There is one thing I have come to expect from Spare Parts Puppet Theatre over the years, and that is an inclusive space for young people to access theatre. As sure as there are puppets, there’s also that comfortable, welcoming environment that allows children to engage with the stage.

Their latest production, Level Up, proves no exception. Written and directed by Yvan Karlsson, this new work is a gentle ode to video games that is presented with cultivated humour, deft puppetry and a peaceful cadence delivered in a softly lit auditorium.

The show begins with the launch of a new video game, ‘Z’, where adult vloggers, influencers and competitive parents are ridiculed against earnest kids with a love of gaming. Charlie (Lucy Wong) and Gem (Tristan McInnes) are two children who nervously collect their pre-ordered copy of ‘Z’ before donning their headsets and immersing themselves in a new, virtual world.

Charlie and Gem are both struggling to navigate friendships at their respective schools. Despite never meeting in person, they quickly build a friendship in the virtual space of ‘Z’ and team up to progress through the game. This new relationship is tested, but ultimately both kids have a keen moral compass, choosing kindness and collaboration over competition.

Gaming is never presented as a vice in Level Up, even if Charlie and Gem’s parents (performed by St John Cowcher and Izzy McDonald as voice-over and pixelated video on a monitor) devalue it compared to “the real world.” Inhabiting the virtual world of ‘Z’ allows both kids to feel strong and in control, to explore different parts of their personalities. Level Up tells us that, not only is genuine connection possible in the virtual space, but relationships forged here can be just as valuable as those that exist outside of it. The work asserts that virtual spaces are indeed part of the “real world” and we should inhabit them with the same morals and standards as we value elsewhere.

Delivery of this message is hardly subtle, and at times the show comes across as didactic, especially to an older audience. Level Up is likely best suited to children of lower primary school age, kids old enough to be exposed to some stylised violence but who are yet to, or are just starting to, inhabit a virtual world.

Wong and McInnes, as Charlie and Gem respectively, both delivered robust performances. Cleverly, Level Up makes use of puppets as the characters’ avatars within the game. Wong and McInnes fuse their portrayals of the kids with skilful manipulation of their puppet avatars. Both performers successfully show a difference between their characters’ in person and projected personas within the game. The puppetry is smooth, seamless and at times quite humorous. In particular, a dance challenge nailed by Charlie’s avatar is exceptionally performed by the marionette puppet at Wong’s fingertips. Designer Leon Hendroff’s puppets and props were both plentiful and evocative, one of the show’s particular strengths.

Karlsson’s fictional game is a tribute to those of old, each level referencing a different gaming genre that the audience will recognise: platform games, racing sims, rhythm-action games, 2D fighters, action-adventure games, even farming games. These references work to convey a deep respect for video game culture. Tight visual references elicited murmurs from young theatre goers observing their favourites in the mix. Knowing chuckles from parents were an admission to many hours spent at the arcade, on consoles or smartphones.

A catchy, chiptune soundtrack from Composer and Sound Designer Tao Issaro combined with Hendroff’s pixelated props and scenery, and Lighting Designer Peter Young’s use of scrolling, LED strip lighting, and the way AV Designer Mark Haslam draws on 8-bit graphics: these elements all hark back to games from another era. The lighting, sound and AV media is programmed with a combination of automation and cues controlled by the performers themselves, and despite the challenges this combination presents, they didn’t miss a beat.

While all the elements came together harmoniously, the simplistic narrative lacks a sense of adventure that would make the work more compelling. Nevertheless, Level Up offers a sincere interrogation of friendship and humanity in an increasingly digital world. As it cycles through the levels of its fictional game, Level Up purports to function as a road map for negotiating virtual spaces and does so whilst tapping into nostalgia and play. A worthwhile school holiday outing for young kids and their grown-ups.

Level Up is at Centenary Pavilion, Claremont Showground until April 18.

Full Show credits

Director/Writer:
Yvan Karlsson

Performers:
Lucy Wong & Tristan McInnes

Designer:
Leon Hendroff

Design Assistant:
Nikita Bernardo

Composer & Sound Designer:
Tao Issaro

Lighting Designer:
Peter Young

AV Designer:
Mark Haslam

Mentor:
Michael Barlow

Voiceover Artists: 
St John Cowcher & Izzy McDonald

Cover image by Miles Noel Studio.