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(Term 4 Only) December Only)
(December Only)
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School Shows TestimonialsHere are just some of the glowing reviews we have received at Tony Bones Entertainment... "Bully Bull Ring " 2007/2008St Peter Apostle Hoppers Crossing, VIC "Dear Tony and Laura, I am writing to convey the thoughts of my Grade 5 class and myself on the performance we viewed this morning. From my point of view I think you have handled the bullying situation very professionally. Even though the children see it as animals, this makes it easier for the children to identify with than other children. It was interesting to hear the children discussing the show afterwards and their own interpretations of it. I asked the children to write a narrative and include a scenario of what they heard this morning but using people instead of animals. They had to tell the story from either the point of view of the bullier or the bullee. The results have been very positive. Only last week I had a meeting with some parents of a child who is constantly being victimised on the playground and it seems has been for a few years. I have been trying to give him strategies to use to counteract the behaviour he has been experiencing and your show "fell into our laps" so to speak and has given him some more useful pointers. I will speak to him in a day or two and see if he has become "Organised" and has a plan of what he can say or do so when a scenario presents itself he is armed with knowledge of what to do. Thank you again for your very enjoyable and inspiring show. Keep up the good work. Lillian Jilbert... Fantastic performance as always. The children enjoyed the animal characters and clever costumes. Tony and his company did a splendid job of keeping the children entertained and the message was very clear. Superb singing, clever acting - a truly wonderful theatrical performance for our children to see. The children were thoroughly looking forward to the event - and it didn't disappoint. Thanks Tony and we will definitely see you again!... Thank you Tony for a very interactive performance. The children were extremely entertained and talked lots following the show. The costumes were really fantastic and memorable to all children. Thanks very much - it was spectacular!" Birchip P-12 School, VIC “Rarely do we have the calibre of performers as we did with Tony and Laura in “Bully Bull-Ring”. Their performance was entertaining, educational and professional.... A superb presentation – truly captivating and very meaningful, portrayed in a fun way... Excellent performance. Very engaging. Would highly recommend to others... Your performance was outstanding. The best we’ve had in years!! The quality of acting performance and character portrayal, combined with a variety of music genres contributed to this excellent show. The messages were clear to all from P – 6 and the humorous ‘asides’ engaged the senior primary students and staff. I would highly recommend this professional performance to others.. Both students and staff responded most enthusiastically to “Bully Bull-Ring”. The performance was very professional – excellent music and singing, tremendous costumes and a strong message which was clearly understood. This was most evident in the post performance discussion I had with my Grade 5/6 students!” Pagewood Public School, NSW "The actors/singers were brilliant! The concepts were presented effectively and in an entertaining way. Revising methods of avoiding bullying was useful in reinforcing the ideas... The students thoroughly enjoyed the performance. The actors enthusiasm made the students really get into the performance. The characters costumes were excellent! I have been reminding students about each of the animals suggestions as they come to me with bullying problems since the show, eg: ‘stand tall like a giraffe'". Mountain View Adventist College, NSW "It was great. Very informative and the students seemed to get a lot out of it... Fantastic presentation. Kids were enthusiastic. Great variety + catchy tunes... Really enjoyed the catchy songs. I loved the different characters. The students had a great time and learnt lots! Thanks! :) ... Absolutely fantastic - loved the corny one-liners... The catchy songs taught excellent strategies to stand up to bullying. Students loved the characters - they were funny and had good costumes... Excellent presentation especially with only 2 performers and so many different characters. The kids really enjoyed it... Wonderful! Great songs to teach an important message." Sacred Heart Primary School, Mt Druitt, NSW "Thank you for presenting such a great show... Relaxed presentation with great jokes. Great singing!! Audience participation was enjoyable. Good use of questioning students throughout the performance. Good costumes (variety of animals)... It was a great performance... It was great. The kids enjoyed it. Excellent... A great way to cover a tricky topic... Entertaining for the children and lots of fun... Bullying strategies were really helpful and clever." Maranatha Christian School, Officer, VIC "Awesome practical ideas to implement early on in schooling... The music was enjoyable and the interaction really caught them... Absolutely amazing, funny, sensitive, empowering (the BEST PD I have had on ways to beat bullying), enriching (the music styles and discussion afterwards were great!)... We will definitely be following up with the messages you have presented and look forward eagerly to seeing those songs recorded... Thank you so much for an inspiring afternoon. I look forward to next year!... I thoroughly enjoyed the performance. It was very entertaining, engaging and provided students with practical strategies for dealing with bullying... Performance was wonderful. Focus was on bringing out the best in the 'victim'. Thought this was brilliant. The "what can I do to improve my situation"... Loved the music and comedy. Fantastic!...I would recommend this production to all schools. Timbarra Primary School, VIC "... I think that the performance was very entertaining and offered the children some really good strategies to help them combat bullying. After having completed a follow-up reflection with my class, the main thing that came-up was the clever way that ‘catchy messages’ and songs were used to send across clear understandings. It was great to hear many of the children singing different parts of the songs throughout the afternoon.... The songs were ‘catchy’ and the children found attaching the ‘moral’ to an animal made it easier to remember... Loved the enthusiasm, music and actions in performance. The ‘You Can Do It’ message was presented in an original and thoughtful way. The after show discussion my 3/4s had was thoughtful as well and reflective. We had a great follow-on activity with our buddies... the post-show discussion Tony did with the kids... focused on ‘how the show was staged’ and not just on the message. Most excellent, I would recommend your performance to all schools... I found this production to be fun and exciting for the children and the concepts included in the show were easy to remember and great to do follow-on activities with. I thought by allocating a different animal to each concept helped the children to remember the strategies. Thanks for a great production!... Our students really enjoyed the performance and found the animal costumes and characters very engaging. It was terrific to be able to connect ideas to particular animals and we have used some of their advice in the classroom, particularly the giraffe. The link to ‘You Can do It’ was also very relevant to our school and program.... I found that the messages complemented our values and the ‘You Can Do It’ program. The students thoroughly enjoyed it and were engaged through the whole session.
