“I have been teaching for more than 30 years and this is the best in-school performance I have seen” – Kananook Primary School
“I was impressed with their entire package – Support Materials. On the day they were absolutely wonderful to work with. A vibrant group of young people totally dedicated to their art. The relationship with the kids before, during and after the show was splendid. The students were totally captivated from beginning to end. Days later the children are still excited by the experience. They loved the audience participation which created an ‘electric’ atmosphere. The entire performance was fascinating. Children related to each and every character and they simply loved the musical numbers. Preps -> Grade 6 were awestruck. Younger kids loved the fairytale magic and older kids related to the themes and values.
Absolutely amazing. Incredible sets, wonderful lighting, stunning costumes and totally professional actors bringing to the stage a magical, musical journey. Students were thoroughly engaged in the entire performance. It was the total package we loved. Congratulations to the cast – a thoroughly entertaining, professional performance. We loved you all – it was BRILLIANT. Can’t wait till next year! Thannk you so much. Wow – what a spectacular show. We will remember forever!” – Sally Malcolmson, Morwell Park PS
“Outstanding, very theatrical and thoroughly entertaining for entire show. Sets – amazing and very cleverly used. Stunning costumes, lighting and sound. Captured the story and added incredible humour. Splendid, delightful to work with and completely professional. Awesome – the package was complete. The notes and information provided were excellent. Musical choices were fabulous. Truly loved the end – with “Reach”. The show was a truly professional performance. Congratulations to all involved. I was amazed at how well the magic of true theatre was captured. This is simply the best show we have ever had here. It had all the elements – sets, costumes, sound, lighting and audience participation. Great crowd control and the children were captivated from beginning to end. The cast were absolutely delightful and even shared the lunch break outside with the kids.” – Sally Malcolmson, Morwell Park PS
“The performances were all spot on! Excellent – appropriate for all ages. Great idea to include today’s current pop songs…The best touring school production we’ve seen…and we’ve seen a lot! One Year 6 student said it was “The best $6 I’ve ever spent!”…Made one teacher cry during love scene!” – Woodlands Primary School
“Professional…outstanding…Updated music to appeal to kids…Good student involvement…Unlike anything currently available in schools – a valuable and accessible cultural experience for the children” – Seaford Primary School
“Very professional and convincing. Actors’ related very well to the children. All fantastic, felt very ‘real’! (the sets etc). Very relatable to the children. Well done. It kept everyone’s attention. Very entertaining and thoroughly enjoyed by all. We all loved the singing! It was wonderful that the children could sing along to songs they know and love.” – Belinda Ithier, St John Vianney’s
“Funny, well cast, creative, good voices, singing, mime. Realistic, not overdone, classical, dazzling, creative (sets etc>. Singing (3 ticks!), humorous, (slapstick), good theme/message. Friendly, genuine, enthusiastic, lots of energy. Fast moving, lots of energy and warmth, very good changes in atmosphere through sound, script and songs. Great songs (modern ones esp), good theme.” – Chris Horsley, St John Vianney’s
“Nothing, I thought the whole production was fantastic. The energy of the cast!” – Travey Cenedese, Hampton PS
“Most professional show I’ve ever seen in schools. Brilliant, made us feel we were in the ‘top’ theatre and its production. Great to have a familiar story retold as kids know it. Love the pantomime aspect. Costumes, make-up, clear mikes and sound – all so professional which was a rare treat for our children who may never get to see such a show.” – Barbara Clark, Prep teacher, Macclesfield PS
“Values were very clear – carried well. Children interested in costumes – asked many questions. Children enjoyed the modern adaptation. Very friendly cast – answered children’s questions well. Held children and teachers attention all during the performance. Children (and some teachers!) sang along with songs. Children were fascinated by quick costume changes. The children related to modern pop songs. They were amazed that you were ‘allowed’ to combine a traditional tale with today’s music. They also enjoyed audience participation.” – Anne Spengler, Malvern Central School
“Very convincing, fantastic (all staff). Sets etc were just enough for a school production, great quick changes. Lots of fun – professional quality. Very easy to talk to, approachable – much nicer than teachers! Tops – you only had to watch the kids faces – they loved it. Performers, kids involvement, quality of performance, great jokes – great for all ages. Staff enjoyed it too.” – Mariese Galvin, Tyabb PS
“Children totally engrossed. Wonderful performance. Very professional and effective. Well written and appropriate for the ages of the children (K-10). Excellent. Very thorough and professional. Most impressive. Just keep on doing what you do. It was great! Just fantastic. Kinder kids, parents, teachers, mums and primary kids “loved it”!” – Marion Johnson, Mahogany Rise PS
“Excellent, animation/voices etc. Love it! An excellent standard, enjoyed it as much as last year’s production (Hunchback). Love the cast! No fuss, punctual etc. Held all ages full attention! ENGROSSING.” – Rye PS
“Enthusiastic, effective, pumped etc. V.Good adaptation – great inclusion of the songs – we had a lot of discussion in music about how and where the songs would fit in. Friendly, no hassles and laid-back approach much appreciated. I would readily recommend the production within the local network and beyond. Provides a theatre genre that these students don’t often get the chance to experience.” – Charles Schumann, Kismet Park PS
“Each and every one was outstanding, lively, engaging and so professional. I have not seen sets like it at school – the backdrops, changing sets, lighting and sound were A+! The children were engrossed (and the adults for that matter). Kids knew the story and were part of the show. Had total control of the show and engaged the kids in all aspects of the show. Lovely people. “A1” – wouldn’t get a show like this for school kids anywhere. Can’t believe that its a show on on in Melbourne theatres. Credit to you all. The interaction the kids had. “One of the best I’ve seen”. “Loved the characters”, “songs were fantastic and known by the audience”. The lighting, effects and costumes – superb. A lovely bunch of friendly people, all very polite and accommodating. Congratulations to you all!” – Sharon DiMaria, Morwell Park PS
