Hare Brain

Spare Parts Puppet Theatre's Hare Brain – A Twisted Spin on Aesop’s The Tortoise and the Hare, is about to open for a school holiday season at Claremont Showgrounds. A fast, frenetic, and fantastical production drawn from Aesop’s fable, it had youngsters screaming advice and giggling throughout its evening premiere and press night this week.

Artistic Director Philip Mitchell’s first show with the company, over twenty years ago, the production has been revived a few times since, but this is its first performance season in their new venue. It has aged well, and I am fairly sure that the only change made, is the vintage of the mobile phone used.

Marketing executive Harry, who is rather harried, is desperate to find the perfect story to sell toys, when laid back cleaner Toulouse (there is a clue in his name too) suggests the classic Tortoise and the Hare. Life begins to reflect art, as we work through several incarnations of the story, with puppets that include vacuum cleaners, mops and brooms and surprise characters that take the “spare parts” part of the company’s moniker very literally. Fabulous design from Cecile Williams.

Performers Daniel Dosek (loose limbed and relaxed as Toulouse) and Oliver Hughes (wonderfully uptight and over-the-top as Harry) have excellent rapport and work their audience with flair, with characters who are very different but both very likeable.

Great holiday entertainment that is fun for mum and dad as well as the kids. Be sure to go early or stay afterwards, as Spare Parts has lots of hands-on entertainment in the adjacent pavilion that serves as a foyer come play area.

Kimberley Shaw