Lakes Entrance Vacation Care, VIC “The children really enjoyed the way the message was put across. Very funny, excellent acting, great sound and great use of music and song. Thanks very much... Very profesionally presented with great acting, singing and interpersonal skills in dealing with a cross-section of children of varying degrees of attention span. Most valuable and enjoyable. Thank you for a job well done.... Thank you – love the way the message is put across with music as children often are more receptive. Loved the show.” Bullengarook Primary School, VIC “I appreciated the self-sufficiency of your presentation (especially as I am the only teacher in the school) – the “no-fuss” setting up, dismantling, etc. The show certainly passed all tests here at Bullengarook as the storm we had while the show was on was spectacular but the children were all engaged and mainly oblivious to the fact the room was almost flooded out (I discovered after you left that the little back room was flooded... Many thanks for a great performance.” Hesket Primary School, VIC “A really enjoyable and engaging performance. The kids were totally entranced and seemed to understand the messages. The humour was great. Well done!... Excellent way to get across concepts using animals. Great way to incorporate different music styles as well. Fantastic show!... A great show. Our whole school not only enjoyed the performance, they took something away. I will certainly be using your phrases when I discuss certain issues with my children.” St Peter’s Anglican College, NSW “The students were engaged and they were easily able to recall the key messages / strategies communicated to them through the play and the music. They loved it!.. It was great! Loved the music – kids were excited – loved the animals. Were able to talk about theme! You are welcome back if I have a say!... By far the best bullying show I have had the pleasure of experiencing. Please come back again. What a great show! Great music and concepts covered in such an entertaining way... Thanks for a wonderful performance. Great messages with a visual representation in each animal. I loved the way you tied in different musical styles into the drama to reflect each animals’ personality. I gained lots of practical ideas to incorporate into my drama sessions... A great approach to arming students against bullying. Thoroughly enjoyable.” "Water Witcher" 2007/2008From the author Jan Omerod " Dear Tony,... thank you for the DVD of your delightful performance of Water Witcher. I enjoyed it a lot, thought you expanded it cleverly and thoughfully, and I LOVE your long legged silly walks! Well done, and thanks again. Very best, Jan" Flemington Primary School, VIC “Performance was fantastic! Children were engaged throughout the show...Both my class and I loved the performance. I liked how you pointed out to the students that it is okay for a boy to act the part of a girl and vice-versa. Great story, acting and songs to match. 10/10 for a great performance.” Westmeadows Primary School, VIC “Kids loved the show. Getting them moving kept them all interested in story...Great show – lots of interest for the children. Terrific incorporation of the storyline and music...Fast moving, enjoyable show. The story chosen was appropriate to Australia’s present water situation.” The Scotts School, Bathurst, NSW “The concert was great. The students were completely engaged from Kinder to Year 4. The actors did bring the book alive and it was clever how musical songs were written into the story. Great use of the book in the drama to draw on the students’ previous learning.” St Francis Xavier, Frankston, VIC “Very well put together – funny and entertaining.” St Marcartan’s Primary School, VIC “The children were fully engaged in what was happening. It was a delight to watch the various expressions on the children’s faces. The performers did an excellent job, always talking to the audience as well as including them during performance. Clear articulation and good costumes...Excellent show. Meaning behind the story clearly conveyed. Props, costumes good. Children engaged well with storyline – post-play discussion was worthwhile. Children loved the music and comedy...The children thoroughly enjoyed the show. The music was superb and the choreography spot on. Children were entertained and learnt some important things about saving water as well. Well done and thank you...Fantastic! Great level of energy. Nice and colourful and the students were engaged for the whole time. Great discussion about drought at the end...I loved it. It was great seeing the story come ‘alive’. I loved the harmonies (great voices) and the dances. You certainly pour your hearts and souls into it. Also loved the humour. The kids? They loved it too!” Donvale Primary School, VIC “Loved the musical aspect. Added depth and loved the volume – loud, to keep the kids interested. Costumes were great. Was great how you involved crowd and came into audience, kept them alert. Creative, funny and fantastic performance. A great way to explore such a fabulous story. Good re-cap on the book at question time...Was a great performance. Very engaging. The kids seemed happy. Getting them involved was good...Kids loved the suspense at the beginning. Children were very engaged throughout the entire performance. Songs are great! Choreography great too! Costumes were great and simple. Dream sequence was fabulous! Dougie was excellent. Digging sketch great! Involvement of kids with actions was AWESOME! Very nice ending...Great intro – got attention, fun, children loved it. Songs were great. Audience participation was good – children loved that (me too!). LOVED that chook costume!! Great fun and energy. Loved the adaptation. Great choice of book – topical issue as well as one that affects us all. I love the family aspect too – how families help each other. I really liked the re-cap of the book at the end – beginning, middle and end (what we concentrate on in class) Great rapport with the audience. Question time was really well done too. Thanks a lot – we had a great time.” Mt Pleasant Primary School, Ballarat, VIC “Fantastic. Awesome. Entertaining. Totally engaging. Thought provoking...Children loved it (so did teachers!). Very funny. Stimulated much discussion comparing book to performance...Wonderful show. Engagement of the children was excellent, especially pre-show. Promoted excellent discussion about issues...Tony’s shows are always fantastic. The reach across the ages so that everyone enjoys themselves...Each year the performance is dynamic, all-engrossing and the children leave wanting more and feeling great about things!” St Catherine’s College, Toorak, VIC “This was a fantastic production – perfect for the age group! I really liked the way reference was made regularly to the book, and the simple ways in which the book was acted out/portrayed. Discussion at the end of the show was fantastic – the best I have seen! It maintained the focus on the book, highlighting the main