Splat! at Spare Parts Puppet Theatre - Review

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Sat 02 Jul 2016 - Sat 16 Jul 2016

The constant stream of giggles from the audience - from three-year-olds to adults - was a good sign that Splat! by Spare Parts Puppet Theatre was hitting the mark.



There were also poignant, hushed moments but we were never bored. Even Miss 7, my theatre companion for the night who has a short attention span, was held spell-bound by the acrobatics and puppetry skills on display.

Splat! has an overarching theme of friendship despite difference - Miss 7 thought they were siblings, but that might just be association because of how she fights with her siblings! The lesson is simple enough for young minds yet far from moralistic.

Space, colour, sound, light and movement are all used to great effect throughout the show and will keep audiences of all ages engaged. Spare Parts Puppet Theatre recommends this show particularly for children aged between three and ten years and I would agree with this recommendation.

It is also suitable for children with sensory issues; Miss 7 has sensory processing disorder and some live theatre is just too overwhelming for her with lighting, noise and sound effects. This was perfect. The only thing she struggled slightly with was the smell of the 'smoke' from the smoke machine, so if you have children particularly sensitive to smell I don't recommend sitting in the front row. There is a bit of a "SURPRISE!" moment right at the end of the show but it's not overly loud or alarming.

Performances run Monday to Saturday at 10am and 1pm, and there are evening performances at 6.30pm on July 6 and 15. Following the 6.30pm show on July 6, join a discussion with the writer, one of the performers and a child psychologist, facilitated by Autism West CEO Alison Davis, on the role of the arts in embracing difference and contributing to the emotional development of children.

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!date 02/07/2016 -- 16/07/2016
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