“Held everyone’s interest through the whole show. Oustanding, thoroughly enjoyed by all. Music before the show kept kids interested. Inclusion of pop songs and references to pop culture were clever and a great idea.” – Julia Cullen, Heyfield PS
“Children were captivated, well done, a very professional performance. We are lucky to have experienced the show.” – Liz Ward, St Thomas
“Excellent diction and very very professional. Well geared to P-6. Professional and relaxed people, well suited to roles. The ease of packing up was great, – production excellent.” – Paula Pyle, Caulfield Junior College
“Excellent! Bravo! You can’t improve on perfection! The male voices, the great songs. The actors! Engagement with the children (and teachers!). The fun and the MESSAGE – great fodder for discussion of Values and Feelings.” – Nina Hanna, Caulfield Junior College
“Very believable. Gaston certainly aint my beau of choice! Well adapted. Made the most of the time available. Loved it. Couldn’t fault it. All my students loved it, one said the kids were too loud but apart from that it was fabulous for all. I was really impressed with the way the children were engaged from the very beginning, starting with music at the beginning. Loved the way you gave the kids the chance to vent and still kept them under control.” – Robyn Procel, Caulfield Junior College
“GREAT SHOW. Disney could not have done it better. Extremely professional. No faults. 11 out of 10! Fantastic sound, excellent interaction with the audience. Geared for children and their adult companions. Great messages on the value of reading, friendship, personal relationships etc.” – Ade Kashushehe, Caulfield Junior College
“Brilliantly done. Great understanding of Panto. Bloody Fantastic! Can’t think of anything you could do to improve it. You’re on a winner.” – Nick Adeney, Caulfield Junior College
“It was just fantastic. I loved the way you involved all of the students. You really had their attention. Bright, colourful, its all good. A lot of humour, raised a lot of excitement. Magical, the changes of the setting were very quick. We just loved it as a whole school. Keep up the good work – inspiring! So cool! Thank you so much!” – Fadime, Ilim Islamic College
“Great! Can’t fault it. Fantastic show, professionally presented, good script (loved the humour), appropriate involvement of children. Well done! We really enjoyed it.” – Jane Schneider, Good Shepherd Lutheran School
“Very professional, related well to the audience, the Beast costume was fantastic. Children loved the music and being involved in the performance. Cost was reasonable for high quality performance. Have already recommended it to friends at other schools. Actors obviously enjoyed performance. Catered for all age groups. Kept childrens attention for the entire performance. One of the best shows we have had at our school.” – Langwarrin Park Primary School
“Professional, excellent. Students loved the performance. Year 6 students spoke enthusiastically following the performance.” – Langwarrin Park Primary School
“Absolutely fantastic – very talented. Brilliant, fantastic modern feel. Without a doubt the best production company available. An incredibly high level of professionalism and entertainment. Value for money! Good looking actors! Loved every minute of it.” – Narissa, Langwarrin Park Primary School
“10/10 – excellent in all areas. The best incursion I have seen. Just turn up the speakers a little! Actors were hilarious, up to date with latest music incorporating modern with traditional tale.” – Sarah Bailey, Langwarrin Park Primary School
“For pure entertainment it would be hard to beat. Inspiration for D.Doings – my students were inspired!. Entertaining and involved – regardless of age (5’s were having as much fun as the Preps!). Emphasis on moral of story (my students analysed it for h’work). EXCELLENT!” – M. Langton, Langwarrin Park Primary School
“Excellent. Continue to encourage greater variety and depth in questioning by children. Music which audience related to, enthusiasm and enjoyment displayed by actors.” – Langwarrin Park Primary School
“I was totally impressed by the performance of all the actors. Great exaggeration as is meant for pantomime. Kids and teachers loved the smoke and flashes of light. Loved use of current music/songs which really encouraged audience participation. Kids loved meeting actors in the yard and getting autographs. I ensured by Year 6 children that it would be fantastic and was not disappointed.” – Langwarrin Park Primary School
“I loved the professionlism of the whole production and the way it engaged ALL the children (Prep – 6) for 90 minutes” – Langwarrin Park Primary School
“On a par with any city show. Much better than the standard of other ‘school’ shows. Loved the references to idol and x-factor etc. First class production. A thoroughly professional production that enthralled students from Prep to Grade 6. Great value for money.” – Langwarrin Park Primary School
“Brilliant skill/voices/love Belle’s singing voice esp. Spot on for age group. One of the very best I’ve ever seen. Loved the acting, singing, sets, script, the lot. Excellent!” – Travor Best, Corryong P-12 College
“Excellent! We rarely have the opportunity to see work of this calibre. Loved the way you modernized the language/dance etc. Great personality came through from all actors. Can’t think of a thing to improve. Jokes, music, attention to detail and concepts of genre all of great quality. Fantastic intro! I can see why you get such rave reviews – absolutely deserved in all areas.” – Meredith Davies, Kiewa Valley PS
“Excellent. The actors looked like they were really enjoying what they did. The set portrayed the different scenes well. Extremely suitable for the audience. A very professional show. I really enjoyed it as it was. Kids joined in well and you managed the noise really well. Once the children ‘calmed’ down it was nice to have the microphones turned down. Costumes were great, lighting and sound seemed really professional. Audience involvement was great.” – Julie Butler, Tallangatta PS
“Actors were very versatile. Very professional. Quality was great. Use of modern songs / music great. Easy to follow storyline.” – Fiona Flanagan, Wodonga PS
“Brilliant. Very high quality. Modern, yet maintained ‘classic’. Lively, interactive, children were very involved. Stand up and stretch was excellent.” – Karen Walters, Tawin Valley PS
