Last Sunday was the first time Alanna had been to theatre. How the Koala learnt to hug by Steven Lee was her introduction. A bit nervous in the beginning due to the flashing lights and load voice, but soon relaxed into it, even joining in (all but quietly) the shouting out.
She laughed loads when the girl and her dad went on stage and the dad had to dress up as a leaf and have things thrown at him by his daughter.
After the interval there was a bubble blowing competition and the little girl on stage chose Alanna as the winner! Steven told her to remind him that he owed her a special prize before the end of the show.
Then we heard all about how koalas used to all be grumpy. The grumpiest of them all was Natasha. Everything made her grumpy - even the trees who stood around doing nothing all day. One day, 2 beavers started gnawing away at her house so to get rid of them and the trees in one go she convinced the beavers to eat their way through the forest. This they did until only one eucalyptus tree was left. then Natasha heard a horrible crying noise. She looked, and looked for where the noise was coming from. then she realised it was the tree so she stomped, and shouted and hit and stomped some more to try and get it to stop, but the noise went on. then when she was worn out, she gave up and put her head against the tree. the noise stopped. So thinking all the shouting and stomping had worked Natasha went to go home. the noise started again, Natasha started shouting again. Then she stopped and got a strange feeling and realised that like her the tree was lonely. So she climbed up into the branches and hung on tight. The noise stopped and Natasha felt better for hugging. Ever since all koalas now hug the trees so the noise won't start again and so they feel better too!
A lovely story in a book by Steven Lee by the same name as the show. It also has various other Australian folktales in it.
The children were then given the chance to hug a (toy) koala. Hands went up all around the theatre. If only someone had won a special prize... Alanna was called up on stage and told she could cuddle the koala until the end of the show when she needed to give it back.
When he took his bow and said it was the end of the show and he would be outside to sign books Alanna was off my lap so quickly and up the steps, but he had already gone. She looked so lost! So we queued up for a book and for him it sign it. Then she also gave back the koala and had her photo taken.
it has been a lovely way to introduce her to the theatre!