features. The Year 2 students loved this production, and I thought it was a very worthwhile presentation. Thank you so much...I loved it! It was very relevant, funny, informative and age-appropriate. Excellent, A+” Glen Katherine Primary School, Eltham, VIC "Great way to bring the book alive. A lesson in history, literacy and drama. So practical...Great! Discussion afterwards was valuable – just planned my literacy and art lesson for Wednesday...Fantastic book and relevant. Discussion afterward was wonderful too!...Fantastic show – very educational and enjoyable.” Abbotsford Primary School, VIC “Fantastic performance as usual. Kids loved it. Great songs – children engaged the whole time. Talking about it the next day. Most suitable for all ages. Very professional. Good extension i.e. comments re: water saving etc. Holistic performance. Topical. A complete package – dance, music, action etc.” Frankston Library, VIC “This show was just fantastic! Very interactive and the music/songs were great – thank you very much...Another excellent performance...Water Witcher - a very worthwhile and educational event.” Thomastown Primary School, VIC “A worthwhile performance. The children really enjoyed it and learnt important issues to do with drought! A fantastic performance enjoyed by all...Great performance – students really enjoyed it. Follow-up activities were great!!...Very well performed! Definitely a worthwhile activity!...A great performance – children really enjoyed it and were very eager to talk about it after – we talked about how we could act stories out...Fantastic presentation Tony and Girls. Positive feedback from all concerned. The students in particular loved it. Keep up the great work.” Corpus Christi Primary School, Cranebrook, NSW "Both the children and the staff all seemed to enjoy the show. The entertainers were very professional and obviously enjoy what they’re doing...Thanks. The children really enjoyed the show...The show was very entertaining and the children love the songs and actions...Very entertaining. Full of energy. Suited the children. It brought the book to life – thank you...Fantastic. All children enjoyed the show. Enjoyed being able to dance and move around.” Caulfield Grammar School, Wheelers Hill Campus, VIC “Appreciated the variety of the performance (story, drama, dance and song). Costumes were well done and explanations at the beginning and end. Also good to have questions at the end. The students were totally absorbed in the performance – very creative. Many thanks. Come again!...The performance was outstanding. The children were so engaged and gauged very well for a young audience. It was really good that the children were involved also. Thank you! Looking forward to your next performance...Absolutely fantastic! The children and I were thoroughly entertained!! We all loved it – so appropriate for young children – lots of movement, variety and songs. Well done, and thanks!...Fabulous. Very engaging and thoroughly well-organised! Would love them to come back...Absolutely outstanding! The standard of performance (acting and singing) was superb and at times very moving. This was a wonderful medium to experience books, drama and music in a live performance. Exactly what we wanted. Thank you!...This is the first time I’ve seen such a production and it was fabulous. Recently, I’ve been taking more interest in children’s books and the possibilities of making them ‘singable’ so this was exactly what I needed! All students were engaged for the entire duration and I could see that they thoroughly enjoyed it too.” Amsleigh Park Primary School “Fantastic! Thoroughly enjoyable for both teachers and children. Gave valuable insight to plight of farmers dealing with the drought. Linked beautifully with the Prep classes and German as we are studying ‘The Farm and the needs of Living Things’. The junior grades were engaged and follow-up discussions and activities in class revealed they had absorbed lots and enjoyed the performance. All actors looked like they enjoyed the experience too. Thanks for an enjoyable and valuable performance.” Overnewton College, Keilor Campus, VIC “You made the book come alive in a most entertaining manner – it was wonderful! I liked the simplicity of the set and props; it has inspired me to try something similar with children. The question and answer session at the end was not only informative, but extremely well stage-managed. THANK YOU for a truly memorable experience!” Naranga School, Frankston, VIC “The performance had something for everyone. Students were captivated with the story and enjoyed participating. Students were informed and entertained. Story was brought to life through catchy songs and costume. Teachers were pleased with the performance and we are happy to have you back next year.” Woodleigh School, Junior Campus, Frankston, VIC “The teachers were very impressed by the groups’ performance. They were pleased with the content and thought that the show was very professional. Really liked the Q and A time at the end.” Nulkaba Public School, NSW “Fantastic clear presentation of concepts. Loved the presentation of how drama/casting/sets created. Loved the reinforcing of ideas...Brought back lots of childhood memories – of life in a farming district – and water diviners...Outstanding responses from class (drawings etc.) - result of fantastic show...Excellent performance – kept all children absolutely mesmerized. Great incidental learning throughout. Followed literacy terms and structures that children use...Absolutely brilliant! Excellent acting, singing and dancing. Relevant message...Excellent! Children were enthralled the whole time. Very suited to this age group...Amazing! The kids were enthralled and the links to English syllabus were superb – fantastic!...Very entertaining. Children enjoyed it...Very professional presentation. Fantastic...Excellent. Kids got a lot out of it!” Kew Primary School, Victoria “We read ‘Water Witcher’ again today - the day after the show, and saw it so differently to the first time we read it. A huge discussion around the sisters and how they were funny - yet what they were doing wasn't funny at all - it was teasing/bullying Dougie (cheap humour). Kids absolutely loved the show… They thought the costumes were realistic and they really felt a sense of dryness on the farm.” Albert Park Library, Victoria "Very professional! Kept kids' interest throughout show. Many favourable comments!" Ringwood Heights Primary School, Victoria "Thanks for last week's performances. Our staff and students loved them. Our older kids have seen your shows now since their Prep years and have learnt so much about the nature of performance as a means of story telling. The question time for all groups is really valuable. Could you please book us a time for 2008." Comments from schools in the Wallsend area, NSW “What an absolutely fabulous show! Congratulations on producing such a professional piece of theatre. Staff and students alike were involved, laughing and mesmerized!”