“Extremely engaging. Pefect for a school setting. Appealed to children as well as adults. Very professional. Going by the response of the children and teachers absolutely excellent – one of the best we’ve seen. Valuable messages to take away and discuss with students. Inclusion of topical references also appreciated by everyone.” – Gary Smith / Bev May, Sandringham PS
“Very professional and versatile, good singing voices! And pitched at children’s level. Brilliant props – easily changed and you didn’t keep kids waiting. Jokes pitched for the children, current names recognisable, etc. Very professional and well orchestrated. One of the best we’ve seen at our school, and I have been here 17 years!” – Mary Hull, Healesville PS
“Excellent! Very enjoyable for all year levels. A great way of ending a long term. Keep going with what you’re doing, it’s great! Lively actors, relevant story with jokes and songs that children could relate to. Great costumes! Good sound system! No problem hearing everything.” – Rosie House, Healesville PS
“Excellent, really involved and excited the children in the story. Wonderful. The kids loved it! So did the teachers. It’s been years since I’ve seen a great quality panto. Professional and completely over the top energy and humour.” – Brighton Grammar Junior School
“How many adjectives can I use – BRILLIANT! Professional – our staff were most impressed [with the sets]…children were engaged – knew the story. From the first phone call to the end – slick and professional. 20 out of 10, the best we’ve ever had! 🙂 Improvements? You’re fine! You have the focus to increase the number of titles of shows – keep going! What did I like best? The professionalism, talent, passion and dedication.” – Oatlands Primary School
“Absolutely sensational! Fantastic! Great! Terrific! Best we’ve ever had! The children were so engaged throughout the entire performance” – Oatlands Primary School
“All just oustanding. Excellent, professional! Modernised the story by using current songs/music without losing the main theme. Terrific. Answered questions asked [by students] enthusiastically. Have no hesitation recommending the show/company to others. Vibrant, energetic and a new company that provides value for money. Well done!” – Oatlands Primary School
“Awesome – the characters came to life. All children were able to see and hear clearly, even those up the back. A fantastic adaptation of a popular story. The sets and costumes were amazing. The cast did a fabulous job. It was one of the best performances I’ve seen for children. Improvements? Allow children some time (10mins) at the end to ask questions or make comments (oops it was because we ran out of time! 🙂 The enthusiasm of the cast, the involvement of the children and the upbeat songs and music – the performers did a sensational job” – Oatlands Primary School
“Oustanding – related to the wide age range very well. Just enough [sets, costumes, sound, lighting] to create the atmosphere. The songs were just right. Very professional (P.R. is fantastic). What did I like best? Started on time, built in movement for the children, recent songs related to children’s experiences, and the story had right amount of of humour and pathos” – Oatlands Primary School
“The quality was fantastic…Fun 4 Kids found both the crew and performers very easy to work with and are keen to have them back in 2005…A terrific addition to our event…Fun 4 Kids Festival was thrilled to host Beauty and the Beast at this years event. Our aim is to put smiles on little faces and we are happy to announce that every little face that saw this show left with a broad grin. A job well done” – Anne-Marie Quinlan, Fun4Kids Festival
“A very polished performance. Loved the costumes – especially Mrs Potts! The kids loved the interaction. Very professional. Love the broad range of songs – something for everyone. It was great! It was a great thing to organise because it was so easy. Every step of the process was simple and clear.” – Nerida Modica, Footscray West Primary School
“Very professional in stage art. Very good use of popular music. A worthwhile experience. My Grade 5/6 kids loved the show!” – David, Footscray West Primary School
“Acting and singing were both great. Visually stimulating – clever! Adaptation and inclusion of modern music excellent. The kids really enjoyed it – they were able to be vocal and participate but the actors ability to keep them under control made the performance a pleasure to watch.” – Cristy Laskey, Footscray West Primary School
“They were loud, vibrant and exciting and captivated the children! When the children walked in and saw the props, it really set the mood. The children loved it because it was similar to the original but was different in some aspects so the children didn’t get bored. Best production I’ve seen in my teaching career. I hope St Mark’s gets to see the Hunchback next year! It’s difficult to specify what I liked the best because it was just so BRILLIANT. Everything about it was AMAZING and had the children (and teachers) talking about it for days.” – Tennille Adams, St Mark’s School, Dingley
“Fantastic – beautiful singing and gorgeous looking actors. Sound and lighting were captivating and the costumes and sets looked fantastic! Clever inclusion of contemporary music (and “Kath and Kim”!) The children adored Belle (especially in the golden dress) because she was ‘so kind’ and ‘beautiful’. Appealed to all ages. Very energetic and entertaining.” – Simon Puleo, St Mark’s Primary School Dingley
“Excellent in every way! Sound is great – costumes good – sets well designed. Very well done. Music used was great! Professional, helpful, friendly. 10 out of 10. Just as good as any production I’ve seen for children ANYWHERE – the best actually. No improvement needed for us! Performers seem to have great fun with everything – children’s needs and interests are recognised – music is great – colourful and funny and clever.” – Ann Cooper, St Paul’s Bentleigh
“Excellent characterisation and voices/singing and songs + mood – captured attention of all. Creative and fresh. Outstanding in all areas. Entertaining and humourous, fantastic songs/lyrics, changes of pace for all ages. Professional. Quality of performance; costumes, originality of adaptation and music – all outstanding. Audience participation effective and ‘adult’ lines were great for staff. Good to see a more updated gender characterisation of the stereotype with focus on interpersonal skills and qualities – positive links to healthy relationships. Humour, lyrics and selection of songs was clever and appropriate, Story adaptation excellent and role of narrator good idea. Finale excellent!” – Judy, Laburnum Primary School
