ES: Out in the wilds of the Yukon, there are many mysteries afoot. Most of the land is wild, fertile, and uninhabited? Perhaps not. Ramshackle Theatre is born from this unbridled territory to give children’s entertainment an interesting look in front of and behind the scenes of a camera. At a show hosted by Intrepid Theatre, James and I were treated to a wonderful shadow puppet display that brings a touch of surrealism to the masses.
They will be performing their next show on April 2, 2016, at the Mermaid Imperial Theatre Performing Arts Centre in Windsor, Nova Scotia. Maybe it’s time to book a trip!
JS: Yes, book, book now! This is a very solid family sci-fi production with a nostalgic feel. If you had people from the National Film Board of Canada, Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet, Bruce McCulloch and the creators of The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show in a stuck elevator, this is the show they would create to fight boredom.
ES: For the film buff in me, I liked how this show reveals how the movie magic happens. Projected on-screen is the actual show, and down below are the puppeteers who work their animatronic style magic by using cardboard cutouts, magnets and poles. There are some sequences which can be likened to many classic toons from the late 60’s/early 70’s. The 2D presentation is very South Park-ish, and thankfully that’s where the similarities end. The cast in this show, the professor and the dog, have an eerie familiarity. Peabody & Sherman anyone?
JS: The time travel element in the storyline did ring of Peabody & Sherman but the friendship between the two felt more Nick Park’s Wallace and Gromit. It was the strongest segment of the show but the first segment involving the battle between the Slime-O-Trons and the Habronians had me revisiting my early childhood.
ES: There are so many allusions Sci-Fi Double Feature makes and that makes this travelling sideshow worth checking out. I believe both adults and kids will be thoroughly entertained, with all the references it makes.
As for when this group will appear and what they will do next, I advise keeping an eye out on Ramshackle Theatre’s website for further information.
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