News and events
Just Macbeth! at the Sydney Opera House: June/July 2010 & Edinburgh Fringe Festival: August 2010
Following a rip-roaringly successful season in 2008, Just Macbeth! returns with many of the original cast. Loaded with gags aimed at children and adults alike, it’s an absolute treat for the whole family.
Where: Sydney Opera House
When: Thurs 24th June, 2010 until Sat 31st July, 2010. Tickets on sale NOW. Visit Bell Shakespeare for more details.
Also at: Edinburgh Fringe Festival from Thu 5th Aug – Sun 29th Aug
Where: Assembly @ George Street Ballroom, Edinburgh
When: 11.45am-1.15pm daily. Tickets on sale NOW. Visit Edinburgh Fringe
Click here to watch highlights from the 2008 production of Just Macbeth! along with interviews with cast, director and Andy from ABC1’s The 7.30 Report.
Click here to read reviews from the 2008 production of Just Macbeth!
Just Macbeth! Review
By Editor – Posted on 16 August 2010
5 STARS
Venue: Assembly Rooms
Company: Bell Shakespeare
Running time: 90mins
Production: Bell Shakespeare
Performers: Patrick Brammall, Pippa Grandison, John Leary, Rhiannon Owen, Mark Owen Taylor
This play was billed as suitable for ages 7-77, so this review is a little different. It was created as a conversation between a father, Scott Grant, and his nine-year-old daughter Iona after seeing the show on Sunday 15th August.
Dad: Another festival play, Iona. What did you think of this one?
Iona: I thought that one was really good, dad. Ten out of ten.
Dad: I agree. I’d give it ten out of ten too.
Iona: It was very funny.
Dad: Yes, I noticed you started laughing even before the actors came on.
Iona: It was all the stage props and the jokes that were written on them. Some of them were really funny.
Dad: I liked the feet on all the foot lights.
Iona:
Dad: I looked around while the play was on, and the adults were laughing just as much as the kids. It’s not often you get humour that is funny for the parents as well as the children.
Iona: The actors were really good at being kids. That’s one of the things I liked – adults acting like kids is really funny.
Dad: Yes, they did a good job. I could hear you and your brother arguing when I listened to them – mind you I hear you and your brother fighting whatever I’m doing these days.
Iona: He starts it.
Dad: Anyway. What else stands out for you?
Iona: ‘ Thought the gnome played a very good part. He was very gnome-like indeed.
Dad: Yes. I’m not quite sure what that was all about, but it certainly marked this Macbeth out from any other I’ve ever heard about!
Iona: Don’t they all have gnomes in them then?
Dad: Erm…
Iona: The back scenery was amazing.
Dad: The backdrop projection?
Iona: Yes. There were lots of funny bits going on there. I especially liked it when they were pretending to run and the shadows were moving backwards while they stayed where they were.
Dad: And the dead body slowly slid himself off stage in time with the movements?
Iona: That was a brilliant idea.
Dad: I thought they got the cheesiness factor just right. It was meant to be in a school, and it was like someone playing on an overhead projector.
Iona: Dad, I think that’s exactly what it was.
Dad: Well, he seemed to be enjoying himself anyway. It added another dimension to the play I thought.
Iona: Eh?
Dad: Made it that bit more interesting. I also liked the wee contemporary bits they added in.
Iona: What does “contemporary” mean?
Dad: It means “up-to-date”. “Modern”.
Iona: Like the McDonald’s sign? And the fact that they used McDonald’s stuff for all the horrible ingredients that the witches used?
Dad: Exactly.
Iona: And the karaoke? That was really hilarious.
Dad: Is there anything you didn’t like, Iona?
Iona: I was a bit worried that I might be learning something. It’s still the summer holidays you know.
Dad: I think you learned quite a bit about Shakespeare – Macbeth at least.
Iona: All I knew about Macbeth was that you weren’t allowed to say the name of the play if you were in it. Now I know the whole story. And I know what a soliloquy is. I can’t believe you got me learning stuff on my holidays!
Dad: I thought the way the children were slowly drawn in to the story was good. At the start they spoke mostly in English – well, as English as an Australian can get. But by the end, they were almost entirely speaking in Shakespearian.
Iona: I found that a bit hard to understand in places.
Dad: Did you? You may have thought that you didn’t understand it, but if you got the story out of it, then maybe you understood more than you think you did.
Iona: I suppose I must have. I’m certainly not worried about hearing more Shakespeare after this.