"Being Bee" 2007/2008Flemington Primary School, VIC “Very enjoyable. Very good performance. Professionally presented and pertinent to certain students living/family situations. The number of tears in the audience was an indication of how well the story touched the students. Students were very engaged...All comments from the children were positive. Students were excited by the characters and were keen to discuss the relationships acted out between each character. Some students were obviously touched by the emotions openly displayed by each of the characters. The visit by Tony Bones Entertainment was timely, as our unit of study this term (3) is theatre.” Kalinda Primary, Ringood, VIC “Really enjoyed the show. Was clear in its representation of some confronting issues. Really enjoyed the duet between the girls. Liked the break-down at the end...Allows us to enter into the issues that every child faces, we read the book and had a fantastic discussion above family structure...The characters had heart and cleverly avoided stereotype but were still clear and “simple” to understand...Great to see dramatization after we had read the book. Wonderful light and shade to engage students. Explanation at end most helpful to understandings.” St Marcartan’s Primary School, VIC “Excellent story-telling! I was really enthralled as were the students. Very age-appropriate and relating well to their experiences of families. Students who are in this very position were glowing with the links you make to their situations...Excellent play that captured the attention of the students and told the story very well. The chance for the children to ask questions was also worthwhile and added to the experience...An excellent play that covers many themes. The characters of the story were played/portrayed extremely well. The play generated excellent classroom discussion afterwards. Thank you.” Glen Katherine Primary School, Eltham, VIC "Student comment: ‘Your play was amazing! You were amazing! Have you ever thought of going on Australian Idol? You are really good singers.’ Well presented and covered issues sensitively...Fabulous! The play was really good because it showed that everybody has problems of their own. The singing was great and everybody thought ‘Sally’ was funny!...Enjoyed by all. Dealt with real life issues, humourous and great acting...Enjoyed by the whole grade. Harley portrayed really well. The content in the play was relevant to this age group...Some really important issues that our students have to deal with involving families. Children really enjoyed the book and also the portrayal of Harley.” Greenacre Public School, NSW "The play was very well done, particularly the balance between the spoken script and song. The message of the book was communicated clearly in a manner that all students could identify with. Giving the students an opportunity to ask questions was fantastic as it allowed them to not only better understand the story, but also the process of how a play is put together...Good interpretation of the text. Songs worked well to break up play.” Glen Eira College, VIC “The play explored the themes of grief and mental illness in a light and highly sympathetic manner. The actors were flexible and funny and the students enjoyed the performance. The play was spiced up with entertaining musical items. The actors studied well mannerisms and language of high-school students...Pacy, fast, visually entertaining. Great character performances...Great acting with minimal props. I enjoyed the character portrayals and the singing was fabulous...Excellent transition from character to character, engaging. Well done...Well performed and engaging, good coverage of the issues involved in the storyline.” Caulfield Grammar School, Wheelers Hill Campus, VIC “This is the fifth year I have seen Tony Bones at various schools and as always, loved it! Both performances were of outstanding quality with brilliant acting and a purposeful message. I appreciate the value in questioning/reflective time at the end and love how my drama students have picked up on some of your theory about characterisation and prop use. Keep up the amazing work and can’t wait to see next year!” Woodleigh School, Junior Campus, Frankston, VIC "You handled the issues in the book sensitively and appropriately for the age level. I really think that the children valued the debriefing at the end and again appreciated the Q and A time. Prompted interesting discussion in the classroom. Loved the costumes and the music.” Westmeadows Primary School, VIC “Very relevant to family life issues. Children all enjoyed it. Acting and singing was excellent...Some deeper thinking issues dealt with that would be relevant to a number of children. Also many of those themes link well with our ‘Bounce Back’ topics. Good mixture of emotions...Tremendous energy from all actors. Singing was fabulous – really strong voices…Well done!” Kilbreda College, Mentone, VIC “Congratulations and thank you for an entertaining and thought-provoking performance. The feedback from the Year 7 girls was overwhelmingly positive and reflected their enjoyment and involvement in the show. The characters were portrayed strongly and the girls could relate to many of the issues explored in the text. The performance was amusing but sensitive and achieved a great balance. The theme of relationships can be both simple and complex and the students were able to discuss the many and varied friendships that they have with others. Most impressive was the inclusion of the mental health issue. This challenged many of the girls and they identified with some of the problems that can arise when people avoid situations. Many of the girls have been motivated to read the novel and it is fabulous to see the non-readers showing an interest in a particular book. We all loved the energy created by the characters and the combination of dialogue and singing worked effectively. In their Drama classes the girls have been working with minimum props and the concept of playing a variety of characters. Therefore your performance satisfied the VELS interdisciplinary component. Thank you – we all appreciated your work.” Flinders Christian College, Tyabb,VIC “I thoroughly enjoyed the performance. The balance between humour and drama was excellent. The actors, costumes and sets were great. I enjoyed the way the actors involved the audience. The introduction of songs was an enjoyable surprise. I had read the novel but the production made me focus more clearly on the major themes. I thought Tony was excellent in his discussion of these themes at the end of the performance. He involved the children effortlessly. The College appreciated your sensitivity to the Christian school ethos in the presentation and follow-up discussion. The teams’ setting up and dismantling was very smooth and made it easy for the teachers. The sound microphones were great...The plot was very relevant to today’s society and the values taught were sound. A job well done!” “The play was very professional and age-appropriate. The ideas presented in the performance are very real in some of our students’ lives. The students understood the content of the play and were able to join in discussion when returning to the classroom. All actors were professional and showed professional understanding of learning outcomes. The students are keen to see another Tony Bones production.” “Thanks for such a great production. My class and I were really excited to discuss the story when we get back to class. We also discussed the issues raised especially about treating others the way we should. The variation in the production was great. We were impressed by the excellent standard and the professionalism of all the players. The girls’ voices were amazing. The kids said they should try out for “Idol”. Well done and thanks”
