Lisa Allan reviews Bundle Baby, presented by Cubbin Theatre, at the Cloisters Theatre, The Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora, Thursday 5 June 2025.
Ōtautahi-based Cubbin Theatre specialises in creating experiences for the youngest members of our society. Their latest show, Bundle Baby, is pitched specifically at those who are just eight months to two years of age. As I sit on the stone surrounds outside the Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora performance space, Cloisters Studio, prams assemble in the sign-posted Pram Parking Zone. As someone who doesn’t have a child (but is expecting a delivery in nine weeks!) I find this designated space beautifully inclusive and otherworldly all at once. This thoughtful feature is but one of a number of such elements surrounding Bundle Baby, a production that has been created with a deep understanding of what parents and their little ones might need to feel comfortable and supported.
There are plenty of helpers on hand who calmly welcome the audience with smiles, and when it is time to enter the space I am transported into designer Rosie Gilmore’s vision, where the everyday becomes enchanting. Sheets and bits of cloth create an indoor tent, duvet inners line the ground of the performance space, and a washing line with tiny clothing on it creates the backdrop. For the audience, there are chairs at the back and little bean-shaped foam pads adorning the floor at the front for parents to sit up close to the action with their children. The space is beautifully lit by technician William Burns, who uses soft pastels to create a sense of warm welcome and magic.
Performers, Jorja Baylee and Trubie-Dylan Smith, are already in place. They sit and project peace and friendliness as everyone takes their seat. After introducing themselves, they disappear backstage to begin the play. And ‘play’ is exactly the right word to describe what unfolds. As I watch, my mind begins to divide this play into a series of explorations with props. Old-school nappies, colourful squares of cloth, bunting, duvets and a laundry basket are all fodder for creativity. Audience engagement goes in predictable waves. When a new prop is introduced, there is a general sense of unsettlement, but as the exploration of how this prop can be used to spark delight ensues, even the tiniest of audience members are transfixed. The audience responds best to long durations of a single idea, or an idea that evolves slowly. They are likewise captured by repetition, and elements that are most likely recognisable from their homelife, such as the simple words ‘hello’, ‘boo’, and ‘goodbye’. This play has been devised intelligently, with a grounded understanding of and respect for the developmental stage of the targeted age group.
Children are permitted to come into the performance space at their leisure and the performers seamlessly work around them or engage with them in subtle or more obvious ways. It is when the laundry basket becomes a sound-making tool that children become their boldest, with three wee ones holding onto the edge of the basket as the performers drum and then turn it into a car. The performers have an interesting task of balancing where their focus goes in this moment and they eventually nail it when Jorja focuses on those on stage, and Trubie-Dylan focuses on the wider audience. Their experience as professional actors and improvisors make them the perfect people to embrace with joy the unpredictable nature of this kind of interactive piece, whilst still delivering the content of the show. They are both radiant in these roles and generously work together to create a special experience for their audience members.
The play is peppered with a gorgeous original soundtrack, recorded and mixed by Ryan Fisherman. Using simple, soft sounds, Amy Straker and her children, River (2) and Poppy (6) Douglas, add yet another playful and imaginative dimension to the work.
Director, Melanie Luckman, has crafted an intelligent, relevant, gentle and imaginative play for young people that adds another strong (yet soft) string to the Cubbin Theatre bow. For those looking for uplifting experiences for their little humans, in an inclusive and embracing social setting, I recommend getting along to Bundle Baby. The Pram Parking Zone is ready and waiting!
Bundle Baby runs until Sunday 8 June at the Cloisters Studio, The Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora. Information here.
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