Fantastic Mr Fox

Easter School Holiday theatre magic for the young comes with larger-than-life characters, comedy aplenty, some gender reversal, good versus evil and fart jokes.The Fantastic Mr Fox, which has been adapted for the stage by Shake & Stir Theatre co, and directed by Ross Balbuziente,ticks all of the boxes and goes on to invent several more boxes!

The Fantastic Mr Fox is one hour of multi-story, singing, dancing, running, digging, revolving, outsmarting antics. Actors Johnny Balbuziente, Leon Cain, Tim Dashwood, Nelle Lee, Phoebe Panaretos and Nick Skubij trust each other, have a great time and engage the audience with the right amount of buffoonery and sweet moments.

Johnny Balbuziente as Chase narrates and weaves in and out of the story, proud of his dad Mr Fox (Nick Skubij) but he is a little fantastic himself! Timing is everything and the actors do not miss a beat as they leap from level to level or run up and down a triple ramp, dart in and out of doors or off ledges most of the time in animations behind them. It’s high energy and little ones laughed and giggled trying to keep up with their constant movement amongst the slapstick as the Fox family try to outsmart the dastardly and Bossy Bean (Tim Dashwood), mean Boggins (Leon Cain) and Bounce (Nelle Lee), evading gunfire while stealing from the respective farms to keep dinner on the table. There is a beautiful foxy romance between Mr and Mrs Fox that of course makes Chase (who is going through his teenage phase) gag. Mrs Fox (Phoebe Panaretos) is anything but the damsel in distress. While left alone to protect the home front she devises laser intruder alerts and packs a powerful punch. Watch out for the hilarious farmers’ wives, who have a show-stopping musical number and the scene in the cider farm. 

With bright costumes for the woodland animals and villains, and cute orange outfits for the foxie family, it was visually engaging with set and prop pieces whizzed on and off or up and down in the background and foreground. This show certainly keeps everyone busy backstage and on tech to coordinate light, sound, set and animations. The set really is multi story, with animated scene transitions rolling and moving across the stage by way of giant animations that the characters play and interact with. I can’t say enough about these animations, and the timing. You will have to see it yourself! 

Nick Skubij’s adaption of The Fantastic Mr Fox is fabulous five-star fantastical fun perfect for the final days of school holiday entertainment for school aged kiddos to infinity.There is nice messaging about helping the community and teamwork, and given it has been around since 1970 there is multi-generational appeal with plenty of Easter eggs (timely) if you listen and double entendre for the grown-ups as well. 

The Roslyn Packer Theatre plays host to the touring show and is a treat with its harbour location and proximity to Sydney’s historic Rocks precinct. Onsite restaurant The Walsh Kitchen also offers lunch, dinner, supper and pre- show packages. 

Nicole Smith 

Photographer: Prudence Upton