La Boite kicks off its 2013 season with a Shake & Stir co-production: Out Damn Snot, a fast-paced, slime-filled children’s show very loosely inspired by Shakespeare’s Macbeth and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Directed by Ross Balbuziente and featuring Leon Cain, Amy Ingram, Nelle Lee and Nick Skubij this gleefully gross adventure for kids of all ages follows Mackenzie (Ingram), her best friend Kim (Lee) and Mackenzie’s brat of a younger brother, Heath (Skubij) and as they attempt to escape Heath’s snot filled nose. How did they get there? Mistaking Shakespeare’s complete works for a spell book, they recreate the scene upon the heath and accidentally, magically ‘toil and trouble’ their way in. Upon meeting the Booger Bum Fairy (Cain) they learn that to escape they must learn the Dance of the Booger Bum Fairy from various strangers (also played by Cain) residing in the nose. It’s Nickelodeon’s Slime-Time meets The Bard.
Out Damn Snot conforms to most of the limiting structures found in children’s shows, sticking to those elements which will guarantee an entertained, happy audience. Despite its potential, the storyline lacks substance, cruising along on the audience’s delight in seeing characters become covered in slime. With 60 minutes to share this story, time and energy seem wasted in setting up a fairly weak context so that the real snotty adventure can begin. When it does get underway, however, there’s much excitement and awe as the audience are cleverly transported to the insides of Heath’s nose.
The young, uninhibited audience responded audibly with laughter and screams of delight, often outdoing the actors on stage who struggled at times to be heard and find their timing around such responses. Lee was barely audible at times, while Ingram’s exaggerated vocal energy outdid her character. Feedback from the target audience post-show proved that you’re never too young to appreciate the subtlety of comedy and character – an aspect that most of the actors seem to have missed. The exception was Cain, who was enjoyable to watch in all of his roles.
The magic of the production is truly found in its design. The set (Josh McIntosh), sound (Guy Webster) and lighting (Jason Glenwright) elements came together flawlessly and intelligently, creating moments of genuine comedy and wit. The design not only created the magic in the work, but also played to the imagination of a child.
Shake & Stir’s commitment to fostering young audiences’ love of theatre is to be highly commended, though it is difficult in this case to know where the show begins and where the exercise in brand promotion ends. Green is the theme, and there’s as much of it in the audience as there is on the stage. Clearly it’s working, and brilliantly.
Children and adults are sure to be entertained with this light-hearted, slime-filled show. Given the rousing applause on opening night, Out Damn Snot was a winner with the young’uns, if not the adults too.
Rating: 3 stars out of 5
La Boite and Shake & Stir present
Out Damn Snot
Writers & Creators: Ross Balbuziente, Nelle Lee and Nick Skubij
Featuring: Leon Cain, Amy Ingram, Nelle Lee and Nick Skubij
Director: Ross Balbuziente
Designer: Josh McIntosh
Lighting Designer: Jason Glenwright
Sound Designer & Composer: Guy Webster
Roundhouse Theatre, Kelvin Grove
8 – 19 January
