Description
Recommended for School Years K-6
Join hosts Dr Sweetpea McGee, Gorgeous George and Sideshow Pony for madcap vaudevillian antics, acts of illusion, and general tomfoolery. Sideshow boss Dr McGee, is a self-proclaimed world expert in ‘Circus Home Surgery’.
This unique and bizarre field of expertise offers students a rare opportunity to see her strange brand of creative medicine before their very eyes and allows Dr McGee to introduce some very odd acts to the carnival. Thrill to the sight of Cha Cha – the world’s first sideshow monkey-man; be amazed by Pipi the levitating midget; and ogle at the spectacle of Olga and Golga the slap-happy Siamese twins, conjoined at the hand. These performers join husband and wife trapeze act ‘The Incredible Flying Beavers’, a disobedient disembodied hand and a maniacal fan called Hedda Hair to complete a vaudevillian line-up that is delightfully eye-opening, strange and unexpected.
Your students will thank you for this madcap introduction to fast paced multi-rolling and side splitting comedy. An outlandish end of year excursion!
Developed with the assistance of Sydney Opera House.
Curriculum Links:
Creative Arts: Drama (elements of drama, drama forms, role), Music (listening)
English: Listening and Talking (language structures and features )
Duration: 60 minutes + Q&A session
Reviews
“Roll up, folks….” Ah, the blare of sideshow alley. It was the persuasive powers of the spruikers out front that got the punters past the ticket boxes back in the day. This Saturday arvo it is Dr Sweetpea (Leisel Badorrek) working a notoriously difficult audience, kids from four to twelve. But the high-jinks and tomfoolery and, of course, the B.O. jokes soon win over these pint-sized hard cases.
The kabaret has distinct ‘pre-television’ chartm to it. As big kids, you are transported back to a dust-blown, ’50s-era travelling sideshow, with its colourful chracters determined to grab your attention. These ‘misfits’, ‘outcasts’ and ‘curiosities’, once popular at the vibrant country shows of yesteryear, con, sell and entertain. It’s all danger, fun and illusion with dollops of larriken wit.
I’m at a loss to come up with my favourite act. I’m thinking it’s a close call between Pipi the levitating person with significantly under-developed arms and legs (okay, she’s a midget) or Gary and Flossy, the Flying Beavers. I dunno… Pipi might have pipped the Beavers at the post because of her fab pink ensemble, which looked like it was stolen from Dame Ed’s walk-in closet.
The mad minds behind this outing are Liesel Badorrek, Leonie Cohen, John Sheedy, Johnny Nasser and Vashti Hughes. Enjoy!
Veronica Hannon, SX Mag, 30 November 2006