Tuna, Kārearea and Wētā are off on a road trip across the country to get to their friend’s party and we get to tag along for the ride.

Horse With No Name have come up with one of the best children’s theatre shows that Wellington has seen in quite some time. They must be completely stoked with the team they’ve pulled together to bring it to life. 

Kate Anderson’s set is beautiful and the show features an actual moving, turning, combi van complete with functioning headlights (set construction: Brendan West and James Searle. Set painting: Emma Katene and Kate Anderson).

Victoria Gridley has outdone herself on the costumes (costume technician: Jay Otto and interns). Our cast of critter characters could front a fashion spread. I’d buy a ticket to the catwalk (creekwalk?).

Tuna (Jthan Morgan), Kārearea (Gabby Clark), and Wētā (Emma Katene) give pitch perfect performances with each character experiencing ebbs and flows throughout their long, long drive. As guest characters, Salomé Grace (Poraka Creek Boy) and Kate Anderson (Dale, Stanley, Titipounamu, and Gary the Gloworm) are sweet petit fours. I would describe them as scene stealing characters if everyone wasn’t consistently so bloody fantastic.

Catriona Tipene Rann and Ryan Cundy have developed a cool, silly and touching script, loved by our audience from tots to grandparents. It’s crystal clear why Land of the Long, Long Drive took out Playmarket’s Plays for the Young competition in 2022.

My kids ask to listen to Benny Tipene (Benjamin Tipene Rann) for the journey home. Later in the night, I hear through the wall that my four year old has learnt how to beatbox.

Dev Rama (aged 4)

Wētā, Kārearea, Tuna were going on a road trip to a party.

I liked the music. The sound and speakers were very good. I liked the van. It moved by itself.

I liked the scene where Titipounamu got hurt and they all helped her get back to her family. I liked the Kārearea especially when she was brave enough to fly. Wētā did beatboxing and so now I can do beatboxing too.

I liked Tuna even though Tuna was a little bit mean. I liked it when they played I Spy with my little Eye. I really like Gary’s coming out party. I got to sit next to him.

Everybody I’ve seen before should go and see the show. Also strangers but I can’t talk to them to tell them to come because I don’t know them and I’m a little bit shy.

Luna Rama (aged 6)

Kārearea, Wētā and Tuna were going on a roadtrip to their friend’s coming out of their cocoon party.

Some of my favourite moments were:

Dale the Mail Snail when he threw packages and ran away.

When Wētā suddenly came out of the curtains and said “It’s my sleeping time”.

When they read Gary’s letter and it said, “where you at?”

I liked the costumes because they were so nice. I can’t believe that Victoria Gridley’s costume team made them all by themselves (costume team: Jay Otto, Sally Hughes, Kaitlyn Jacobs, Sabrina Shaw, Lillian Dennes, Maxence Benoist, Dottie Olsen).

I liked the van and the set with the painting and the logs.

The Poraka Creek Boys were very funny. The show was perfect!

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