GIlded Baloon
This show starts out informing us all that the two main characters Ogg and Ugg are not cavemen but hunter gatherers. Despite ‘primitivizing’ hunter gatherers this does give Ogg and Ugg lots of opportunities to discuss food, collecting mushrooms, battling with snakes and asking the audience what their favourite foods are.
The wolf is a motif that children are both fascinated and scared by so it is a clever choice for a show. The wolves gradually become less scary through the show as we see things from their perspective. They become allies with Ogg and Ugg and eventually have doglike puppies. Though not all the children are convinced, by the end most are happy to stroke both the wolf parents and domesticated dog puppies.
The two characters are very engaging. Good songs (and singing), wolf puppets, enthusiasm, lots of chances for children to come onto the stage and good use of lighting liven up the relatively simple set and keep the young audience interested throughout.
The show doesn’t earn educational points for factual accuracy however I’m sure that won’t bother most children. I can’t see many not enjoying this friendly, well meaning, heart-warming show.
A simple message from my 3 year old: ‘I like the wolves’!
(Katch Holmes)
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