Kew Primary School, Victoria “The short time spent after the performance talking about the many themes was great - it helped the kids to think about mental illness in our community which was wonderful. I even heard from a Grade 3 (who had a Grade 6 sibling) that the book was about people with schizophrenia! Amazing what kids pick to take away from a play and talk about at home!” Ringwood Heights Primary School, Victoria “Thanks for last week's performances. Our staff and students loved them. Our older kids have seen your shows now since their Prep years and have learnt so much about the nature of performance as a means of story telling. The question time for all groups is really valuable.” Comments from schools in the Wallsend area, NSW “This production was excellent. The students were enthralled and totally involved. I felt the issues in the book were much more powerful when seen on stage…Staff were extremely professional and pleasant. Looking forward to hosting you again!” Araluen PS, Sale, Victoria “Excellent, excellent, excellent. The look on the children’s faces said it all. The questions they asked showed some depth too. A lot of children connected with the text in a very personal way that they wanted to share, and it was good for them to consider issues from another points of view/s. Acting etc – fantastic. The summary at the end was very effective – made more so by giving children stretching, movement activities first. A very good choice of text. Congratulations. Come again!” "Irving The Magician " 2006/2007MERRIWA CENTRAL SCHOOL, NSW "I’ve had many observations of children’s performances over the years, but none have come close to yours. The whole staff thought the same. It was energetic, professional and extremely humourous. Please come back again" DROMANA PRIMARY SCHOOL, VIC "Absolutely sensational!!" MARANATHA CHRISTIAN COLLEGE, VIC "Outstanding performance – I love the way you bring the story to life... Fabulous, really inspired the children to act using books and things in the environment... a top production... Tony Bones Entertainment = Quality Entertainment! You had a great mix of acting, songs and story that thoroughly entertained both kids and adults. Top Stuff!!... A very talented team." ST MARYS PS, SWAN HILL, VIC "Excellent show... Another fantastic performance from a top class group. The children were spell bound... Great songs, dances. Can’t wait to see next years show.... Fantastic the way the children were involved the whole way through the show... Very slick and credible tricks!" ST MARGARETS P.S MARIBYRNONG, VIC "HILARIOUS!...Fantastic, engaging show... Loved the songs!... wonderful!... great fun!!... Children were totally entertained and engaged....thanks for ‘the Magic’ you bought to St Margarets!" MT PLEASANT PS, VIC "Fantastic! Fun and interactive, catered for all levels and linked well with the book... Excellent and entertaining for all ages! What a wonderful way to present a story!... Really enjoyed Tony Bones - would like to see him every year. Really engages the kids... Teachers and children were captivated by the performance." WATTLE PARK PS, VIC "What a fantastic way to bring a book to life! I would recommend ‘Tony Bones’ to other schools. The children loved the show. It is a great way to really get children to look into books.... Great performance" Doncaster Gardens Primary School, VIC "Well prepared. Active and energetic - great! Good involvement for one and all... Thank you for a great show and for adapting to our time schedule." Lord Mayor John So, City of Melbourne Moomba Waterfest 2007 "Tony Bones - Irving the Magician, Thank you for your dedication and support of Moomba Waterfest 2007" Michelle Bell, Project Coordinator, Moomba Waterfest 2007 "Dear Tony, Moomba waterfest 2007 - Thank you! On behalf of the City of Melbourne I would like to thank yourself and Bree for your involvement in the Moomba Waterfest 2007 Children's Garden Program. The return of Moomba Waterfest after the Commonwealth Games was a resounding success - with huge crowds and fantatsic media coverage. Melburnians turned out in their thousands to enjoy all of the Moomba activities over the Labour Day long weekend. Each performer bought a unique sound and energy to the festival and as a result we have had exceptional feedback on all areas of the Children's Garden program. Thank you for your performance and we hope you enjoyed the experience of performing at the 2007 Moomba Waterfest! All the best. Yours sincerely, Michelle Bell" Tohby Riddle - Author & Illustrator "Irving the Magician" "Dear Tony, Just writing to thank you for sending a DVD of your"Irving the Magician" show. You've done it again! I really enjoyed it - so did my wife, who watched it with me. The script, the songs and the performances were good and funny. And I liked the way you handled the ideas in the book - keeping a nice balance between lively, witty entertainment and sometimes more reflective narrative and meanings in the book. It must have been a challenge, but I think you nailed it and I thought the result was a rich piece of children's theatre. I also appreciated your presentation of the ideas underpinning te book at the end of the show. Very clear and insightful. It was an education for me too. You're doing a great job - I hope it's all going well for you... Best wishes, Tohby Riddle." "Our Greatest Australian - Federation / Commonwealth Games Show" 2001/2006Heathdale Christian College "The Grade 5's and 6's thought it was "the best excursion ever!"... Parents have already spoken to me about how much Students enjoyed the performance. The Staff were very happy with the learning that was part of your very professional show." Brentwood Park Primary Templeton Primary Millwarra Primary
Rosewood Downs Primary "Age appropriate (Years 3-6). Very enjoyable, children responded to the performance and joined in with the songs. Very energetic! Thanks.... Very entertaining. A good introduction for the young children. You kept them involved when they got restless. Tied in well with our Commonwealth Games unit. Fun! Thank you."
"AT THE BEACH - POSTCARDS FROM CRABBY SPIT " 2005 - 2006"Very entertaining. Children from prep to Grade 6 thoroughly enjoyed the show (and adults). It was simple and easy to follow. Children knew what kind of things to expect e.g. the bike rider (Roland), writing a postcard, posting it. The involvement of the children was great. They were able to move around and so were not made to sit still for the entire session. Question time was very good: informative and interesting. Tony was able to talk to the children in an easy manner, answering questions in a way that the children could understand. Was well worth having at school. Would book this company again and would recommend them to other schools." - Coimadai Primary "Very entertaining performance. You certainly brought the book to life. Acting, singing, props all excellent... Great performance - kept all children engaged P-6 (and teachers). Well done... Very energetic. Love the way you involved the children. Great show... Animated performance. Upper students appeared interested... Possibly gave students a focus for their drama sessions? ... The children had a great time and were really engaged. It was great to have children moving about regularly. You really brought the book to life. Well performed... Plenty of energy. Well orchestrated. Very relatable. Very clearly delivered... Your energy was full-on from beginning to end and kept the kids entertained and focussed. Even the Grade 6 boys were doing the sheriff's dance! ... I specifically like the way you spoke to the kids at the end of the performance and related it to them. Makes it relevant... You certainly allowed the children to make "connections" to authentic experiences and the world of the imagination. Thanks, I have picked up some inspirational ideas to add / include when sharing stories / books with the children." - Nichols Point Primary "Wonderful performance yet again! I really