Kids Theatre
s t e u q u o B & s t u n m u G
May Gibbs’ gumnut and blossom babies have stood the test of time and technology. The expectations of putting one of the country’s most beloved children’s stories on stage should not be underestimated. May Gibbs’ Snugglepot and Cuddlepie has been referenced by big and small for near a century since its brilliantly successful debut in 1918. Every nuance of the characters, from the chubby, rosy cheeked gum blossom babies to the sinister sibilance of Mrs Snake, is known and anticipated by all those in the audience. So no, pressure! The latest production, which is touring nationally, arrives in Perth in November with a truckload of charm and some home-grown talent in the shape of actor Nicholas Hiatt who plays Snugglepot. Apart from the thrill of leading this adventurous romp with Thomas Pidd as Cuddlepie, Nicholas told Medical Forum it was a wonderful thing to see a new generation of children discover Gibbs’ wonderful landscape. “I was born in South Perth and lived in May Gibbs territory until we moved to Kalamunda when I was nine. My teacher at St Columba’s primary school read us Snugglepot and Cuddlepie and then took us to the South Perth historical society’s display of her life and work. The story is on everyone’s periphery, even in 2016.” “What I love about the book and why I think it has stuck around for so long is that for generations Australian kids have been able to read the story and then step out
MEDICAL FORUM
into their backyards to see the very things that inspired it.” “So often after a show, I leave the theatre and hear school groups talk about what they’ve seen. Teachers will tell their kids they’re off to the real Botanic Gardens next, where perhaps they will see the real Snugglepot and Cuddlepie. This recognition of landscape really taps into kids’ imaginations.” Of course, the other necessary ingredient for any children’s entertainment to be truly successful is the ‘scream factor’. And May Gibbs tapped into that perfectly with the Big Bad Banksia Men and Mrs Snake. “There are screams every show – not so much terrified screams, as hysterical rollercoaster screams,” Nicholas said. “At first we were a little worried that we were terrifying the kids a bit too much, but they revel in the villains. The character I find really scary is Mrs Snake … she’s malevolent and a lot scarier that any of the others.” The aesthetics of Gibbs’ bushland have been brought to life by costume designer Matthew Aberline, who has been inspired by the flash but grimy Sydney underworld of the 1920s. There is a nostalgia about the way the production looks, referencing Gibbs’ own time, but when all’s said and done, it’s about those naughty but nice gumnut babies. “As Snugglepot, I get to lead us on the adventures while Cuddlepie is the cautious one who would be happy to lie
Nicholas Hiatt, Tho
mas Pidd, Heid
run Lohr
on a branch all day. In real life, the tables are reversed. Tom is the one who always wants to jump in. I’m much more wary,” Nicholas said. “But I am enjoying being the hero at least for an hour a day.” One thing he’s not afraid of is hard work. Prior to being accepted into NIDA, Nicholas spent 2010 working as a singer on a cruise ship plying between ports in the Adriatic and Aegean. “I saw some amazing places but it was hard work. A two-week itinerary would see us do 10 main shows, everything from a concert version of Oklahoma to a Rock n Roll gala (I am so not rock n roll) and I would also do a bit of late-night cabaret. I even had my own cabaret show in one of the upstairs bars.” “I performed almost every day for eight months but I developed a lot of discipline which made NIDA, when I was eventually accepted in 2011, a little easier.” For the NIDA-trained 28-year-old, the six months touring (or as he described it, living the vagabond life) as Snugglepot will come to an end after the Perth season when it will be back to Sydney to work on the next project. “I’m looking forward to coming home in a show. It will be the first time since I graduated that I have performed in front of a home crowd and the first time I’ve performed at the Heath Ledger Theatre.” By Jan Hallam
OCTOBER 2016 | 51