Dad: So what was your favorite bit.
Iona: Right at the end, when we all got scooshed with water pistols. If you are sitting in the front row you should really have an umbrella.
Dad: You seemed to like the stickers and tattoos at the end too.
Iona: Yeah. And the program turns into one of them fortune tellers, if you fold it up.
Dad: Cool.
Iona: And the Andy actor put a hundred marshmallows in his mouth at the same time.
Dad:
Iona: And then spat them out again.
Dad: I really enjoyed all of it, I must admit. Perhaps the running scene with the dead body, or perhaps just the way they slowly drew us from modern talking into Shakespearian language. It was all very well done.
Iona: I’d just like to add one thing. If your dad is only going to take you to one show this festival – try and get him to take you to this one. Just Macbeth! was brilliant.
Show times
Till 29 August (not 17), 11.45 am
Ticket Prices
£8.50 (£7.50)
Posted on 16 June 2010 Permanent link to this post Comments (11)
Baby vs Godzilla!
Writers talk Andy Griffiths
Posted on 22 January 2010 Permanent link to this post Comments (0)
Meet Andy: Sunday 1st Nov, 1pm Melbourne Museum: Children365 Family Fun Day
As Children’s Week celebrations draw to a close, a new initiative—Children365: celebrate them every day—will be launched at Melbourne Museum on Sunday 1 November 2009.
The concept for Children365 was developed after the tragic death of Darcey Freeman in early 2009. Following the loss of their precious little girl, Darcey’s mother and her family suggested an annual day to cherish all children. They asked the Alannah and Madeline Foundation to help make it a reality. The Alannah and Madeline Foundation initiative Children365 encourages all of us to cherish our children every single day of the year.
The Victorian State Government is proud to partner this initiative and by hosting a family fun day to launch the beginning of Children365. This day signifies the end of a week of celebrating children and the commitment to cherish and protect our children every day of the year. Melbourne Museum is supporting Children365 by generously offering FREE entry for all adult patrons on Sunday 1 November 2009. Concession and children 16 years and under are free every day.
ACTIVITIES AT THE FAMILY FUN DAY
A wide range of free activities will take place throughout the family fun day including – kite and puppet making workshops, chalk drawing, appearances from Premier’s Reading Challenge Ambassadors, sports and games, arts and crafts, entertainment and lots more!
The museum is open from 10am until 5pm. Most of the free activities will run from 10.30am until approximately 3.30pm (some will finish a little later). Andy will be speaking at 1.00pm. Some activities will be held outside the museum (in marquees such as the kite making), but most will take place inside. A full program of the day will be distributed to patrons attending the event and will also be available on our website from mid October.
Posted on 25 September 2009 Permanent link to this post Comments (2)
2–24 October 2009 THE DAY MY BUM WENT PSYCHO–LIVE ON STAGE–DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND!!
FORTUNE THEATRE, DUNEDIN NZ PRESENTS:
THE DAY MY BUM WENT PSYCHO by ANDY GRIFFITHS
adapted and directed by LAURA COONEY
Zack Freeman is ready to tell his story… The story of a boy and his crazy bum. The story of a crack bum-fighting unit called the B-team, a legendary Bum Hunter and his formidable daughter, and some of the biggest, ugliest and meanest bums ever to roam the face of the Earth. A story of courage and endurance that takes Zack on a journey across the Great Windy Desert, through the Brown Forest and over the Sea of Bums before descending into the heart of an explosive bumcano to confront the biggest, ugliest and meanest bum of them all… The Day My Bum Went Psycho — a story that you and your bum will never forget.
2–24 October 2009 Performance times: Tues 6pm – Wed to Sat 6.30pm – Sunday 4pm 11am matinees weekdays – check box office for school holiday and term time matinee details. Family ticket prices available
Review:
The bums of the world have rebelled! Urged on by the rebel leader, Zack’s bum, bums everywhere have detached themselves from their owners and are forming an army to build the most terrifying and dangerous bumcano of them all, in an attempt to take their rightful place on top of the shoulders of their owners. they will put up with being stuck inside pants no longer!
Director Cooney set out to make The Day My Bum Went Psycho resemble an action movie on stage, and i can confidently say she has succeeded in doing so. zack Freeman (taylor), and the “b” team, a group of bum fighters, cross the great windy Desert, the brown Forest, and the sea of bums, complete with fight scenes, acrobatics, and a dramatic finale on the edge of the bumcano and a pit of hungry maggots. The Day My Bum Went Psycho was filled with gimmicks, props, farts, bangs, bums, cracks, sounds, and flashy lighting, and the kids loved it.
