WANTS TO DANCE from Monkey Baa Theatre [Facebook] – they will not be disappointed.  It plays at the Lendlease Darling Quarter Theatre until the 24th April 2018, with two shows a day, 10.30am and 12.20pm.

Chloe Dallimore, Hayden Rodgers

Published by Bronwyn Fullerton

Bronwyn Fullerton worked as an actress and singer for over 20 years after training with Hayes Gordon at The Ensemble Theatre Studios in Sydney in the 70s. She has worked for The Ensemble Theatre, Stables Theatre, Griffin Theatre Company, Sydney Opera House, Sydney Festival, Theatre-in-Education touring, Rocks Theatre at The Sailor’s Home, Balmain Loft, North Coast Theatre Co., Giniby Theatre Co., Bondi Pavilion Theatre and two years with the Marionette Theatre of Australia, including a tour from Alice Springs to Arnhem Land. As well as Film and Television (Chopper Squad) and Voice Overs, Bronwyn worked for the Gate Theatre Club in London and studied mime in Paris. She now teaches ESL English to foreign students and completed a Post-Grad in Film & Video at UTS in 2009/10.