Review: The Koala Who Could at Northern Stage, Newcastle
We swapped Newcastle city centre for the Australian outback this half term
It's half term, the sun is shining (finally!) and I have taken my stage-loving, four-year-old niece to Northern Stage to enjoy a stage adaptation of the best selling book, The Koala Who Could. I was unfamiliar with the story, so Mabel briefly told me the story of Kevin, a Koala who sat around and ate all day.
The show is just under an hour long and bursts into life with energy, music and an introduction to all the characters we will meet along the way. A minute in and our four-year-old was hooked. It didn't take long until our leading man took to the stage. Kevin the Koala is a loveable, cuddly puppet who has big fluffy round ears and prefers life at a slower, safer pace.
As Kevin watches from his hammock, we meet his carefree outback friends; a rugby-loving Wombat, a speedy Cassowary and a very hoppy Kangaroo, who all want Kevin to join in with their games. But Kevin, whose story is told through puppetry and in-person acting during 'zoomed' in moments, is too afraid of joining in and prefers to sit in his tree alone. Christopher Finn played the cautious marsupial brilliantly, and from heartwarming songs to jokes, Kevin had Mabel fully invested in his story.
Mabel loved the music and was on her feet dancing to Kylie before the show even began (who ever chose to play Kylie's greatest hits pre show – take a bow). It was the final song that she was most excited for, a toe-tapping number rounding off the performance. As is often the case with children’s theatre, audience participation is key and is welcomed throughout the show, helping to keep all the children fully immersed in the live show.
The overall message is an important one, encouraging children to embrace change and give things a go – whether we like it or not. In the end, Kevin realised that actually life away from the comfort of his eucalyptus tree isn’t as scary as he originally thought. Hopefully, a message Mabel will remember.
The Koala Who Could plays at Northern Stage, Newcastle until 2nd March.
