A quick scamper through the 30th annual Northern Alberta International Children's Festival offers a non-stop flow of irresistible rhythms, flamboyant costumes and sparkling theatricality.
Watching the little ones laugh and run with delight through the carnival-like, tent city located on the banks of the Sturgeon River in downtown St. Albert, it's obvious the festival is an event that can transform lives — be it with music, theatre, puppetry, dance or mesmerizing storytelling.
This year the festival has a particularly strong line-up of mainstage shows that celebrate children's creativity and imagination in all its forms. Although adults create the shows, they speak with children's hearts and voices in the passionate belief that anything is possible. Just step out of your comfort zone and dare to risk.
Baobab
Theatre Motus école Father Jan Ages 4 and up Stars 4.5/5
Baobab is a spellbinding puppet show that end leaves you with a hopeful feeling that, despite all the adversity on earth, anyone even a small child can change the world.
Borrowing from West African mythology, a griot (a village storyteller) takes us to the beginning of time when men spoke with plants and animals. Once an ancient Baobab tree had four children living in its branches and their joy was complete.
But the Sun was jealous of Earth and the Baobab tree's happiness. In his anger the Sun refused to go to bed. The lakes shrivelled, the land cracked and what water was left, seeped to the centre of the Earth.
Villagers became desperate for water. One day an egg fell out of the Baobab tree and a young boy hatched from it. It is this boy's destiny, guided only by the wisdom of the elders, to bring the water back.
Amondo must complete four tasks and on his journey he encounters a shrewd bird, a humpback witch carrying a treasure, and a bare-bottomed baboon that was an unqualified hit with the elementary school crowd.
When a battle between Amondo and the baboon, guardian of the baobab tree develops, with elements of hide-and-seek, the kids shouted, "Over there!" followed by "No, over there!"
There is never a boring moment whether it was the witch's frantic dance, an eclipse of the sun or the sudden appearance of a firefly cluster.
This rite of passage story utterly charms and all the elements are perfectly fused. Sharon James completely inhabits Amondo as the confused boy wanting to do the right thing. And Ralph Prosper equally beguiles in multiple roles as the sage griot, a vain witch and a chest-thumping baboon.
Tying all the elements together and creating the many moods of nature were musicians Nathalie Cora and Aboulaye Koné. They played assorted African instruments including a cora (African harp), peule (flute), balafon (keys), doumdoum and djembe (drums). Kudos to the African inspired geometric patterned costumes and a set that evokes the sands of time.
>Baobab is storytelling theatre at its best, a wonderful way to discover the tree of life.
— Anna Borowiecki
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
St. Albert Children's Theatre Standard General Tent I All Ages Stars 2.5/5
The premise of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day is great. Alexander, an all-around whiny kid, has the worst day of his life and we can all sympathize with that.
From the moment he wakes up, everything goes wrong. There's no toy in the cereal box. Mom forgets to pack dessert for lunch. He hands in a picture of an invisible castle because he forgot to do his homework.
A visit to the dentist reveals a cavity and his best friend downgrades him to third best friend. There are lima beans for supper and even his imaginary flight to Australia is a bust.
Although this musical is ideal for a young troupe such as St. Albert Children's Theatre, unfortunately it is one of the company's less robust offerings. Some of the young actors slip off their notes and slide out of character too soon.
But most importantly, the captivating energy for which the theatre is renowned was lacking. It showed in the elementary school audience, half of which was talking at any given time.
But there are redeeming moments such as Alexander's (Max Aisenstat) too funny meeting with the dentist (Michael Parubi). To hear Alexander squawk and wriggle in the chair brought back an explosion of over-the-top memories of my children's antics.
And director Janice Flower cleverly uses the young actors' bodies to make props. In one bathroom scene Alexander washes his face over a human shaped sink that gurgles. Meanwhile, the face in the mirror of a different actor exaggerates our hero's facial expressions much to the delight of the audience.
Perhaps the show highlight is the finale If I Were in Charge of the World, a lush song that brings together the 20-plus cast. It reminds everyone that no matter how bad things are, tomorrow is always another day.