“Very engaging actors – got children involved. Simple effective sets and costumes excellent. Sound – very clear. Children loved slapstick humour and involvement. Storyline flowed well and songs appropriate and fun. Excellent performance all round – 10 out of 10! A great first experience with Alpha [Theatrical] Productions. Some excellent singing and songs. Children always engaged and enjoyed humour.” – Laburnum Primary School
“Excellent characterisation. Sets worked very well. Very good adaptation of the story. Well organised and easy to work with [cast]. An excellent production. Audience participation worked very well and the characterisation was fantastic. Mrs Potts was great!” – Laburnum Primary School
“Loved how your obvious passion came through [the performance]. All effective – especially the lights! [Ed: This school had a fantastic blackout!] Story fitted logically, very professional. Entertaining; never a lapse in entertainment.” – Derek Scotney, Mount Dandenong Primary School
“Great mix of voices, dancing and acting. Very versatile and visually interesting [sets etc]. Excellent. The essential storyline was maintained. Terrific group of people who mix easily with staff. Great concept. Top performance. Very professional. 10 out of 10. Very interactive. Pitched at the right level. Terrific.” – John Kennedy, Mount View Primary School
“Just the right touch. Excellent – appeals to all levels. Awesome. Outrageously talented and engaging! Interaction with students (and teachers) was great. Humourous treatment. Great, non-threatening springboard for discussion.” – Lauris Doyle, Wilmot Road Primary School
“All the actors were animated and this gained the children’s attention. The story line, interspersed with the familiar tunes was very appealing. The actors worked the audience extremely well. Fantastic – enthusiastic and infectious. I felt it was a wonderful performance – it was poignant, humourous, melodramatic – totally engaging! I can’t think of any improvements. The children all appeared to enjoy the entire performance. Great audience participation, involving the children to comment throughout the performance. I thought the subtle humour was effective too. I liked the utilisation of familiar songs/music to help carry the story – again another great way to involve the audience as the children easily identified and then sang along with the cast.” – Susan Olley, Wilmot Road Primary School
“Great – connected well with the children. Liked how it incorporated modern music. Had the children (and teachers) very engaged. Targeted at the right audience. I think it was spot on. The kids loved it. Very good that it involved audience participation. Had a great amount of humour. Hope we get you back again!” – Sarah Greenwood, Wilmot Road Primary School
“High quality performers who motivated and engaged the students. Excellent – although our hall does not lend itself to theatre performances the atmosphere was still created. Very suitable for Primary School students – engaged all students from Prep to 6. Outstanding value. Often rural schools have the added expense of travel and venue hire – it is fantastic to have such a professional show visit our school and inspire our students. Perhaps, at an extra cost, offering some workshops for the students after or before the show. Is there a possibility of an evening show for the Haddon Community – incorporating the kinder/playgroup etc? I loved the integration of modern songs and dance moves into a classic fairytale. All of the performers put 100% effort into providing the high quality show for our students – their enthusiasm was relayed onto our children. Brilliant Production!!” – Gaye Carrigan, Haddon Primary School
“Excellent, we loved it! We loved all of it. We hope you come again! [this was done with my 2A class]” – Bernadette Ackland, Haddon Primary School
“Full of energy and enthusiasm – very engaging. Great singing! Clear and easily recognisable – created good mood. Terrific use of pop-culture through the story. Very entertaining. The performers encouraged wonderful participation. The performers kept a steady pace and kept us all interested with humour and clever references – lots of fun!” – Louise Rogerson, Haddon Primary School
“Very active performers – thanks. The children loved it – and so did the adults. Good sound to ensure everyone could hear. The children really enjoyed being aprt of the action. It certainly held their attention. Congratulations on a great production.” – Julie Miller, Black Hill Primary School
“WOW! I don’t think there was one child from Prep – 6 who was not totally enthralled. The energy of the actors was great! Sound equipment was great. Set was wonderful and costumes were fantastic. The children and the teachers really enjoyed the modern influences – ie. the music. The teachers enjoyed “look at me” etc etc. Professional, engaging, child-centered but not at the expense of ‘theatre’. A great panto – children thoroughly enjoyed the interaction. A great pace too! Excellent!!! Wonderful to see pure ‘panto’, the children and the teachers loved it. Great colour and movement.” – Claire Owen, Black Hill Primary School
“Related well to the children. Audience involvement terrific! Visually very exciting. The music was brilliant. Great script, songs and music. Appropriate for children. Everything seemed to be smooth sailing. A most enjoyable performance, the children loved it!” – Liz Zelencich, St Aloysius
“Brilliant – absolutely fantastic. 10 out of 10! The teapot character was brilliant – great personality plus the candlestick – very well done! Belle was brilliant with the fabulous performance of the Beast. Well worth seeing.” – Bev Baster, St Aloysius
“10 out of 10 – Real actors – not like the sooks we usually get! Wicked! (some of the spunks could have been a bit more wicked!)” – Horsham West Primary School
“I enjoyed the overall production very much. The students were all fully engaged in the show and they all had positive comments afterwards. Including the children in the show was great. The music/songs were all songs the children knew (and the teachers!). Very enjoyable!” – Horsham West Primary School
“[The actors] played their parts exceptionally well. **Great song choices. Facial expressions and voice tones were great. BRILLIANT – I felt I was in the world of “Beauty and the Beast”. Captivated the children’s attention right from the start. Terrific. It was lovely that the cast came and had a chat with the staff in the staff room. OUTSTANDING – the children as well as the staff loved the show. We all totally felt a “part” of the show. Loved the audience participation, scenery, humour, songs, colour, sound, story, lighting. EVERYTHING” – Trish Noonan, Horsham West Primary School
“Gaston was great! – terrific timing! Something for all ages present. Appreciated friendly, flexible attitude. All the children were so totally engrossed.” – Heather Hobbs, St Martin of Tours Primary School
