Kids' TV fun slick on stage

If you've seen the TV show then you'll know the drill, but you had to be there to witness the delight of littlies joining in their heroes' catchy routines.

An audience of mainly 2 to 6-year-olds was immediately on their feet, waving hands in the air, as Hi5's high-energy crew skipped on to stage for a fast-paced hour of skits reinforced with their trademark song and dance.

Chats, the annoying puppet, made an appearance too, to tease long-suffering Kathleen, as he does every weekday morning on the telly. The show, though, had enough live excitement to seem fresh, and it was fun to assess the quintet's identities freed from the confines of the box.

Kathleen is the standout dancer, precise and drilled. Kellie began like a jaded Super 12 player, not quite match-fit or engaged, but she soon connected with good audience interaction. Charli is, sorry, a tad blond, but you can't go wrong telling a theatre full of little princesses that your favourite colour is pink. Her Fairybread Dance had my 4-year-old emulating every move.

Tim comes across as a likeable yet low-key lad, but it was Nathan who really bounded about. On television he seems a bit of a guber, but with his theatresports-style energy he was the one to watch. Playing a road-fixer manning a jackhammer, he managed to make his face shake like a jelly, to roars of laughter.

As you'd expect from a team who spend two-thirds of the year touring DownUnder, Asia and Britain, the show is well-drilled, with bright, simple sets and effective lighting - starry skies turned young eyes upward in wonder.

It's a slick operation, with the Civic's candy counter turned over to the expanding range of Hi5 merchandise and every other kid wearing branded flashing headbands.

A good time was had by all, with the show's simple and clever formula translating happily to stage.

And unlike most children's performances, filled mostly with mothers and daughters, Hi5 attracted plenty of dads. One wonders if the Wiggles would have held the same appeal as three pretty gals and two blokes who confirmed they weren't just whatsernames.

*Where and when: Civic Theatre, Friday to Sunday