Kids Critics The Adventures of Sleepyhead

What happens in the show?

It’s a fun one-woman show by American performer Gemma Soldati, who brings a gentle, warm cartoonish energy to her storytelling, with some subtly sassy asides for the adults. Sleepyhead loves her bed and looks forward to dreaming about being a hairdresser when she’s grown up, or growing a moustache like her dad. When she loses her dreams she asks the Sun, the Moon and Father Time for their help. (The last two are voiced by Soldati’s mum and dad.)

Who was your favourite character and why?

Sleepyhead was fun to watch when she came up the stairs in her pyjamas and napped on people.

Were there any characters you didn’t like? Nope.

What did you like most about the show?

Floating feathers, talking clocks, funny faces, a good soundtrack with songs like Dream a Little Dream of Me and Sleepyhead by Passion Pit – there was always lots for babies to look at and listen to. Older kids would relate more to the story of bedtime routines and the importance of imagination.

What didn’t you like about the show?

Alvie loved it –he was quietly mesmerised for most of it and had a short nap in the middle, which seemed very fitting.

What did your grown-up think about the show?

Gemma Soldati is great; a laidback natural. She riffs nicely with both the kids and adults in the crowd and makes all her own silky Sun and Moon props. It was funny and the whole message about using your imagination, napping through stressful times and not losing sight of your dreams – that works for all ages.

Would you tell your friends to come to the show? I already have!

VENUE: Assembly Roxy

TIME: 11:10am – 12:10pm, 4–29 Aug, not 16