The Selfish Crocodile presented in Malaysia in 2008. – Photo courtesy of Gardner & Wife Theatre

By ELAINE DONG

The Selfish Crocodile, the book by Faustin Charles with colourful illustrations by Michael Terry, is being brought to life on stage once more in Malaysia by Gardner & Wife Theatre. The puppet show from Britain’s Blunderbus Theatre Company was first presented in Kuala Lumpur in 2008. It’s back for an encore this month, in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Bill Davies, Blunderbus’ artistic director who was here to perform the last time, gives an insight into the world of theatre for children:

Why did you choose to do the story of The Selfish Crocodile?

The Selfish Crocodile is a hugely popular children’s storybook and has been since it was published in 1998. The vivid and charming illustrations by Mike Terry begged to be lifted from the page and performed live for little ones.

The huge array of animals, from the crocodile himself, little mouse, the gazelles, lion and hippo, was a fantastic opportunity to create beautiful and original puppets to take the performance to the next, magical level.

What is it about theatre plays that reach out to kids?

The theatre is magical and fantastical. It’s an escape from reality, be it a day at school or a day in the office. Children, and adults, can be whisked away into another world.

Every time you choose to do a show, do you have a message in mind?

Our plays will always be fun, energetic and vibrant with a clear educational twist. After 14 years of touring, we’ve crafted a signature style which contains quirky, detailed and brightly coloured sets, embellished costumes and, of course, beautiful handmade puppets, all of which make a show recognisably Blunderbus.

These all tap into a child’s imagination and have a huge “feel-good factor”. The book we adapt has to be on the national curriculum and show true potential to become a script. Some books are beautifully written, but would struggle to be adapted for live audiences.

How does performing arts impact kids, whether they’re performing in it or watching it?

Going to the theatre is a three-dimensional experience and no TV programme or computer game can compare to the amount of enjoyment and entertainment a live theatre performance can evoke.

All the lovely actors that work for Blunderbus are trained to get the children taking part and feeling like they are part of the performance.

Should parents encourage kids to participate in performing arts/showmanship?

Most definitely. A live performance stays with a child for years. Not only do they learn from a beautifully crafted script, or repetitions of catchy songs, but they will absorb the atmosphere a group of people can create.

It will build social skills, an imagination and confidence in their own ability. Drama is a great way to bring a shy or nervous child out of themselves.

Your shows are for kids, but acted out by adults. Will there be a show in the future where kids are the actors?

At the moment our performances hinge on the skill and training of our adult actors. The plays themselves always encourage participation by getting the children up on stage, or in front of their classmates. This might mean looking after a puppet or holding a piece of set or joining in with the songs.

We always use children to review and critique our performanc es. They will make it very obvious if they are enjoying a performance or not. If you can see them fidgeting about or preoccupied, you know they have lost interest. When you see a child sitting still and transfixed on the play, we know we’ve got the level just right and it works!

We would never rule out children taking part in the future, and with our youth theatre opening in the new year, this may set a new pathway for Blunderbus.

The Selfish Crocodile runs from tomorrow till Oct 22 at PJ Live Arts at Jaya One on Jalan Universiti, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Show times: Tuesday-Friday, 10am; Saturday, 11am, 2pm and 5pm; Sunday, 2pm and 5pm. Call (017) 2289-849 to confirm the show dates and times. Tickets: RM48, RM58, RM68 and RM78. Box offfice opens every day from noon to 7pm.