The action really starts to get going when we are introduced to the “b” team. as eleanor (Pollard) and zack escape two rogue bums in the bum mobile, the team pops out of numerous places; the action freezes for a second as they pull numerous poses and introduce themselves, all the while fighting off the bums and escaping. the lighting and sound are perfect for this act, and some great images are formed with the chaos of the team highlighted. big ups to gary Kierle and rebecca de Propso, who did a fantastic job with the lighting and sound.
My favourite parts of the show were the transition stages, which showed the team’s travel in between the main action. zack and the “b” team had awesome roller shoes and came on and off the stage joyously reacting and playing with one another. here, we were also privy to some acrobatics with cartwheels and turns. the acrobatics also cropped up in some of the fight scenes, for which armstrong needs to be particularly commended. i loved the acrobatics but wanted to see more, more, more.
The actors were all great and enthusiastic and i enjoyed their genuine passion for fighting the evil bums of the world. i particularly adored nielson as Kicker, a stereotypical jock who just wanted to kick the bums of the bums …?! or anyone else who got in his way.
Cooney did a great job including the audience in on the action. there ain’t no audience participation quite like encouraging a bunch of kids to make fart noises. i also enjoyed zac’s bum (gorgeously voiced by georgia Cooney) speaking directly to the bums of the audience to not fear, as they wouldn’t have to put up with being squished on to the seats for much longer.
The Day My Bum Went Psycho is good, dirty fun. i would say it is also about bravery, looking after your friends and standing up to evil. It is about adventure, the journey and the fun of poppy music that left the kid next to me literally dancing out of the theatre.
JessICA JeffRIes, ‘Critic’ #27
Posted on 23 September 2009 Permanent link to this post Comments (0)
Meet Andy: Sunday 18th Oct, Stringybark Sustainability Festival: Rowville, Vic.
Andy will be giving a talk and book signing at Knox City Council’s Stringybark Festival on Sun 18th October at 2.00 pm.
The Stringybark Festival is Australia’s longest running sustainability festival. Spread across five acres of the Rowville Community Centre reserve, and regularly attracting more than 20,000 visitors, the festival has become one of the most significant community environmental festivals on the national calendar.
Stringybark is a great day out for the whole family with live music, fun activities and workshops for all ages, a huge chill out chai tent to lounge in, extensive markets, fairground, food and drink, plus the award winning adventure playground. All this whilst showcasing how to reduce our impact on the environment through small, cheap and easily achievable steps.
The Stringybark Suburban Sustainability Festival is on Saturday 17 & Sunday 18 October 2009 10am – 5pm Rowville Community Centre.
For more information visit: http://www.onlymelbourne.com.au/melbourne_details.php?id=12280
USE LESS – WASTE LESS – PAY LESS – LIVE SMARTER
Posted on 20 September 2009 Permanent link to this post Comments (4)
Sept 2009: ROBOT RIOT! Regional tour NSW, QLD, VIC.
MARRICKVILLE, SYDNEY, BRISBANE, BENDIGO, BALLARAT, SUNBURY, MELB, BRISBANE WRITERS FESTIVAL, MILDURA, DUBBO, ORANGE, BATHURST, LEURA, PENRITH.
…. ….
Hi everyone, thanks for making the robot riot tour one of the biggest and best yet! Stand by for THE VERY BAD BOOK tour in 2010.
Click here to read Jeffery E Doherty’s write up of one of the Robot Riot school events in Bathurst, NSW on his blog.
Posted on 3 August 2009 Permanent link to this post Comments (36)
July 2009: JUST MACBETH tour
A very big thank you to everyone who came along to all the school, evening and bookshop events held during July 2009 to celebrate the launch of JUST MACBETH! It was great to meet you all–and re-meet many old friends again–and I look forward to doing it all again in September for the launch of the fourth book in the Schooling Around series, ROBOT RIOT! Please check back to this site for details–they’ll be posted in the next couple of weeks. Until then, happy reading!
