Review-FLUFF-International Arts Carnival
19-7-14
By: Meaghan McGurgan
I'm a big fan of theatre for kids. I'm basically a giant 5 year old at heart. I was really intrigued about the musical adventure, FLUFF, when I heard about it. It's a short play about The Gingham Family, whose job it is to rescue missing toys and return them to their owners or find them new places to live. Who hasn't lost a toy as a kid and been totally crushed by it? The premise for the musical is very good and some of the jokes were quite cute, but overall, I was more impressed by the concept for this piece than the actual content of the script.
FLUFF felt very dated. It kind of reminded me of old shows I used to see on PBS... Zoobilee Zoo, The Big Comfy Couch, Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. It was very wholesome, which parents will appreciate. It had a lot of heart to it but it was styled in a way that didn't make it seem authentic, particularly their costume and wig designs. The Gingham Family was coated in gingham from head to toe and the musical numbers they sang felt a little too folksy at times. There's wasn't really anything catchy to sing-a-long with.
The actors are very committed to the roles and are very engaging with the young audiences. Christine Johnston, Lisa O’Neill and Peter Nelson are sweet and wholesome. Christine Johnson was by far the standout in the cast. She had a wonderful stage presence and great comedic timing.
Technical elements for the show were quite good. I loved the set and properties design and I thought the integration of video into the project was very smart. FLUFF is about an hour in length, so it's just the perfect length for young audiences but long enough that you feel you're getting your money's worth.
I would recommend FLUFF for very young audiences; above three years old and under ten. I think if your child is older than ten they might get a little bit bored by the show. But for tiny younglings this show is pure sweetness about their favorite subject... toys. What kid couldn't love that?
FLUFF has now closed at the Sheung Wan Civic Center. It will be playing for the next two days at Tai Po Civic Center. For more information, click here.
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