“They were aware of the children and were able to capture their attention. It was of great quality – the costumes and sets were really eye-catching. The children could relate well to it. The use of modern/pop songs made the adaptation more interesting. They were very professional. A very interesting and interactive production. The children thoroughly enjoyed the production. 10 out of 10. The before/after worksheets and background notes were extremely useful. The use of current music was a great experience for the children as ti kept them attentive and invovled.” – St Martin of Tours Primary School
“Well done! Each character was brought to life by the actor! Very artistic and extremely well-presented. I loved the scene changes. Very entertaining. The children thoroughly enjoyed the performance especially participating in the play. Great choice of music and clever script!” – Gabriella Leone, St Martin of Tours Primary School
“Talented. Very colourful. Children also enjoyed the songs, they were current. All the children were involved, loved having the children stretch mid way.” – Michael Cowden, Karingal Heights Primary School
“Excellent – worked the audience well and encouraged a high level of participation. Adapted well for young children and they could appreciate the links to things they knew. Teachers enjoyed whatever humour went over the kids head. A wonderful experience for those children to see a professional pantomime. It was very appropriate and the children and teachers loved it. Sorry no ideas [for improvements] – already too good. Maybe stretch the legs a little longer when cleaning the castle ie. “Clean the ceiling, clean the floor, clean the window, clean the door”. Extremely helpful in booking arrangements and pricing.” – Leanne Lewis, Meadow Heights Primary School
“Very impressed with the quality of the performances. Well worth the money and organisation. The overall enthusiasm and children involvement in the show, the up to date (kids-centric) music and jokes were great.” – Jane Parkin, Meadow Heights Primary School
“The actors were fantastic – great improvising with the kids!! Very effective – great for use in the small amount of space available. Lots of fun – great for the range of ages – 6 y olds to teachers. Relate very well to the students – great to work with. Excellent – really worthwhile – students absolutely loved it! Characters were fabulous – interaction with students was great.” – Erin Monohan, Meadow Heights Primary School
“Excellent – good diction etc. Engaging for all the children. Fantastic – an excellent production to engage all the children Prep – 6. 10 out of 10. Well done to the performers – not easy in our hot hall! Children loved joining in with the songs, great movement for children, costumes, story etc was all wonderful. Thank you, we (adults and children) enjoyed the pantomime immensely” – Maryann Wilkie, Sherbourne Primary School
“Sensational, considering how hot the hall was you did an amazing job. Great songs the the children knew.” – Ruth van der Westhuysen, Sherbourne Primary School
“Excellent – loved the faces and antics. The children were engrossed. It kept their interest. The children loved being involved. Improvements…bring us a theatre???? I loved the way the songs were placed in the play and songs the kids could relate to – modern. You coped so well with the heat – the performance was so lively considering you must have ben exhausted. Great to get kids to get up in the middle – they needed it. I enjoyed it as much as the kids.” – Beth Turner, Sherbourne Primary School
“Super! Had them captivated. I particularly enjoyed the singing and the dancing – so did the children. Well done on a most enjoyable performance.” – Lena Clarke, Eltham Primary School
“Excellent – loved Mrs Potts! Kept the children enthralled. Up to date songs. Highly entertaining – even for the adults. 9 and 7/8 out of 10!” – Eltham Primary School
“Fantastic performances and amusing. Our hall wasn’t dark enough – our fault! Great adaptation. A fantastic performance, students were totally engaged.” – Paul Clohesy, Patterson Lakes Primary School
“Thought they were all fantastic. Loved the music! It really made the show. Fantastic! We missed question time afterwards and speaking to the actors. Loved it all! Was great how children were involved and encouraged to be loud. Kept my prep children entertained and focussed the whole time so well done and thank you! Can’t wait for next year!” – Lisa Whyte, Patterson Lakes Primary School
“What fantastic voices! I’m in love with the beast! Kept the kids attention. They were very animated and enthusiastic. Loved most – audience participation, modern songs, not too long.” – Pam Macaulay, Patterson Lakes Primary School
[The following are from our third visit to Woodlands, the second for Beauty and the Beast, for the junior school this time]
“Absolutely superb! Fantastic. Perfect for these children. One of the best shows I’ve ever seen – well done! 10+ out of 10.” – Moira Hill, Woodlands Primary School
“Very funny and witty comments throughout. It was sensational, the children loved it.” – K Heib, Woodlands Primary School
“Fantastic, it was easy for the children to understand and kept them captivated the whole time.” – Woodlands Primary School
“Great, the kids related well to all characters. Appropriate humour. Adaptability. Kids enjoyment obvious connection with the actors. Loved the energy and enjoyment of actors.” – Julie Baldwin, Sorrento Primary School
“Had all the children involved Prep – 6. Great ideas and simple – children could copy the ideas [of the set/costumes etc] in a fashion. Fun and great choice of songs. Excellent. Multi-talented actors and singers. Colourful costumes, sets, talent etc. Great to watch the children’s reaction to the characters. Keep going with the stories children would know. The poo + bum jokes were winners! The songs were fabulous – children could relate to them. Jokes were aimed perfectly. Excellent to have the singing performed live. The grade sixers appreciated it so you must be good.” – A. Sorbara, Sorrento Primary School
“Some lovely singing. Lots of really good comedy business! Solid performances all round. Lots of pace. Well done. Loved the dog! Very good. Unfortunately the venue was too light to se the lighting effects. Script is great! Just the right amount of humour – aimed directly at this age! Even the older children were entranced. They were sitting there with their mouths open! Loved the show. Would like to see another sometime soon! Our first experience with Alpha (hello!). The acting was genuine and spirited. The script was really good too. Loved the fart + poo jokes (just right for kids)!! Well done!” – Sorrento Primary School
