On Saturday afternoon, the Fortune Theatre was full of kids laughing themselves silly.
They were watching The Emperor's New Clothes and enjoying its great story, lovable characters, loads of goofy, exuberant humour, idiotic capers and face-pulling.
And there's plenty of visual interest, from an imposing throne to excellent costumes including - but certainly not limited to - beautiful princess gowns and some gloriously extravagant underpants.
A high level of audience participation ranges from the usual cautionary yells from just about everyone to some splendidly co-operative tots delighted to be invited on to the stage and become, for a few magic minutes, part of the performance.
After a break of several years, the Fortune is producing its own children's holiday show.
Gregory Cooper's updated version of Hans Christian Andersen's classic about the emperor whose vanity and credulity run away with him keeps the tale's essentials, while making the show exciting and involving for modern families.
Jordan Dickson, who was assistant director of last year's award-winning Punk Rock, has taken on a very different kind of play, and for a completely different audience.
He's assisted by resourceful young actors from Counterpoint Productions and improvisational group Improsaurus - Nick Tipa as the Emperor and his own mannequin, Trubie-Dylan Smith as a crafty tailor, Rachel Chin as a less crafty tailor and a beautiful princess - and musician Zac Nicholls.
My young assistant found the whole thing very funny, and recommends it especially for pre-schoolers and primary-age children.
It's just an hour long, and the price of $12 a seat makes it a reasonable option for families and a nice introduction to the experience of live theatre.
And just to make the visit really special, there's chocolate ...
- Barbara Frame
The Emperor's New Clothes
• Fortune Theatre, Saturday, July 16
