Parents know the benefits reading brings to a child. Not only does it improve literacy, it cultivates a healthy sense of curiosity and stretches imagination. What if these books can come alive? How much more intriguing, exciting and impactful can that be! That’s where the good folks at KidsFest value-add to a child’s learning experiences. KidsFest has a penchant for bringing books to life and we love it. This time, they outdid themselves by resurrecting a group of prehistoric friends for a roaring good time – nothing like good old dinosaurs to stir our imagination!
Firstly, I must say that Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo is not your regular song and dance musical nor scene-changing drama but more of a ‘docu-drama’ performed skillfully by master puppeteers with realistically made dinosaur puppets. Led by the ‘paleontologist’ host who narrates and brings the audience through the hour-long production peppered with dry-wit and puns (Mums and Dads are gonna love this) while supplying kids with the occasional rare facts about dinosaurs, making this one of the most unique productions we’ve watched. Which is why it is no surprise that this production has won fans from Australia right through to the UK and US.
Yes, the dinosaurs featured here (from cute baby dinos to some of the largest carnivores and herbivores that have ever walked the planet) are the lesser-known Aussie dinosaurs with just one popular ‘American’ thrown in – no prize for guessing which towering ferocious American is a must-have in any dinosaur feature! (Hint: Starts with T and ends with Rex!). Even for a dino-fan like me, I’ve picked up some unique gems from this production. What impresses is the level of realism thrown into the making of these dinosaurs and how the puppeteers made them come to life. From the details of their skin to the size of their eyes and wingspan, they are either life sized or made to scale (No…no Barney here, thank goodness!). Sounds the dinosaurs would have made are also realistically portrayed when these prehistoric beast are masterfully maneuvered and brought to life right before our eyes, enthralling the kids! These dinos are so realistically portrayed that the host actually had to give a ‘friendly caution’ at the start , particularly those at the front few rows where these puppets would interact with the audience, so that parents can prep their kids. For the show which we watched, the only squeals and screams were ones of delight and surprise. Nevertheless, do prepare your kids especially if they are below 7 years old.
Having said that, this highly interactive production is really well done. We thank the folks at KidsFest for bringing Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo here to roam our shores. It was roarin’ good fun.
Show Dates: Thu, 29 Jan to Sun, 1 Feb 2015 (7 performances)Sat, 31 Jan: 3pm, 5pm & 7.15pm
Sun, 1 Feb: 3pm & 5pm
Venue: SOTA Drama Theatre
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