I’m clearing the cobwebs from the corridors of Perth Arts Live and blowing away the dust on my reviewer’s hat to tell you about Barking Gecko Arts‘ newest production to hit the Subiaco Arts Centre main stage: Stellarphant. Adapted for stage by Clare Testoni from James Foley‘s children’s book of the same name, director Sam Longley and a trio of stellar performers dream big and shoot for the stars.
Stellar Phant (Hanna Davidson) is an elephant with aspirations of becoming an astronaut. When she goes to apply to a space training program, The Man (Tegan Mulvany) does and says just about anything to keep Stellar down on the ground. Stella doesn’t let that stop her; after each rejection, she comes up with a plan to overcome every single barrier The Man fiendishly attempts to put in her way: she builds her own space suit, goes through pilot training, gets an advanced degree in astrophysics, and ultimately, builds her own space rocket. Talk about gumption! Resilience and perseverance are the key takeaways here.
But Stellar can’t do it alone, of course. She enlists the help of a menagerie of quirky animal mentors, teachers, and collaborators while her loving parents cheer her on as she pursues her dreams and goals, as lofty and out-of-reach though they might appear.
BGA Artistic Director Sam Longley really puts his big kid heart at the centre of this show, with Davidson, Mulvany, and Laura Maitland shining brightly under his direction. Mulvany and Maitland have some heavy lifting to do as they speedily shapeshift between characters using myriad accents, voices, costumes, props, and physicality to populate this anthropomorphic world. I confess that I have a mild repulsive reaction to sloths like some people do for spiders, but Maitland’s sloth Professor Arborious might just have cured me of my phobia because I could not have loved her more.
The production team nails the sensory world that Stellarphant inhabits; Fiona Bruce‘s set and costume design is clever, cohesive, and clear; Lucy Birkinshaw‘s lighting is rich and dynamic; Amaru Zachariassen‘s sound and music is invigorating and inventive; and Roly Skender‘s video design takes us further into the narrative, inspired by the visual style of Foley’s book. Testoni’s adaptation is fresh (or should I say phresh?), hopeful, and lively, translating several complex themes and ideas into an accessible script that doesn’t talk down to the audience – it only uplifts.
BGA are offering tickets to this exceptional show for less than $20 for general public (adults and kids alike). If you and your young’uns could do with a generous helping of laughs right about now, Stellarphant is the place to find it.
The recommended age is 8-12 years if you do bring along some young’uns, and BGA have provided a detailed access guide on their website to help inform those who have questions about the show’s and venue’s suitability for different types of folks.
Stellarphant welcomes general public twice a day at 10am and 1pm until 18 April at Subiaco Arts Centre, then it moves on to school season performances and regional performances, so check the Barking Gecko Arts website for further information here.