“I thought the performance was professional, 10 out of 10. The sets covered the stage area thus adding to the effect – ie. no gaps. Most enjoyable, very professional, courteous and friendly. Not knowing what to expect I found the children 100% engrossed from the second we walked in. Participation adds to the total experience.” – Cathi Priest, Brentwood Park Primary School
“I liked the fog. Costumes excellent. Very engaging, hooked the kids from the beginning with the music going and quality of set.” – Brentwood Park Primary School
“Enthusiastic, inclusive of audience and vibrant! Bright especially with the lighting. Fantastic, fun. Very friendly and organised [performers], especially with the setting up. I heard that you offer family nights – great idea! Organised, fun and well performed! Congratulations – great Christmas present!” – Anastasia, Brentwood Park Primary School
“Mrs Potts excellent. Young children loved it when dog came off stage. Costumes excellent. Had majority of children in awe / involved throughout. Great to have question time at end.” – Elaine Robertson, Anderson’s Creek Primary School
“Actors were excellent, singing voices were impressive. Sound particularly was excelletn. Toilet humour at beginning was good idea. I liked the voice of the main male character. Interspersing popular songs was an excellent idea. Getting childrent to stand within the performance was excellent.” – Anderson’s Creek Primary School
“Fantastic, clear speech, great personalities. Costumes were bright – loved the teapot! Fantastic as it was appropriate for the grades watching the show. It can be used at all primary levels. Teacher’s enjoyed the show as well!” – Anderson’s Creek Primary School
“Great energy, easy to hear, understand etc. Brilliant. Wish room had been dark (our fault). Excellent, especially costumes. UP TO DATE, KEPT KIDS INTEREST. Terrific esp when for Prep-6 – worked well. Terrific music and sound, lively, colourful. Everything was great. Maybe briefly include couple of students in a quick costume [Ed: Have thought about this, seen it done very badly with the various book shows that go around to schools, the kids seem to feel embarrassed and stupid. They prefer to yell out to help the story along. Sleeping Beauty will get a volunteer to be in ‘charge’ of a task, I believe this will work better]. Very happy with whole experience.” – Stephanie Langman, Somerville Rise Primary School
“The acting was excellent. Fantastic. The children and I thoroughly enjoyed the performance and would like to see it again. No improvements are necessary. Costumes, clever use of songs and music, backdrops and sets, action scenes, story, it appealed to all ages, an excellent show.” – Jan Roach, Somerville Rise Primary School
“Performance was fully of energy. Sound excellent, costumes colourful, scenery colourful. Entertaining, very friendly performances – great role models! Look forward to seeing another performance, 10 out of 10. Improvements – More props, this was students suggestion [Ed: Beauty and the Beast, yes, doesn’t have many props. Some of our other shows have more. There isn’t really a need, you’ll just have to use your imagination!]. Wider sets (not black sides [Ed: Yes, we know! Originally we weren’t sure of the ‘size’ of school halls so Beauty and the Beast’s set isn’t too wide, some venues are quite narrow so it’s hard to keep the set versatile. Hunchback and Sleeping Beauty are both wider, Sleeping Beauty significantly so – plus also being versatile to be narrow if necessary]. Loved the inclusion of modern songs.” – Debbie Lindsay, Somerville Rise Primary School
“Excellent, great singers. Suited the venue and age of kids (good adult humour too!). It was fantastic, the kids loved it and so did I! Congratulations on a great show. You are on track Ben with what kids like. Would love to try an evening family night show with supper etc. We would also organise a day one + invite other schools. Perhaps P-4 in day, 5/6 kids and families at night? We would look after you all and find accommodation etc if that helps you et here.” – Jenny Goldsmith, Donald Primary School
“Clear, and easy to hear words/songs. *Belle sand beautifully. Bright colourful – perhaps the smoke distracted little ones. But it was effective. Laughed so much! Children joined in. Excellent. Children enjoyed asking questions. Costumes and set of very high standard. Loved the involvement of children.” – Lynne Tottenham, Donald Primary School
“Very professional, suited pantomime style today. Tops – fast paced, kept up interest with humour and inclusion of popular songs. The tour manager and cast members created a hassle free and friendly contact. Real theatrical feel for children to experience. Alpha could pre-book hall, one possibly with seating for all. First time with Alpha – was not expecting such a high quality performance; should look at larger venues with larger audience. Energy level is amazing!” – Grahamvale Primary School
“Great. The actors were energetic and got us involved. The sets/costumes make such a difference. They were great. The story line was very clear and the show captured so many emotions. We loved it. They were professional and very clear in what they wanted which is good (eg. about the space, lights etc). Excellent. The modern songs incorporated in the show were a great idea. They blended into the show appropriately and the children were engaged the WHOLE TIME. It was a tad loud but aside from that – keep doing what you do!! Thank you for putting on a top show. Our school was very lucky to have you perform to us. Our children haven’t been exposed to this style of performing. It was a great opportunity for them and we want you back. The sets and costumes were wonderful. The sound quality was fantastic. Well done.” – Rosa Licuria, Findon Primary School
“You must be good to keep our kids so engaged and involved for the whole show. Great – you kept the traditional theme but infused it with contemporary/topical music and humour. Wonderful – it was great for our children. This type of live performance is new for our kids and it opened up a new field of entertainment. Just keep doing what you’re doing – you do it so well. You used our space well, you related to our audience and you amused our teachers. Can’t wait till next year!” – Findon Primary School
“Fantastic. Loved it! Very visual, colourful and fun! Great to incorporate modern songs – student’s related well. Very interactive, student’s were engaged and that’s the most important thing. It was a tad loud! Maybe it’s my old ears! I loved the humour the most – well done. Love to see you back!” – Findon Primary School
“Wonderful, great sets and costumes. Very professional. A great experience of live theatre for our students. Congratulations! This has been one of the best performances to visit our school. Well done!” – Findon Primary School
