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Published on September 14th, 2024 | by Andrew Bistak

Grug Review (Melbourne Arts Centre)

Grug Review (Melbourne Arts Centre) Andrew Bistak
Score

Summary: The iconic Australian character Grug comes to life in this entertaining play from start to finish

4.5

An Australian Icon


Presented by the Windmill Theatre Company, the beloved Australian children’s classic Grug by author Ted Prior comes to life. Prior penned a plethora of books based on this fictional character. At 35 minutes in length, this play successfully pays homage to some of the best Grug moments. The audience is beautifully introduced to his origin story via drawings, showing how the top of a Burrawang grew into this creature. As the three performers (Ashton Malcolm, Juanita Navas-Nguyen, and Matt Crook) turn the last page, Grug makes his stage presence known to an excited audience.

Besides the clever puppetry of Grug, whose legs and even eyelids move, the other highlight (besides the three amusing performers) is the brilliant set. It recreates the borough, includes an amusing underwater scene, and features deliveries that really bring key moments of his story to life. From Grug and the Big Red Apple to Grug Has a Birthday and Grug and His Garden, the Windmill Theatre Company captures some great moments from this well-known Australian character. Add in excellent lighting, sound, and music, and overall, Grug is a play that is a true celebration of this quirky little character. There’s also plenty of emotion in his journey, including lots of laughs.

Final Thoughts?

This family-friendly play had the entire audience of the Arts Centre Melbourne’s The Show Room captivated by this little character. With books published from 1979 (Grug) to 2020 (Grug and the Bushfire), the audience was truly intergenerational, with parents and grandparents taking their younger children and grandchildren to this play. Lastly, Ashton Malcolm, Juanita Navas-Nguyen, and Matt Crook did a wonderful job bringing Grug to life, along with his carpet python friend Cara, adding warmth, friendliness, and humour to this engaging play. Recommended!

Recommended!



 

Grug
A Windmill Theatre Company and Queensland Performing Arts Centre’s Out of the Box Festival Co-production
Venue: Arts Centre Melbourne | The Show Room
Dates: 11 – 15 September
Director: Sam Haren
Designer: Jonathon Oxlade
Composer: DJ TR!P
Puppet Maker & Consultant: Tamara Rewse
Stage Manager: Daniel Story
Performers: Ashton Malcolm, Juanita Navas-Nguyen, Matt Crook
Web: https://www.artscentremelbourne.com.au/whats-on/2024/kids-and-families/grug

 


About the Author

When he's not trying to save the world, Andrew enjoys travel (although loathes turbulence), going to the movies, reading and being a dad to his two dogs (and now twins) with his wife.


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