Junior review: Barking Gecko Theatre, My Robot ⋅
Studio Underground, State Theatre Centre ⋅
Reviews by Gabriel and Sascha Bott ⋅
Gabriel (aged 10)
One thing you want in a show is a good story. Nailed it. Another thing you want is a good cast. Nailed it. Finegan Kruckemeyer has done a fabulous job with writing Barking Gecko Theatre’s My Robot.
It tells the story of a girl named Ophelia (Marlanie Haerewa) who moves into a new house by the beach, next to an old junk shop. Ophelia makes a robot out of some parts sent from the junk shop.
The show is ever-changing and very sudden in terms of emotion and setting. The lighting wasn’t the best though; it was very dark at some key points in the show. On the bright side, the robot is a robot, which I think is awesome.
I feel like the cast was picked very well, including St John Cowcher as Ophelia’s father and Sarah Nelson, who plays Olivetti the robot. The only problem with the cast is that there are only three cast members in the whole show, which means that cast members are rushing around trying to change their clothes all the time.
Overall, I think it’s great. 9 out of 10 stars for me. Barking Gecko have continued to make amazing shows, and this would be their best one yet.
Sascha (aged 8)
I watched My Robot tonight at the State Theatre Centre. It was written by Finegan Kruckemeyer and performed by Barking Gecko Theatre. My Robot is about a robot made by a little girl who just moved house and was very sad about that.
I like that the robot was a real robot, not just a person dressed up as a robot. I think that they could have made the bully meaner because he was a bit too nice. It was clever how they made it look like the robot was shooting the toys onto the shelf.
I liked the show, I think that schools and families should come and watch it.
My Robot continues until July 14.
Pictured top: Ophelia (Marlanie Haerewa) and her father (St John Cowcher) rushing around. Photo: Daniel Grant
Read another Seesaw review of My Robot from the 2017 season.
https://www.seesawmag.com.au/news/quirky-robot-action/
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