— Anna Borowiecki
The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Eric Carle Favourites
Mermaid Theatre St. Albert Curling Club Ages 3 to 7 Stars 3.5/5
Audience reaction to a show is always so interesting. To my right at The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Eric Carle Favourites, a pair of two-year-old twins was completely mesmerized. On my left, a tired teacher dozed off for about 15 minutes.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Eric Carle Favourites is a slick black light theatre adaptation of popular picture books that draws from a mother lode of children's literature.
Mermaid Theatre Company of Nova Scotia has adapted three narratives — Little Cloud, a tale of a cloud's flight across the sky; The Mixed Up Chameleon, an account of a lizard that learns to like himself, and The Very Hungry Caterpillar, who eats until he morphs into a beautiful butterfly.
As three puppeteers manipulate rod puppets of phosphorescent colours, black light spills on them creating a series of fast-paced images dancing to music against a black backdrop.
This is a "non-shushing" show and children were quite vocal with "oohs" and "aahs" as clouds, airplanes, sharks, rabbits, trees, giraffes and elephants appeared to float across the stage. Heck, there was even a placid rainstorm as puppeteers unfurl a black panel painted with raindrops.
While the visual imagery is very sophisticated and quite stunning, the language is simplistic and repetitious, a storytelling technique young children absorb with great delight. Unfortunately, the slow pace can promote droopy eyelids in adults.
This triple bill has an easy storyline and gentleness rarely equalled in other festival shows, and it works beautifully as an introduction to theatre for young kids.
— Anna Borowiecki
Rumpelstiltskin
Lille Kartofler Figurentheatre St. Albert Senior Citizens' Club Ages 4 and up Stars 4/5
The first thing that flashes through your mind when Matthias Kuchta unveils his life-size cloth puppets is that they look like a cross between a Cabbage Patch Doll and a lumpy spud.
Kutchta, the driving force behind Lille Kartofler Figurentheatre, commands one of Germany's most innovative puppet theatre companies. Although the one-man show focuses on the classic Grimm and Andersen stories, its treatment lifts the beloved Rumpelstiltskin to new heights.
The brightly lit open stage peopled by Rumpelstiltskin, a King, a miller, his daughter, a baby and a few animal spies, is not quite what you'd expect.
The portly King is so daffy he keeps falling off his throne. The snot-swiping miller is so weak he snoozes in between jobs, and the Miller's daughter is not that beautiful or that accomplished. Let's not forget the sneaky Rumpelstiltskin, a loser anti-hero you almost feel sorry for.
It's a story so well known, you expect boredom to set in. But the hand-manipulated puppets are incredibly intriguing, so life-like and beguiling, it's not hard to be drawn into their plight.
And Kutchta has an impeccable comic timing that sent the audience of mid-elementary school kids into gales of laughter.
A very interactive show, Kuchta also invited several children from the crowd to handle small roles. It was a chuckle just to see them either jump in with cockiness or shy away when they realized 200 sets of eyes were on them.
It's one of those shows where everyone left smiling knowing they'd just witnessed an hour of magic.
— Anna Borowiecki
Splash 'n Boots
Save-on Foods Stage (Arden Theatre) Ages 2 and up Stars 4/5
Make sure your kids are rested and ready for the hip-shaking, arm-swinging antics of Nick and Taes Adams, known as Splash 'n Boots. Once the show starts, every member of the audience will be singing, dancing and following along as these two energetic performers romp across the stage.
The set-up is simple — Nick plays guitar, Taes dances and interacts with the audience. The songs are all intended for young children, featuring animal sounds, strange noises and sing-alongs. From yelling out the names of their favourite animals to wiggling their different parts, kids will unknowingly learn and practise as they gyrate along with the flailing pair.
The show begins with a message over the intercom, thanking the audience and saying "goodbye," which gets the kids giggling. By the time they take the stage, all the young ones are ready to get moving. But be forewarned — with all the yelling, screaming, singing and dancing, some little ones will inevitably hit the end of their endurance before the show is over as my two young charges did. Splash 'n Boots is great for the entire family, provided you have the energy to watch.
— Peter Boer
