The Magical Weedy Seadragon

Photographer: Nic Duncan.

As the 2023 AWESOME Festival draws to a close, I was lucky enough to be able to catch one of the final performances of The Magical Weedy Seadragon. Presented by Albany based Breaksea, this gorgeous mini musical celebrates the oceans of the Great Southern Region and has a lovely message. Playing to a capacity crowd at the Rechabites, it was clear that it captured the imagination and involvement of both children and adults in the audience.

Presented by three very likeable entertainers, the audience were bonded with some pre-show beachball games, so that by the time the show started, the presenters were like old friends. The story, of a child that is turned into a puffer fish because they forgot how to be kind, is told with puppetry, music, and a lot of audience involvement, and features some fabulous characters.

Photographer: Johannes Reinhart.

While the actors play multiple roles, most memorable are Pia Harris’ beautiful jellyfish Jell.O, to whom she lends her gorgeous voice, Jarrad Inman’s delightfully self-obsessed Elvis cloned electric eel Eelvis, and Tadhg Lawrence’s wise and funny Magical Weedy Seadragon. All performers sing superbly and have a wonderful rapport with each other and the audience.

Michelle Ward’s costumes - both human and animal form - are fabulous, as are the captivating and fun puppets created by Tessa Laing. The show has a fully realised set, with artwork by James Walmsley and features live music written by Johnathon Brain.

While the audience was noisy and rambunctious, it was clear that they were captivated by this fun and beautifully performed production, which carries some lovely messages. A treat for the whole family.

Kimberley Shaw

Photographer: Nic Duncan.