THEATRE: LA LA LUNA

REVIEW BY JASMINE MCLELLAN

La La Luna delights children and adults alike at the Seymour Centre this April. Wolfe Bowart is unforgettable as the boy who tries to turn the moon back on in this joyful, whimsical and entertaining show. The impossible becomes possible and imagination blurs with reality in a dream like world halfway between sleep and wake. This is the world that the moon inhabits. What happens when it goes out’ It’s all topsy-turvy.
‘It is the magic, circus skills and movement that really tell the story,’ says Bowart.He plays with magic tricks, mime, imagery, circus acts and comedy to create the magic of this beautiful story. Throughout the entire performance he holds the full attention of the audience, and even the youngest child is captivated by his every move. That is because every move he makes has a purpose. His body portrays the story more than the music, the props, or the voice-overs. His face says it all.
‘La La Luna is very much a physical piece of theatre with little dialogue, so there are no language barriers,’ says Bowart, ‘There is a beautiful voiceover by Roscoe Lee Brown and a soundtrack, however it is not integral to the script, many people from deaf communities have come to see the play and really enjoyed it.’
La La Luna is full of delightful moments that seem unbelievable (‘how is he doing that’!’). Bowart blows up a large balloon and proceeds to climb into it, one limb at a time, till he is bouncing around inside it like the real ‘Man in the Moon’. He brings a boy from the audience on stage to play in his band, and gives him 5 Whoopee Cushions to play. The performance is hilarious. Think of the weirdest thing you could imagine and it is there.
A dog with a Roast chicken for a head falls in love with a toaster woman. An emu made from some bunnies, a carpet and a feather duster parades the stage. The play climaxes in a breathtaking sequence where Wolfe interacts with himself through a mirror created by film and projection. ‘Things that shouldn’t float float, there is a pile of suitcases to the sky, and a trip on a winged unicycle to the sound of whoopee cushions and ukuleles,’ says Bowart.
It’s a play that is performed and created using a lot of thought, a lot of creativity, and a lot of skill. Thoroughly entertaining and often mind blowing, La La Luna should be seen by as many people as possible.

La La Luna by Wolfe Bowart
Seymour Centre, cnr Cleveland St & City Rd, Chippendale
Half Moon performance (5-10yrs) on 15, 16, 21 and 22 April at10.30am or 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23 and 24 April at 1pm ($16-24)
Full Moon Performance (families) on 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 23, 24 and 26 April at 8pm or 12, 19 and 26 April at 2pm ($38-45)
Bookings: 93517940 or www.seymourcentre.com.au