Once Upon A Fractured Fairytale

Once Upon A Fractured Fairytale was written and performed by 10-18 year old students of the Joondalup Entertainers Theatre School, and is a bright and complex story of fairytale characters gone awry. 

While the plot line is quite complicated, in the way of multiple authors, it is a character driven piece, so following the plot isn’t really the audience’s priorities. Once Upon A Fractured Fairytale takes Brechtian performance style to a new level. We are very aware that we are watching actors performing a play, a director (a very dynamic Sam Smith) appears regularly to make adjustments. The stage crew - played by Jets Ability students Nate Stein, Ben Hickman and Emerald Hunt (and assistants) - are very much part of the action, and when things become tricky, they call in a stunt double (played with amazing physical prowess by Aiden Hill), a recurring joke that the audience adored.

Maleficent (a powerful Kira Young) decides to call a collection of fairytale favourites into her realm, and to mess with their personalities and abilities - much for her own amusement. We meet an over eager Genie - very well received by the audience, played well by Sean Smith; a mad Mad Hatter (Ben Lane); a clever Cheshire Cat (Breanna Powell) and an Alice (Anna Griffiths) that finds this situation more confusing than Wonderland. A lovesick Wendy (May Fifield) pines for a Peter Pan (Alex Balling), who worries he can no longer fly. Red Riding Hood (Samantha Buckingham) may be drawn to the dark side) while Cinderella (Grace Perks) is stressed about her missing shoe. Jack Sparrow (Harry Smith) has developed a speech impediment) and Whingy Gingy., the Gingerbread Man (Daniel Witherington), will not stop complaining.

With lots of bright costuming, songs and audience participation, this celebration of performing, great teamwork and fantastic characters was a joy to watch. Lots of emerging talent, showing some impressive theatre skills.

Kimberley Shaw

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