BADJELLY THE WITCH
The Pumphouse Theatre, Takapuna, Auckland
09/07/2016 - 23/07/2016
Production Details
Favourite Spike Milligan Story on Stage in School Holidays
“ingenious, unbridled fun” – Theatreview (2010)
Spike Milligan’s all-time favourite story Badjelly The Witch comes to life on the stage this month for the July school holidays.
Auckland’s leading children’s theatre company, Tim Bray Productions presents Badjelly The Witch at the PumpHouse Theatre, Takapuna from 4-23 July.
Millions of children worldwide have grown up with the story of Tim and Rose’s madcap adventure through the great black forest and into Badjelly’s castle, and in New Zealand it regularly featured on morning radio with the album selling more than 40,000 copies and achieving double platinum status.
The story, originally written by Milligan for his children, has been adapted for the stage by Tim Bray and features The Goons’ ‘Ying Tong’ song along with Monty Pythonesque comedy. Tim hopes audiences will join in the fun and cheer as Tim and Rose set off to search for Lucy their lost cow, laugh with enchanted creatures Dinglemouse, Mud-wiggle and Binkle-bonk and boo at Badjelly when she captures Tim and Rose and threatens to turn them into sausages.
Well-known Tim Bray Productions’ actor Tim Raby, who regularly plays Santa’s double in The Santa Claus Show, features as Badjelly with Maxwell Apse as Tim, Comfrey Sanders as Rose, with other characters played by Donogh Rees, Adam Burrell, George Shead and Grace Cullen, and live music performed by Nick Garrett.
Badjelly The Witch is the second of four shows in the Tim Bray Productions’ 2016 season. This year Tim Bray Productions celebrates its 25th anniversary with more than 20,000 people enjoying the shows every year.
Badjelly The Witch
the PumpHouse Theatre Takapuna, Auckland
Monday 4 July to Saturday 23 July
Gala opening performance on Saturday 9 July at 5pm.
Performance times
from 4-8 July are 10:30am and 1pm daily with some shows already sold out;
from 9-23 July at 10:30am and 2pm (no shows on Sundays).
New Zealand Sign Language signed performance is on Saturday 9 July at 5pm
Audio described performances with touch tour are on Wednesday 6 July at 12-2pm and Saturday 16 July 1-3pm.
To book, phone (09) 489-8360 or online at www.timbrayproductions.org.nz
Children are encouraged to dress up as their favourite character for the onstage costume parade at every school holiday season performance.
CAST
Tim: MAXWELL APSE
Rose: COMFREY SANDERS
Badjelly the Witch, Prince, Mummy, T-Tree, Trouser Robber, Robin Interpreter, Apple Tree: TIM RABY
Daddy, Binkle-bonk (and Silly Sausage), Ambulance Officer, Dinglemouse: DONOGH REES
Narrator, Sun, T-Tree, Trouser Robber, Shark, Jim the Eagle: ADAM BURRELL
Mud-wiggle, Dulboot the Giant, Cloud: AARON RYAN
Cleaner, Lucy, T-Tree, Robin, Magician’s Assistant, Ambulance Officer, M People, Monster (Offstage), Firewoman: GRACE CULLEN
Cedric the Squire, Pom-Pom, T-Tree, Tin Lion, Robin, Magician, M People, Monster (Offstage), Cloud: GEORGE SHEAD
God: TIM BRAY
Musician: NICK GARRETT
New Zealand Sign Language Interpreter (selected shows): MELISSA-SUE SUTTON
Audio Describer (selected shows): KEVIN KEYS
CREW
Director: TIM BRAY
Set Design: RACHAEL WALKER
Lighting Design: STEVE MARSHALL
Costume Design & Construction: VICKI SLOW
Stage Manager: NATASHA LAY / SARA SHIRAZI (stand-in)
Lighting & Sound Operator: JOSH WILSON
Lighting Crew: HLx Limited
Set Builder: GRANT REYNOLDS
Ushers: TANYA DAVIS, LAURA DODMAN, BRITTANY COLE, MONIKA IRRGANG, REBECCA ANSELL
Props: RACHAEL WALKER
Teachers’ Resource Guide: ROSEMARY TISDALL, GETTING KIDS INTO BOOKS
Publicist: SALLY WOODFIELD, SWPR
Photography: DAVID ROWLAND, One-Image.com
Illustration: FRASER WILLIAMSON
Trailer and full length video: CHILLBOX CREATIVE
Website Design: AUSTIN DIGITAL
Print Design: STEFANIA SARNECKI-CAPPER, Red Design
Theatre , Family , Children’s ,
Smart, whimsical, larger-than-life
Review by Dione Joseph 13th Jul 2016
Children’s theatre needs to appeal to all ages. It has to be curious and filled with wonder for the wee ones, intelligent and challenging for those a tad older, mysterious and fast-paced for the teenagers – and still has to have something to appeal to all the adults for them to actually bring their children to the theatre.
Badjelly the Witch fulfils all those requirements. In spades.
It’s a delightfully funny story written by the incorrigible Spike Milligan (of The Goon Show fame) and is as good as any walk down memory lane. Tim (Maxwell Apse) and Rose (Comfrey Sanders) are off to look for their beloved cow Lucy but end up lost in the forest. They meet various characters on their travels including Binkle-bonk and Dingle Mouse (played by the wonderful Donogh Rees) and innocently wander into the path of Badjelly (Tim Raby) who is thrilled at the prospect of boy-girl soup.
It’s a rollicking ride for an hour that is well-paced and delivers plenty of laughs for all ages. Raby is the prefect actor for Badjelly (as well as a trouser robber, robin interpreter and Mummy amongst others) blending his famous “knickers, knickers, knickers” frustration with a delicious wickedness that has the audience giggling non-stop.
He’s joined by a committed cast of wonderful actors. Aaron Ryan is a particular favourite, especially as Mud-wiggle and Badjelly’s don’t-mess-with-me security guard, and Adam Burrell gets plenty of fan time as Jim the Eagle and the ‘Sun’ which comes shining with a special James Brown touch.
It’s a smart and whimsical production that celebrates 25 years of making children’s theatre and is a testament to the commitment of founder and artistic director Tim Bray. Mixing a 70s style with a dash of Monty Python, the creatives have clearly had plenty of fun in creating this larger-than-life version of Badjelly the Witch. Muso Nick Marshall might be off-stage but he’s every bit a part of this almost Brechtian version that pulls out all the stops – and laughs at itself along the way.
It’s a night of wholesome good fun and no matter how old, it’s a great show to take the kids along to these holidays.
Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer
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