Penelope is a 7-year old with an insatiable appetite for musical theatre. As our roving reporter for junior shows, she brings a child’s perspective to our coverage, offering unique insights.
When the lights went down, I held my breath because I just knew Josephine Wants to Dance was going to be something special and it really was!
The set was like a painting that came to life. It folded out like a storybook and each page was a beautiful surprise!
One minute we were in the Aussie outback with gum trees. The next minute there were buildings and we were in a beautiful ballet hall with big windows. Everything was painted in dreamy watercolours.
Josephine is a kangaroo who LOVES dancing. Even when her brother says kangaroos can’t do ballet. She shows him she CAN. And she inspires him too! I loved when she bounced around to funky music and then danced super soft and floaty.
We learned about Lyrebirds, Brolga’s and even the story of Swan Lake. The show made me want to learn more about so many new things! We even got to meet the cast for a very special Q&A! Hannah, Nina, Callum and Lily were so kind and answered all our questions. We met the stage manager and the technical coordinator and we even got to learn about how they do the lights & mist machine that made the special effects.
The costumes (and sets) by James Brown were amazing, especially the sparkly ones!! We even got to peek closer at the wings that were all made by hand! It made me think about how much hard work goes into every tiny bit of the show.
My favourite part was watching the set change, it was like magic. One fold and a whole new world!
This show was very inspiring. If you ever get the chance, go see Josephine Wants to Dance.
You’ll laugh, you’ll learn and you’ll maybe even leap for joy.