appreciated your adaptation of the book and the excellent staging. Let's hope letter writing is a wonderful spin-off from Book Day reading! ... Well done again! The kids said on their evaluation forms that the best parts were: the 'kissing' scene and the 'Rock Pool' scene. It was so good to see the children's faces as they watched - they were really enjoying it. The audience participation was excellent too. The performance really brings the book to life and enhances the desire to read that book and books in general (which is exactly what we want!). Thank you... Outstanding performances!! Really brought the story and the characters to life. Loved all the levels of humour addressed by the script! ... Always look forward to your visit. Once again, an absolutely magnificent performance!! May God continue to bless your talents in this area." Maranatha Christian School "Very energetic and fast moving. Involved the students. Colourful and kept children engaged throughout performances. Good how they kept referring to book page. Brought in many environmental elements - pollution, recreation at the beach. I laughed and laughed. Just so well presented for both students and adults. Fantastic. Explanation at the end by Tony was a real benefit - could tell he was very emotive about the book and the subject. Projected voice and interacted with students to give a thorough explanation about the book. Showed props and how they were made and explained they could be made by students themselves... A very worthwhile show. Lots of action for the children. Lots of laughs!! Also educational. Well done! Great end of session interaction with the children." - Cann River Primary "Excellent - Great to involve the children so much. Explanations of questions very good. Humour related well to year level... Fantastic performance - Children all enjoyed it - great follow up activities - well done... Thanks again for another wonderful performance. All who have attended have been wonderfully entertained" - Swan Hill Primary "We loved your performance! All students and staff thought it was wonderful. As the children had previously read the book, they were able to identify the characters and scenes. Involvement of the students was great" - Mentone Boy's Grammar "Fabulous as always! Loved the songs and humour. Great student involvement. The kids absolutely LOVED it! I also loved the way you explained elements of the story afterwards (i.e.: dreams). Congrats and keep up the great work! ... Every year you put on an outstanding production. The students loved participating and you've encouraged kids to enjoy and read books! ... Great music and beat. Slow-mo part fantastic. Great control of children. I'd love to see the Grade 5/6 production... Fantastic - very interactive, involving children in all aspects of the text. High energy and engaging performance. Music, jokes, opportunity for individual students to perform on stage - excellent!! Too funny and jokes for adults appreciated! ... It was great!! The children were engaged for the whole show and it was very evident how much they enjoyed it. The music, acting, and jokes were fantastic. Looking forward to next year's!!!... Very entertaining! for both the children and adults, fast paced, opportunity for children to join in and a wonderful message of friendship and having fun on holiday... Our class loved it - they had read the story and it was wonderful to see a story transformed into such an entertaining and imaginative show... Congratulations for a fun and interactive show. The children were fully engaged and loved watching, listening, singing and joining in the various activities. The feedback from the children was very positive and they loved the opportunity to focus on their own dreams" - Roberts McCubbin Primary, Box Hill South "Tony & crew - I thought you were all fantastically brilliant. I had the best laugh plus all the other teachers did too! We were all so entertained for that hour and we all spoke very highly of you. The children were equally entertained and including them in your performance was a great way to keep their attention. They thought you were very funny and animated. The children all had special parts of the story they liked best. Well Tony, we will definitely have you back at our school again - no doubt about that!" - Chelsea Primary "Congratulations on a great show. Highly entertaining - kept children fascinated. Their laughter and enthusiasm was evident throughout. We raced to the library to get the book straight after the show - the children "argue" over whose turn it is to look at it!! An excellent activity for Book Week as has certainly helped to immerse the children in books. Highly recommended!! Thanks... A joyful experience for both children and teachers. I particularly liked the simplicity of the props and the use of the postcards. Opportunity for children participation was excellent. Congratulations on a great job. I will buy the book for my personal library. P.S. Children enjoyed writing about a shared experience... I thought it was a very novel and enjoyable way of introducing a storybook to the children. They all enjoyed it immensely and wrote at length about it when we returned to school. The acting was very professional and the singing voices were great. On the whole a great effort by all concerned. Would be very interested in seeing next year's performance - You made the book come to life. All the children are anxious to read it now to see the similarities and differences from the performance. Hats off to you all and especially Ange who came in at the last minute - Well done!"- St Peter Apostle School, Hoppers Crossing "The best children's theatre I've ever seen. I have seen and organised many visiting entertainments and Tony Bones was by far the best. Quality of acting and the effectiveness of their production was perfectly geared to the age groups for which they were arranged.... I was only able to see a little of both performances, but was impressed with the quality of the productions. Children and staff both reported most favourably. We look forward to seeing you in 2006... The show was very bright and exciting... Great loved the dolphins. Very very amusing!! Lots of time to answer questions - good!" Fairfield Primary "Response from everyone has been very positive. You engaged all of our children and we have some difficult ones. The most popular scene was "the kiss". I like the way you stuck closely to the book - it made it very meaningful for the children. Music - fabulous. A great show, hope we can see you again in the future. Many thanks for working around our timetable." Morang South Primary "Very funny performance. Children enjoyed and were engaged throughout the session. It was great to involve the children in the performance. Discussion at the end was insightful and encouraged children to develop an understanding of the 'behind the scenes' action of a theatrical performance. A great performance!!!... Children were positive and able to discuss the performance after the show." - Flemington Primary "Once again the children were fully engaged. They loved it... I thought it was excellent - funny, creative and I loved the pace! ... Very enjoyable, funny and creative. Great.... Great, entertaining and interactive. Thanks for a well produced show... Well done, the children were really looking forward to the production and I'm sure they weren't dissappointed - Great show!... Well done. All of the audience (Prep to 6) were fully entertained... Enjoyed by all! Lots of energy. Thank you... My kids were glued to the show. Well done" - Holy Eucharist Primary, East Malvern "Excellent to use the characters and postcards from the book. The music was really well done, especially the Rock Pool. Great to have children join in. Good use of humour and "kid" language. You were on time and had really good equipment and props. Very good to have book on display. Good use of