LOLLOS SKATTEJAG. With Elizna Swanepoel, Alvina Chadow, Redione Stephens and Hein Poole. Woordfees 2023.
ESTELLE TERBLANCHE reviews
Lollos Skattejag is fifty minutes filled with fun – and the children love it! The story isn’t hard to follow: Lollos and Lettie are taken on a surprise trip to a tropical destination by Clara and Disco. But things go wrong when they get lost and need to find their way back or get left behind by their ship. Luckily they find a treasure map that helps them find their way and they unravel the clues along with their new audience friends.
Lollos knows their target audience’s needs and steps up to deliver. It is high-energy performance filled with singing, dancing and lots of audience interaction that has children up on their feet and dancing. This is not a show where you have to worry about your two year old sitting still for 50 minutes. Instead they are encouraged to hop up, run to the front and join in the fun. They may even get rid of some of that excess energy!
For those who do not know: Lollos (Hein Poole) and Lettie (Tammy Simpson) are from another planet – Lalaland. They are colourful, unique looking characters who learn about earth as they go on adventures with their friends Clara (Elizna Swanepoel) and Disco (Redione Stephens). This creates opportunity to teach and educate without the kids even realising! Topics that are relevant are incorporated into the story. And of course the stage is colourful and eye catching, while the music is catchy and definitely kiddie approved. It is cleverly done with quick costume changes and a few key props really bringing the world to life. And where it wasn’t possible to actually have something onstage (like a palm tree or stars), the dialogue fills in the gaps allowing children to develop their imaginations.
The story is cute
The Lollos team has done a great job producing this script, which is written by Elizna Swanepoel. Although not complex, the story is cute. There are some touching moments when kids learn about living green to save the planet, not letting failure get you down and believing in themselves. There are also some great comedic lines that are easy for kids to understand and lots of giggles all round. From the get-go the actors are passionate, engaging and energetic. They are also brilliant at getting their young viewers to take part – not always an easy thing to do. And they are easy to hear, very well rehearsed and support one another very well onstage.
Let’s just be clear about what Lollos is not: it’s not an animation style children’s entertainment piece catering as much to the parents as the children. Don’t expect clever puns and witty lines aimed at keeping the parents amused. I’m not saying this as critique, but rather as praise. Most children’s theatre nowadays aims at slightly older children and parents, leaving the younger audience members lost and bored. This is not the case with Lollos. It is really a show aimed at keeping toddlers and young kids involved and entertained. And it succeeds at its aim! I spoke to a few children after the show and all of them loved it – in fact most couldn’t wait to run to the stage for a photo or a hug with the cast!
So if you have a child between the ages of one and eight, keep an eye online see when they will next be in your area. After all, the younger we start getting our children to theatre, the better. I believe in the magic of the theatre to transport them to different worlds, stimulate them and teach them valuable lessons about themselves, others and life in general. And Lollos definitely does this.
What: Lottes Skattejag
Where and when: Saturday 14 October at 1pm in the Easy Equities Book Tent at Woordfees
Tickets: Quicket
WS
