Little white kiwi's tale entertains children

ON SHOW: National Theatre for Children presents Gavin Bishop's story Kiwi Moon. Adam Burrell (left), with Kakapo, Whitney Channings with Mother Kiwi, William Duignan with Little Kiwi and Carrie Green with Kuri (dog).PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA

Hundreds of Wairarapa children yesterday thrilled to a tale told through puppetry and song of a little white kiwi finding its place in the world.

The Capital E National Theatre for Children company twice unfurled the Kiwi Moon story at the Carterton Events Centre yesterday with the first show sold out and the second just shy of a full house, company manager Charlotte Jackson said.

Close to 300 younger children were spellbound at the first show, she said, and had come from kindergartens and preschools in Carterton, Greytown and Masterton. The second performance attracted a house of just under 200 children from South End School in Carterton and St Patrick's School in Masterton.

The performances were part of a 45-show, 18-date nationwide tour aimed at children aged from 2 to 7. The show sought to highlight the "importance of being different" using a strategically lit but otherwise black-curtained stage and a cast of four puppeteers, who were coached by Greytown-based puppeteer Steffen Kreft and directed by Greytown old girl Kerryn Palmer.

Kiwi Moon is a new production first staged in 2008 and based on the picture book of the same name from Gavin Bishop. Peter Wilson first adapted the story for stage and the latest incarnation is by Rachel Callinan, showcasing "a deceptively simple story that speaks of diversity and how being different has an impact on our community relationships".

"The story follows a little white kiwi who thinks the moon might be his mother because it is white and bright and round like him. Children journey with the kiwi through the forest floor to hula with huhu grubs, watch out for the wekas, and calypso with the handsome kakapo," Ms Jackson said.

Capital E producer Marianne Taylor said the themes of the production also "encourage children to think about the role nature plays in the life of Aotearoa and its people, and to reflect on caring for the environment and all living things".

Kiwi Moon features actors Carrie Green, William Duignan, Whitney Channings and Adam Burrell and original puppets by Sue Hill with songs by Tane Upjohn-Beatson.

The show opened in Palmerston North late last week and the cast and crew had visited the "real white Kiwi" at Pukaha Mount Bruce..