Kids Review: The Tree and Her Tale

What happens in the show?

Jess Aquilina acts out her original story, a wholesome, old fashioned tale about a boy who befriends a tree. It has beautiful, simple shadow puppetry and talks about the special magic of sharing stories. Kids and grown ups sit on cushions on the floor, or chairs (if you get along early).

What did you like most about the show?

Alvie: "The shadow people were good. I liked when paper leaves fell down from the sky on the children."

Was there anything you didn’t like?

Alvie: “It was a little bit boring. The room was too busy. I wanted to be on the Mound, watching the robot lawnmower cut the grass. I loved Grow [last year in the same room] but this wasn’t as fun."

What did your grown-up think about the show?

The plot was too complex for small kids to engage with, many were drifting or wriggling but some older kids and adults were enthralled. Alvie has a good attention span but just didn’t get into this, maybe it needed more interaction, and visuals if it wants to draw in younger kids. We always love visiting the gorgeous Storytelling Centre though, it’s super child friendly.

Would you tell your friends to go to the show?

Maybe if they have primary school age kids and bring a fan – the room is small and heats up fast. Money is tight for lots of folk and there are more enjoyable kids shows for the same ticket price or less.