Feedback from the JUST MACBETH tour:
- ‘He is just so funny. Thoroughly entertaining’. (parent)
- ‘Well I have never seen so many boys having such a good/naughty time. Andy certainly knows how to engage his audience’. (parent)
- ‘Had trouble getting my child to sleep afterwards. He couldn’t stop talking about Andy’. (parent)
- ‘I couldn’t believe how many kids in the audience had at least one copy of Andy’s book in hand and could virtually quote him’. (adult)
- ‘He got my youngest boy into reading’. (parent)
- ‘I like him cos he is rude and a little bit silly’. (boy)
- ‘Well organised and professional event. My first visit and I had no idea how good they are’. (adult)
- ‘Please, please can he come again??’ (group of children)
- ‘Thank you so much for a great night’. (adult)
- ‘Just wanted to say thank you for organising such a wonderful event! My kids have not stopped talking about Andy since!’ (parent)
- The event was absolutely sensational! 600 kids were totally spellbound, all their teachers had a great laugh and we love Andy more than ever! Please send him back to Tassie ASAP. It was the best “kids’” event I’ve been to in 30 years’s teaching. (teacher)
Andy Griffiths at the Burnside Library Aug 04 2009
Posted on 26 June 2009 Permanent link to this post Comments (5)
Meet Andy: Sun 3rd May: Talk & book signing, Williamstown Vic
The amazing Andy Griffiths is a superstar in the area of writing for children. When he isn’t writing about zombie bums from Uranus or developing further his Just! Series, he’s almost sure to be dreaming up more ways to delight his readers with gross and loopy tales. A prolific writer and dedicated speaker, Andy happily spends some of his time doing speaking engagements across Australia, to the delight of children, adults and aspiring writers alike.
See details of Andy’s session: Killer Koalas from outer space
When: Sun 3rd May: 10.00am-11.00am
- Venue:
- Williamstown Mechanics Institute – Theatre
- Street:
- 5 Electra St
- City:
- Williamstown, Vic 3016
Cost: Free!
For more information visit Williamstown Literary Festival http://www.willylitfest.org.au/
Posted on 19 April 2009 Permanent link to this post Comments (2)
Mar 7–April 1: AUST MASCOT MADNESS TOUR – Melbourne, Gold Coast, Perth, Blue Mountains, Nowra, Batemans Bay
A big bananary THANKYOU to everyone who came along to the events and made this one of the most enjoyable book tours I’ve ever had the pleasure to be on. I really appreciate your support and enthusiasm!
Thanks also to all the booksellers who work so hard at each event, and to Somerset College Celebration of Literature festival on the Gold coast, All Saints Festival in Perth and the Norman Lindsay Festival of Children’s literature in the Blue Mountains.
And, of course, a special thanks to the teachers and students from the following schools from all over Australia who made the other events so memorable: Dardanup Primary School; Djidi Djidi Aboriginal School; Carey Park Primary School; Eaton Community College; Picton School; Parkfield Primary School; Australind Primary School; Australind Senior High School; Moruya Primary School; St Mary’s Convent School; Broulee Primary School; St Peter’s Anglican College; Mogo Primary School; St Bernard’s Primary School; Batemans Bay Primary School; Samuel Terry Primary School; Warrimoo Primary School; Faulconbridge Primary School; Dawson Primary School; Lynwood Primary School; Bert Oldfield Primary School; Shelley Primary School; Our Lady of Lourdes; Blacktown West Primary School; Blacktown South Primary School; Seven Hills West Primary School; St John the Evangelist Catholic High School; Berry Primary School; Cambewarra Primary School; Nowra Primary School; North Nowra Primary School; Illaroo Road Primary School; Nowra Anglican College; Glen Huon Primary School; Ocean Forest Lutheran School; Dalyellup Primary School.
See you all again in July for the JUST MACBETH tour! Information on all events will be up on this blog as soon as they are available.
Posted on 2 February 2009 Permanent link to this post Comments (20)
Feb 22nd–Mar 6th 2009: US SCHOOLING AROUND TOUR -Phoenix, AZ & Southern California
Thank you to all the fabulous students and teachers at the schools below who made my visit so enjoyable!
Benchmark Elementary, Phoenix AZ: Copper Canyon Elementary, Scottsdale AZ: Pinnacle Peak Elementary, Scottsdale AZ: CTA Liberty, Chandler AZ: Fulton Elementary, Chandler AZ: Baldy View Elementary School, Upland CA: Upland Elementary School, Upland CA: Glenmeade Elementary School, Chino Hills CA: Ramona Jr High School, Chino CA: University Park Elementary, Irvine CA: Bonita Canyon Elementary, Irvine CA: Pegasus School, Huntington Beach, CA: Salt Creek Elementary School, Chula Vista, CA.