Pete The Sheep

Pete The Sheep

Based on the book by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley

Adapted for the stage by Eva Di Cesare, Sandie Eldridge and Tim McGarry

Directed by Jonathan Biggins

Photo by Lisa Williams

Reviewed at the ARA Darling Quarter Theatre

Reviewed by Ron Lee, CSP

After a tough year for producers of live shows, The Monkey Baa Theatre Company is delighted to be back and ready to tour, starting with the already produced musical, Pete The Sheep.

At first I had limited interest in seeing a children’s show, but the noticed the involvement of Jonathan Biggins and Phil Scott of The Wharf Review fame and knew that there would also be something in it for adults.

Shaun the metrosexual shearer arrives in Shaggy Gully with some revolutionary ideas about shearing sheep. For a start, he doesn’t have a sheep dog, he has a sheep-sheep named Pete. Unlike sheep-dogs that nip at the heels of the sheep to coerce them into the shearing shed, Pete engages in friendly and respectful chats with his fellow sheep, and they don’t look forward to being sheared but to being styled.

This new approach to an established, traditional profession doesn’t go down well with the more experienced, old school shearers.

The four cast members enthusiastically play the shearers and the sheep-dogs, and keep our attention for the entire hour.

Apart from being ultimately entertaining for adults and children, Pete The Sheep is a lesson in working with others and showing them the benefits of being receptive to innovation and embracing change.