Image: The cast of Pete the Sheep photograph courtesy Sydney Opera House.
A glorious Aussie story for all ages – Pete the Sheep will enchant young and old. Providing perfect school holiday fare; Monkey Baa Theatre have brought to the Opera House a magnificent revival of this musical based on Jackie French and Bruce Whatley’s quirky and quintessentially Australian book. It is an inspirational family musical is packed full of toe-tapping tunes. Creatively told by a small cast of four performers who play shearers, dogs and sheep.
Shaun is the new sheep shearer in Shaggy Gully. The other shearers have sheep dogs to help them complete their hard work, but not Shaun. His associate is Pete – a sheep-sheep! Rejected by the other shearers and their dogs, Shaun and Pete set up their own elegant Shearing Salon in town where they are flooded with woolly clients, who thrill at Shaun’s styling prowess.
It is a tale of change, development and acceptance of the outsider (with possible references in part to Edward Scissorhands). In this musical, Shaun has TAFE qualifications rather than shed experience – giving Phil Scott (musician) the excuse for some very funny lyrics. Tradition clashes with TAFE trained new ideas mixed with Shaun help as a ‘sheep-sheep’. For the adults there are witty in-jokes with references to Lady Gaga and ‘real men eat quiche’.
With the creative minds of Jonathan Biggins (director of Mr Stink) and musician Phil Scott behind this production, kids will love the fair dinkum story of mateship, following your dreams and being true to yourself – even if it means going against the flock.
The wonderful set design is, for most of the play, a shearing shed warm in golden and brown light. Sparse and simple there is a raised level and ramps either side with a double hessian door. The various panels move and revolve to become Shaun’s Sheep Salon with elegant mirrors and a barber’s chair. Musically it is eclectic: from MTV hits, to ballads, opera and fine acapella. Line and tap dancing are also included.
The extraordinary multi-talented cast play several roles each; they are delightfully exuberant as the rough sheepdogs, they give good macho as the assorted shearers and hilarious as the bleary eyed, nebulously brained sheep. Ratso, Big Bob and Bungo wear the same navy blue shearers’ singlets as they do in Whatley’s illustrations.
As Shaun – (and also in his various roles) Michael Hart wonderfully embodies Shaun the Shearer of the book displaying the vulnerability and fresh faced innocence of Shaun (as shown in French’s book). Pete, his Sheep-sheep, is terrifically played by Tom Sharah – charming and endearing Tom develops a great rapport with the audience.
Glorious fun for all ages, Pete the Sheep is an excellent way to introduce children to theatre. Go on, don’t be a dag – book now before you miss it!
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Pete the Sheep
MONKEY BAA THEATRE AT SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE
Lawrence Coy Big Bob as Brute
Michael Hart as Shaun & Fang
Andrew James as Ratso & Tiny
Tom Sharah as Pete
Sydney Opera House 2-17 July 2016
