Lisa Allan reviews Caterpillars, created and directed by Thom Monckton and produced by Circo Kali for the World Buskers Festival, at Altiora, Te Matatiki Toi Ora The Arts Festival, Wednesday 29 January, 2025.
Two lycra-clad clowns actively welcome the audience from a stage adorned with three colourful rounded screens. The performers are covered from head to foot, with only their faces free from the black material. Silently, they set the audience at ease by generously welcoming those who arrive after me with kind applause. They acknowledge the oppressive heat of the day by fanning a member of the front row, and they check that we are all ready to start the show with thumbs ups and quizzical faces. They have wordlessly created a safe and connected space, we are ready, and so they begin.
What unfolds is a show that revels in the joy of simplicity. Classic clowning tropes, primarily incompetence and precision timing, are delivered slickly. The story frame is simple. After much ado (of course), the clowns present us with a chart illustrating the life-cycle of the caterpillar, and they then proceed to bring this to life. A delightful array of props and set-pieces are brought forth from behind the screens. These take us from summer to summer, from the laying of eggs all the way through to the majestic emergence of the butterfly.
I am particularly struck by Caitlin Penhey’s ability to clearly convey a range of emotions and ideas from within a large caterpillar suit. Danny Lee Syme’s caterpillar is also manipulated skilfully, but the absence of a facial focal-point makes it harder to communicate complexities like feelings. For me, the faces of the performers, and the faces of the characters, are vital to my ability to connect with the piece. I find the section in which a yellow flower covers Danny’s face difficult to engage with for the same reason.
These small considerations aside, Caterpillars is an absolutely charming piece of theatre that has even the youngest audience members captivated. The performers are highly skilled clowns who generously share their gifts with the audience. Of all the wonderful offerings at this year’s World Buskers Festival, this show was my pick, and I was not disappointed. There is another show this Friday the 31st of January at 3pm and tickets are still available, but may not be for long.
Caterpillars runs until Friday 31 January.
Flat City Field Notes 