Storm Boy

From the moment this play opens - fittingly with a storm, this is a captivating, beautifully realised production lovingly retells Colin Thiele's children's novel, for audiences of any age.

This first collaboration between Barking Gecko Theatre Company and Sydney Theatre Company is a worthy one - with Barking Gecko's artistic director at the directive helm of this stunning play.

The set - evocative of a whale skeleton, cliff top, sand dune and wave is a beautiful canvas for this production, an earthy organic design by Michael Scott-Mitchell.

The title role is shared by Joshua Challenor and Rory Potter. Rory, on opening night in Perth, delivered a sensitive, inspired performance that would be impressive from a much older actor. His relationships with Storm Boy's father, Hideaway Tom (Peter O'Brien) and unlikely friend Fingerbone Bill (Trevor Jamieson) were very believable and all three delivered brilliant performances that touched the hearts of the audience.

Supporting actors Shaka Cook and Michael Smith provide stunningly beautiful movement sequences and play pivotal characters, pelicans Mr Ponder, Mr Proud and Mr Perceval, using gentle and moving puppetry skills. The puppets are wonderfully designed by Michael Scott-Mitchell and well directed by Peter Wilson. The use of indigenous actors and indigenous theming in these roles is an inspired choice.

In just seventy minutes, Storm Boy creates a myriad of believable relationships, conveys the heart of the novel and explores themes of grief, loss, masculinity, isolation and indigenous culture, yet never feels rushed, forced or heavy.

This is magic story telling, a gorgeously presented production that fully appeals to the senses. A play that while designed for young audiences, will genuinely appeal to all ages and is imaginatively and stunningly performed.

Kimberley Shaw

David Spicer also reviewed the production dueing its original Sydney season.

Wide-eyed anticipation greeted the cast when I attended a morning performance, ensconced in a theatre filled with well-behaved Sydney Grammar primary school students.

There were three mild bum jokes in the play and each was greeted with ever more enthusiastic laughter.

Lest you get the wrong idea this is an elegant and lyrical adaptation of the classic book.

Colin Thiele’s novel about a young boy who never goes to school and lives on a beach raising Pelicans, contrasted with blazers of the children in the audience.

The design by Michael-Scott Mitchell was inspired by the sea. The home for Storm Boy and his father appeared in the shape of a dead whale on its side or was it a boat? The action was inside and on top of the structure.

The pelicans, made by Peter Wilson, never failed to delight, from young chicks cradled in a jumper, to hungry snappy adolescents, to soaring adults spreading their wings.

They were adroitly wheeled in or flown by the striking indigenous actors Shaka Cook and Michael Smith.

The stand out actor was Trevor Jamieson as Fingerbone Bill. His interpretation warmed the heart.

Young Joshua Challenor as Storm Boy was convincing enough to maintain the attention of his peers in the audience, as did Peter O’Brien as his father Hideaway Tom, but perhaps their characters need more development to fully satisfy adults.

At one hour and twenty minutes this is an excellent production to take children to, but just like someone said, you can never be too thin or too rich, you can never have too many enough bum jokes for a young audience.

David Spicer

Image: (top) Michael Smith (middle) Trevor Jamieson and Michael Smith & (lower) Joshua Challenor in Sydney Theatre Company and Barking Gecko Theatre Company’s Storm Boy. © Brett Boardman 2013.