Carnival of the Animals

Camille Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals is a gorgeous suite of music, which Spare Parts Puppet Theatre uses as the inspiration and accompaniment for this excellent show. Set in Perth and telling a story that focuses on humanity, this show uses the original music, played on two pianos, an Australian narration written by Nick Enright, two strong actors and of course a bevy of beautiful puppets to create a 50-minute dreamscape that will delight both children and adults.

The music is provided by pianists Tommy Seah and Yi-Yun Loei, who play superbly and occasionally interact with (or are interrupted by) the puppetry.

Nick Enright’s words are a perfect accompaniment to the piece and are narrated very well by a team of voice-over artists. The artists include the very familiar, such as Ivan King, and actors of a variety of backgrounds, all of whom are great to listen to.

The puppets, as we expect as Spare Parts, are a delight - visually stunning and very varied in construction and operation. Expertly manoeuvred by actor/puppeteers Tamara Creasey and Malek Domkoc - they bring the story to life in ways that are gentle and beautiful yet continually surprising.

The show looks stunning and features a wonderful design by Leon Hendroff, lit sensitively by Megan Fitzgerald, with sympathetic sound design by Lee Buddle.

A wonderful celebration of life that blends an 1886 French musical suite with life in 2022 Perth, this is a holiday treat for kids that adults will adore. Take a child and revel in this lovely little piece.

Kimberley Shaw