All of the shows in Fringekids at the Fringe are held in the Palmerston Library. It’s a great venue; there’s a washroom in the theatre so if a kid has to go you don’t have to leave the performance the way you do at other venues. Someone with a kid thought of that.
My grandson and I saw ROCKgarden Party – An Interactive Children’s Musical today. I have to admit that the ‘interactive’ in the title had me a bit worried. Max is very shy and any kind of interaction before he was ready would have been a disaster. I needn’t have been concerned, the interaction is voluntary, fun, and without pressure. SkaterDude (Charlie Kent) finds his way into a garden with a talking rock who tells him that it thought that humans were extinct and that the garden needs rain if it is to survive. SkaterDude doesn’t really care, he’s going back to the city.
It takes his new friends Jack in the Green (Justin Ross) and Earth Angel (Megan Nadain) to show him how important the garden is and to get him to appreciate it. They play nature games and sing to invite the rain, which finally arrives.
During the show the cast gives musical instruments to the kids sitting (voluntarily) at the front. They’re very adept at getting the instruments back so we don’t have random instrumentals at the wrong places in the story. There is lots of clapping along and some dancing.
It’s a lovely show and a gentle lesson about changing our environment. Max and I both enjoyed it.
Details:
- ROCKgarden Party plays at Venue FK – Palmerston Library Theatre – FringeKids (560 Palmerston Ave)
- Showtimes are July 06 11:30 AM, July 08 12:45 PM, July 09 07:45 PM, July 10 06:00 PM, July 12 02:30 PM, July 13 06:15 PM, July 14 11:30 AM
- All individual Fringe tickets are $10 ($6 Fringekids) at the door (cash only). Tickets are also available online at www.fringetoronto.com, by phone at 416-966-1062, or in person at The Randolph Centre for the Arts, 736 Bathurst Street (Advance tickets are $11 – $9+$2 service charge)
- Value packs are available if you plan to see at least 5 shows