“I think they were excellent, very appropriate [sets and costumes] for a “travelling” show. I thought that it was great to get the children involved. I thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of the production – well done!” – Findon Primary School
“They related very positively with an audience of various ages. As a teacher of senior primary students, it was very pleasing – they enjoyed it! I was very pleased that you gave the children an opportunity to interact afterwards. My class were thoroughly delighted and enjoyed the performance immensely. The pantomime style allowed for high levels of audience participation – which the children loved. The musical selection was also great – tunes the students knew well or could quickly learn from others.” – Findon Primary School
“Great performance…The kids loved it. All was a great performance the actors spoke clearly and great performance all round” – Findon Primary School
“A fantastic job! Fantastic. I loved it. I loved how clear the story line was Well Done.” – Findon Primary School
“Very active and involved, looked like they were enjoying it as much as us! Excellent – very funny, very sad, has us all enthralled. Professional and friendly…thoroughly enjoyable. So engaging for all age groups – that the children were encouraged to be active participants” – Findon Primary School
“Children related well to characters. On part with any production in a theatre. Best production we’ve had at Findon. Children were very engaged and enjoyed being involved in the pantomime” – Findon Primary School
“Fantastic, very engaging. Our children rarely have the opportunity to see productions like this – thanks for making this possible” – Findon Primary School
“I thoroughly enjoyed the production. I loved that the way the performers enjoyed their roles – it really showed through” – Findon Primary School
“It was great to see the audience participating in the pantomime; it showed their enjoyment. The sets, costumes and sound effects added to the whole show. Thanks again.” – Oscar Visagie, Glen Waverley South Primary School
“Excellent energy, interaction, projection, enthusiasm. Nine characters rotating – always an interest on stage. Friendly and enthusiastic. All teachers thoroughly enjoyed and wanted it next year. Children were enthralled. What I liked best was that there were so many characters…the smoke machine was nice, sets beautiful, energy was tops!” – Lloyd Poole, Kingsley Park Primary School
“Lively, colourful and full of enthusiasm. Clever story, great…overall fabulous!” – Barb Hall-Duggan, Ballarat YMCA Vacation Care
“Great pantomime portraits. Good variation, kids loved it. Good to mix with students and staff. We all loved it – come again!” – Aldercourt Primary School
“Excellent. Very good, the kids thought they were great [the sets]. A fantastic show. All of my Prep/1/2 children loved it and raved about it!” – Aldercourt Primary School
“You don’t need to do anything, the show is great! We loved the whole performance very very much!” – Malvern Valley Primary School
“Very interactive performance, the sets were bright and engaging. Well adapted (teachers enjoyed the bits added for them also). Excellent – the children enjoyed meeting characters after performance. The children all really enjoyed watching and participating in the performance. I think the children really appreciated being involved in the performance and liked the difference’s from the traditional story that were included very much” – St Peter’s Lutheran School
“The children all loved the performances of all the cast. Costumes were great, children loved Belle’s gold dress. The lighting wasn’t as good because of [the lack of] curtains. There was something in the script for all ages even the adults. Some of the children wanted to watch it again it was so good. Liked the parts ‘added’. The children liked songs that they knew. It made it easier for them to be involved. The actors made the children want to be involved” – Kialla West Primary School
Response: The parts you found to be ‘added’ do seem that way – but the script is written from the ground up with teachers, adults, children – everyone! – in mind, to entertain all!
“Actors were well cast – very polished. Excellent. Story line well covered. Delightful, a pleasure to work with! What did I like best? The current music and the involvement of the audience” – Heathcote Primary School
“Very entertaining, excellent! Very professional and enjoyable – the kids loved it! Professional performance and well presented” – Heathcote Primary School
“Great energy – excellent. Modern songs, were excellent. Very professional. Held children’s attention right through. The children’s involvement was good, costumes were great” – Dimboola Pimpinio Primary School
“The acting was fantastic. It was wonderful to see modern songs and jokes in the production. The kids had a ball. It integrated modern concepts with a classic tale and was very well done. It was good how in the romantic parts the colourful characters come into play. Song choice and characters of Scooter and Jiggins were excellent.” – Brighton Primary School
“Very energetic and really captivated the kids. Very effective and amazing some of the quick set changes. Great how modern songs that the kids enjoy could be written in. The cast and tour manager were friendly, open to comment and efficient with set up etc. Kids and teachers came away buzzing which is a sure sign of the effect it has on the audience. Seeing the kids complete captivation and invovlement in the pantomime was what I liked best.” – Brighton Primary School
“Very talented actors and singers. Very appropriate – current music/pop. Very entertaining, not too scary, children had a ball – were very involved. Encouraged audience participation, ‘modern’ twist making it very appropriate for children of all age groups. Great for both children and teachers!” – Glen Waverley South Primary School
“Oustanding! Great to see all these aspects of theatre presented well…really suited to age range of children…Again, outstanding entertainment and perfect opportunity for children to experience full theatre performance at an affordable price. Children’s involvement said it all: they were totally captivated and enthralled. Teachers agreed that your show was fantastic and we look forward in anticipation of another great show in the future!” – Beverley Hills Primary School
“Great colour, effects and excellent sound. Lots of action, participation for young children. Very professional and co-operative. Excellent in every way. I have received feedback from class teachers who all thoroughly enjoyed it and appreciated the children’s total involvement. I will recommend the company for 2005!” – Greenhills Primary School
