Cover Image: Who says elephants can’t go to space? Image by Daniel Grant.

Barking Gecko Arts’ latest school holiday offering, Stellarphant, is an outstanding Western Australian collaboration. Based on local author and illustrator James Foley’s popular picture book of the same name, this new theatre show is a flawless production that’s as enjoyable for adults as it is for the primary school aged kids it’s made for.

Stella Phant (Hannah Davidson) is an elephant who dreams of becoming an astronaut. She applies for Space Command’s training program but is repeatedly knocked back by The Man (Tegan Mulvany) on account of her size, shape and species. Creative and clever, she keeps jumping over the hurdles left for her but is never accepted. When all hope feels lost, Stella realises she doesn’t need the approval of others and can realise her dream with the support of her family and friends.

The story is a timely message about accepting others and the importance of diversity. Stellarphant mocks those who discriminate, painting prejudice and privilege as ridiculous in a way children of all ages will understand. It’s also a lesson in the power of persistence and resilience, demonstrating how self-confidence and determination can smash a glass ceiling and change the world.

For me, the best adaptations are those that manage to evoke the same feelings as the original material did, but in a new and different way. Clare Testoni’s adaptation remains faithful to the sentiment of the picture book, yet she has created a remarkable new text that doesn’t feel constrained by its source material. With new characters and a deeper storyline, this show goes further than a picture book can and will appeal to a broader audience.

Director Sam Longley takes Testoni’s witty script and adds layer upon layer of humour for a genuinely hilarious package. Tegan Mulvany is joined by Laura Maitland and together they give us a raft of characters, leaning on physical comedy to embody different anthropomorphic animals. It’s hard to overstate how incredibly funny these two are. Even a broken prop on opening night didn’t derail Mulvany, who leant into the chaos to extract even more humour out of the scene.

Davidson is a brilliant comic actor in her own right, but in Stellarphant she provides the heart. She laid out her character’s vulnerability for us to witness, bringing the audience to tears. What a treat to see these three exceptional actors on stage together.

Drawing on the colour palette and style of the picture book, Costume & Set Designer Fiona Bruce incorporates a DIY aesthetic into her playful costumes. With two of the three actors playing a suite of characters, they need to be recognisable as different animals and costume changes have to be snappy. Bruce uses clever layers and careful construction to enable seamless transitions between characters.

Similarly, Bruce’s set functions in multiple ways, with minimal changes needed to transform the compact stage into a space agency, a home, a gym, a lecture theatre and more. Making use of a vast screen that spans most of the set, Video Designer Roly Skender uses digital projection to reference Foley’s illustrations from the book, evolving into animation that progresses the narrative as well as sets the scene. Amaru Zachariassen’s sleek score of rousing music and sharp sound effects adds depth and focus.

This show was so appealing to me as an adult that it made me question whether Longley had angled it too firmly at parents. However, reinforced messaging and layered humour resonated with the younger cohort as well. Some of the best children’s entertainment is that which works on different levels, and Stellarphant is in that class. A beautiful comedy that says it’s okay to take up space.

Don’t miss Stellarphant at Subiaco Arts Centre for a short time only, from 15 to 18 April.