Elmer's multi-coloured story delights the kids
What a lovely, lively, colourful show that is perfect for the little ones. The production is just right for the show’s audience. At 55 minutes long without an interval, it’s the ideal length for youngsters as young as two-year-olds to remain happily engaged in the colourful action – and the adults enjoyed the show too. Four talented, singing puppeteers brought a whole jungle of large puppets to life – a herd of elephants, a flock of birds, some cheeky chimps, jumping frogs, a giraffe, zebras, a lion and of course Elmer, the Patchwork elephant – 21 loveable puppets in all. Created by Jonathan Rockefeller, based on the classic children’sbook series by David McKee, the production marks Elmer’s 30th birthday this year. This story tells the tale of a young elephant who stands out from the rest, both with his vibrant patchwork skin and his sense of humour.
However, Elmer is feeling a little troubled at being so different and wanders off from the herd to look for the answer – even though he’s not sure of the question! Having fun, singing and dancing with the other creatures that he meets on his adventure, he comes to realise that it’s always best to just be yourself. And it really doesn’t matter if you’re different, or if your skin is a different colour – it’s what’s inside that counts. Important messages for any age, put across in a subtle and delightful way that held its young audience spellbound throughout.