Roland Harvey between scenes. Well done." - St John's Primary, Clifton Hill "Great funny, enlightening, fabulous characters that seem so lively and real. Relating the play to a book gives the production a longer life in children's minds. A great opportunity for country children to experience live theatre. Pink dress was a great touch, many comments afterwards. Great costumes all around. We admire your stamina in doing 3 back to back performances. We appreciate your commitment - trying to adapt to each group." - Alexandra Library "The whole show was great. The children were very engaged throughout the whole show. The songs were terrific. I loved the way you included the children. The children loved the show and definitely got the 3 messages from the book, as you discussed at the end. Thanks for a top show. Hope to see you back next year. (I thought last year was good but this show was even better!)" - St Mary's Primary, Swan Hill "Extremely entertaining and wonderful how the audience was involved throughout the show... Entertainment plus. Kids loved the corny reappearance of the bike, dog, etc. Characterisations were very appropriate - kids identified with them. A very clever dramatisation of the book. You guys always come up with great ideas... Great show that was entertaining, fast moving and visually appealing. The characters were energetic, and the children appreciated the athleticism... Very entertaining and amusing show. Great enthusiasm by the actors. Students loved the dog popping up with the objects that went missing. Terrific show... Excellent performance and good follow up activities provided... Terrific depiction of the "structure" of the book - including the "author" as "character". Difficult to involve the senior primary children, but you managed it beautifully! ... More than just an excellent show of entertainment. The discussion of the book and themes gave teachers and children an extended appreciation of the book" - Watsonia Heights Primary "The P-4 children and staff thoroughly enjoyed "At The Beach". In fact they are still talking about it. Must have been good as many staff also provided feedback - which certainly says a lot. Thanks once again. I look forward to next year's shows... Really enjoyed the performance. It was very funny. 10/10... Fantastic. The kids loved it and so did I! ... Excellent performance... Congratulations on ensuring children from Prep to Grade 4 were wonderfully engaged. They adored it! ... The children enjoyed the performance, were well engaged and all participated! ... Thoroughly enjoyable - children loved it. So did the teachers... The preps thoroughly "LOVED it". They especially liked the dog puppet. Teachers enjoyed it too! ... Very entertaining for both children and adults. Well done... It was very entertaining for all. Fantastic!" - Wattle Park Primary
"BILLY MACK'S WAR" 2005 - 2006"Hi Tony, I received the DVD today and watched it all the way through. I was really impressed with the way you trimmed down the script, and the acting was really good. It's weird watching your own story acted out, and I actually found myself being very moved by the scene with Mrs Teirney in particular. Thanks again for representing my books so well. Cheers". - James Roy, Author, "Billy Mack's War" (TBE also performed James Roy's first installment of this story "Captain Mack" in 2000-2001) "The best children's theatre I've ever seen. I have seen and organised many visiting entertainments and Tony Bones was by far the best. Quality of acting and the effectiveness of their production was perfectly geared to the age groups for which they were arranged.... A wonder enactment - I've not read the book but was caught up in it. The students loved it too - they don't sit that still for so long if they weren't engaged - well done, keep it up!... I agree with 'above' comment. The songs were great. Really embellished the story.... I was only able to see a little of both performances, but was impressed with the quality of the productions. Children and staff both reported most favourably. We look forward to seeing you in 2006." - Fairfield Primary "Students and teachers thoroughly enjoyed the performance. Our students have not had much exposure to drama / live performances, so they were really captivated by the acting and singing. The actors did a fantastic job. The students were amazed that there were only 3 actors playing all those characters! Many of the students are now interested in reading the book, which is great. Many thanks for a great performance." - Simonds Catholic College, West Melbourne "Another fabulous performance - the first dramatic one I've seen. It was terrific, engaged the children who appeared captivated throughout. You captured the essence of the story well and made us feel a whole gamut of emotions. The scenes you selected to portray were well chosen (the children were happy for the fight scene with Barry!!)... All in all - a wonderful show. Thanks so much.... Thank you all again. Great development evident in your program. Especially the question time. Students appreciate your patience and generosity... Fantastic performance of a very good book. The question time at the end was very useful and allowed students to consider and think about the book and the important parts that make up the story. Fabulous acting, very believable characters. Extremely entertaining. Thanks.... Excellent performance. Dramatic, emotional and intense. Very well choreographed. Explain issues in the book a bit more clearly. Look forward to next year's show! ... Loved the drama of the book... As always a fantastic production... Thanks for bringing alive a book that was difficult for the children of Year 4 to comprehend. The way the children enjoyed the play is a credit to you. A very meaningful insight to history and life for the children. The introduction that Tony gave and the follow up is excellent. It allows the children to reflect on the book and play together... Thank you for such an engaging and enjoyable show. The storyline was easy for all the children to understand and each character was portrayed perfectly. It was great that I have read the book to my class as I feel it made it easier for them to follow the storyline. The costumes, songs, voices were great. I could tell the kids loved it because they were engaged the whole time! Well done for keeping them quiet for an hour. Look forward to seeing you next time! ... Congrats on presenting a wonderful show based on "Billy Mack's War". The story based pre-war was really well structured, with some fantastic acting that was able to captivate the audience. The singing and props complimented the theatre show. It was also great to have a show not based on a picture story book for a change. Well done!" - Warranwood Primary "Tony, both performances were fantastic! The grade 5/6's are planning to read "Captain Mack" as a class serial. They were very inspired. ... Thanks once again. I look forward to next year's shows... Enjoyed by all - appropriate for today... We enjoyed the performance... Well done." - Wattle Park Primary "Children enjoyed characterisation of people in the story, they thought the musical numbers were great. Many are now inspired to read the book. A moving performance.... A great performance" - St Peter Apostle School, Hoppers Crossing "Staff and students were impressed by the performance. The boys were quite intrigued by the cow. Many said they would have not had any problem killing it. (The guns appealed to quite a few). I suggested that maybe it would have been more difficult than they thought. The boys were amazed at how you managed to have a number of different characters with only 3 cast. Some thought you had more." - Mentone Boy's Grammar "Great for children to see a visual representation of the book. Perfect length of time. Crucial scenes were included. Extremely high standard (especially the singing) Fantastic manner during