“Excellent…Very appropriate for age level (current ideas great eg. Kath & Kim ‘look at me’ and the “Australian Idol” stuff)…Great audience participation, the understanding of audience was great eg. stretches in middle etc. Polished performance” – Greenhills Primary School
“Costumes outstanding! Perhaps 2 smaller groups for the show. Fabulous – enjoyed the adult humour. Great getting kids up to stretch in the middle and making it part of the show…Familiar songs were enjoyed by the kids” – Doncaster Gardens Primary School
“Very professional and impressive…This is the first time we have engaged Alpha Theatrical Productions and the response from staff, parents and children was one of extreme captivation” – Burbank Primary School
“Brilliant…the best live drama show we’ve had here…teacher’s resource notes very helpful for setting the tone…the friendly, child-orientated nature of the script and the warmth of the actors – well done!” – Osborne Primary School
“Great, you kept the audience involved and they loved it…It was great for children and adults…The story was very true to the original…This was fantastic, the entire production was very entertaining and professional. Well done once again!” – Coburg West Primary School
“Fantastic…Great choice of music…this company really aims at high standards and engages a young audience right throughout the entire performance; a production that doesn’t hold back on sets, theatrical effects, costumes and a fantastic full cast that demonstrates depth of talent” – Presbyterian Ladies College
“Characterisations were excellent, even when taken into “panto” mode. Excellent sets and costumes for a show that can set up in a hall in an hour…kids and teachers were enthralled!” – Westgrove Primary School
“Actors were great – really got into the spirit of it & involved the kids…great script and excellent student involvement…exceeded my expectations. Loved the modern songs and whole show. Will definitely recommend it again in 2004…Sensational production. My grade 4/5 thoroughly enjoyed the performance and especially enjoyed the humour and music choice (They were a bit grossed out by the kissing, but I’m sure they’ll get over it soon! 🙂 Fantastic – well done!” – Westgrove Primary School
“Excellent casting – we were impressed with the wonderful talent of these six performers…[the performers and tour manager were] very easy to work with – I appreciated the courtesy & helpfulness during early phone contacts, and the approachable, accommodating attitude of the performers themselves…
The pantomime was a wonderful live theatre experience for all levels of our primary school –
the children loved the fantastic costumes, sets, lighting and sound, the brilliant acting from the cast, and a great adaptation of the Beauty and the Beast story… The sheet of suggested lead up/follow up activities was appreciated, especially for classroom use… The group were extremely approachable and fun – they were happy to chat with the children, give autographs, explain the production and their respective roles. For the majority of our students, this was their first experience of pantomime, or any sort of live theatre – what a wonderful introduction!” – Killara Primary School
“Our head teacher said it was the best she’d ever seen!” – The Peninsula School
“The actors were extremely believable…the children followed the story easily due to a “child friendly” script…this is the best performance to have visited Clairvaux! The professionalism was exceptional…the children were engaged for the whole performance!” – Clairvaux Catholic School
“Faboulous rapport with students…we were thrilled with it!” – Concord Special School
“Fantastic, held children’s attention, great participation…outstanding adaptation…the cast were easy to get along with – highly organised…storyline/songs were familiar to the kids so they could join in…humour/costumes terrific!” – Tongala Primary School
“Quality was exceptional, take me to a live show (and the children!) any day. Blown away. It was loud, clear, colourful, exciting, vibrant, stimulating, and the involving of children and teachers made it stand out!” – Guthrie Street Primary School
“The children were enthralled…we loved the modern/popular songs throughout…all students, from all schools, thoroughly enjoyed the show (so did the staff!). Suited all children aged 4 to 12…we loved it! Thank you!” – Avoca Primary School
“The students were enthralled. The actors established rapport quickly. Our gym was transformed, and the scene was set immediately. We didn’t expect such depth in the story, the students were delighted to see the storyline aligned with the film/picture book version. Some great lines delighted the staff! The cast were very professional – the early arrival and attention to detail was extraordinary. This was a wonderful experience for our students. The lighting, scenery, singing, dialogue and costumes provided endless, excited discussion and stimulated some very descriptive writing. You made everything so easy and fuss-free. It was great to deal with Ben when ever we needed to clarify details. Information was provided quickly and efficiently and we appreciated your understanding of our attendance difficulties. The quality of your performance was certainly not reflected by the cost – tremendous value for our children! Thank you for a wonderful performance!” – Mossgiel Park Primary School
“Very good…excellent sets…you kept the real storyline in your adaptation – it is difficult to please Grade 6 kids…Loved the slapstick” – Oakleigh South Primary School
“Excellent adaption to the story…the production was excellent” – Kananook Primary School
“I liked the costumes the best, they were spot on with the ones the kids are familiar with” – Kananook Primary School
“I liked the way they engaged the audience as if they depended on their opinion” – Kananook Primary School
“I loved the way modern music was incorporated into the story, because the kids can really get into it” – Kananook Primary School
“The cast gave answers and hugs to the kids, the kids loved them!” – Kananook Primary School
“Very professional…acting was brilliant” – Kananook Primary School
“Audience participation: control of this was exceptional by cast members…music/sound brilliant to keep all interested” – Kananook Primary School
“High quality – all characters very convincing” – Kananook Primary School
“Highly entertaining and engaging…the children were surprised at the time (that had passed) when we returned to the class!” – Kananook Primary School
“I enjoyed everything…all of the children in my class had several favourite parts!” – Kananook Primary School
“The children were totally engrossed…costumes especially were excellent” – Kananook Primary School