interaction with the children. Once again, brilliant presentation. We look forward to next year's! Thanks heaps." - Roberts McCubbin Primary, Box Hill South "Very professional and most entertaining. Well organised, well paced. Dramatic. Brave. Follow up questions very useful in relating to the book. The costumes for this show were spot on and created the right atmosphere straight away. It was exceptional to see the depth of drama, the children were initially stunned and a bit embarrassed as they probably hadn't experienced that much emotion in public. Your adaptations of stories into music and drama were fabulous and have given the books new life. We are sure it will start a reading wave." - Alexandra Library "Great singing and music - very dramatic (i.e. shot the cow). Encouraged you to use your imagination... Enjoyed the songs. Great singing in character" - St Mary's Primary, Swan Hill "An excellent performance, it really engaged the grade 3/4's attention.... lot's of discussion from the children!" - Flemington Primary "Grade 5/6's was great for them to see the seriousness of the play. It was very engaging and was a good introduction to theatrical productions" - Chelsea Primary "Children really enjoyed the show. A lot of the children were moved by certain parts and it led to a really good discussion about war, the Victoria Cross, parents, etc. A great show. Thank you... The children found the story very touching and some nearly cried. They were interested that three people played the parts and props were minimal. The show was very enjoyable. Thanks... Well done! The children were very impressed with the variety of roles played. It really entertained them. A thoroughly enjoyable show. Thanks... Thank you for an interesting and insightful performance. You certainly held the children's interest... Well as you can see your show was a great success. Thank you all for a fantastic morning of entertainment" - St Michael's Grammar, St Kilda. "Excellent performance. 200 Year 8 students were attentive and entertained while learning something about P.O.W.s in WWII. Performers were set up and ready to start on time. Tony understood the desirability of question time lasting until the time students needed to be dismissed, thereby avoiding a short but potentially difficult timeback in the classroom. He kept up the question . answer discussion very well." Whittlesea Secondary TESTIMONIALS FROM STUDENTS FOR THE PLAY "It was cool!! I almost cried but it was still cool! ... It was the most interesting I have ever seen!!!... It was very good and interesting. I loved it!!! p.s. I learnt a lot about war... I loved it - good jobs - I like the music! ... I've read "Billy Mack's War" and I really want to read the first (Captain Mack). I thought your play was great, so I really enjoyed it thanks!!!!... I thought it was happy, sad and angry... I liked your show very much, guys and it was great" - Flemington Primary - Grade 3/4 "Rudolph's Recruits" 2002-2003/ 2005-2007Viewbank Primary, Vic St Brendans Primary, Vic St Monica's Primary St Michael's Primary, Heyfield, Vic "I thought the show was wonderful and so did the children. You entertained a vast age group from kindergarten to Year 6. The costumes and sound were top quality. I would recommend your Christmas show... Exciting & interesting. I was very impressed with the fact that the performers kept Kinder through to Year 6 entertained. I thought the question time was informative and especially valuable to upper grades... An enjoyable and interesting shop. You caught the children's interest and allowed them to be involved in the show. It was great to see all age groups informed and entertained. Thank you for coming... A fantastic show. I agree with all comments above 100%. The children were all very impressed as too were we. Questions at the end were excellent." Heartkids - Royal Children's Hospital "It was a wonderful show that catered for all, well structured, very entertaining, great songs, jokes, at times you wanted to get up and dance. Fantastic!! It is obvious that your crew enjoy what they do, they drew you in. I will be honest in saying that I couldn't believe that all the kids were captivated, even us big kids. In all the other entertainment I have seen there are always kids playing up or losing interest, but not with you. It must be such a hard job to cater for at least 300 people and keep them happy and entertained. Tony, you and your crew deserve a big thank you. A fantastic show!! I wish you all the best. Regards, Kathy Petras." Taralye Kinder, Blackburn, Vic "Hi Tony, Can you please thank Laura and the team for a great job on Sunday... Thanks again for your professionalism and assistance, Nadine"
"MILLI, JACK AND THE DANCING CAT" 2004 - 2005“A fantastic show, thoroughly enjoyed by students and teachers!…The children loved it and they listened to the message behind the book – ‘Be Yourself’. Very talented group of performers. Great show!” “Fantastic full performance. You covered it all… Loved whole package… (You) had them enthralled from the start by ‘over the top’ – ‘kid friendly’ humour and silly, funny stuff they immediately related to…Great partner comedy. Such versatile performers!!... Fantastic voices and characterization…Colourful costumes and props and music. Fun choreography. The book came alive building a colourful set piece by piece. A completely captivating performance”. “Outstanding for both teachers and children. Totally enjoyed by my whole class. Fantastic. All the different components were excellent and everyone had a great time. Thank you… Loved the combination of storybook, acting, singing, dancing and audience participation. Congratulations on a very uplifting performance” “Great choice of book to dramatise. It was excellent… Had an important message… The message of ‘You Can Do It!’ was also clear. Terrific!... Wonderful to see the children actively involved… Dancing was lots of fun…Most appropriate performance, obvious by the children’s excitement and involvement throughout the show. Loved the personalities that shone through in this production – the more gregarious ‘Jack’ and the quiet achiever ‘Milli’. Great show, great fun.” “Fantastic, animated performance – the children were entranced from the first moment…you appealed to all age groups.... It is wonderful to see and hear P-6 laughing from their bellies. They just loved it, and I did too! … Excellent! Interesting! Can see you have put a lot of time and effort into your presentation. You enjoy what you’re doing. Keep it up. Really brought the book to life. Great experience to celebrate Book Week.” “Fantastic as always. Entertaining for both adults and kids... Very talented couple.Very impressed with the songs. Well done!” “A show much enjoyed by all the children… they were unanimous in their appreciation of the humour, all finding it interesting as well… Thanks for an enjoyable and worthwhile learning experience.” “Fantastic... I thought it was great. Children loved it – Book again for next year”. “Great performance, slick yet interactive. We enjoyed the start and discussed why it was introduced that way making the performance a colourful, surprising event! Both the performances were fabulous. The kids really enjoyed them and have constantly mentioned them in the library”. “Fabulous! The children clearly understood the message of the performance. Their drawings were beautiful and indicated pleasure and understanding. Thanks very much. Excellent. Entertaining. Colourful performance.” “Can I join you? I had a fabulous time and the kids just loved it. Tony’s expressions were just so animated. Casey was delightfully sweet. After the performance the dancing went on and so did the praises for a job well done. I especially appreciated the time you spent explaining and answering the children’s questions. I feel the children did as well. Thank you for your time and again very well done Thank you!” "Show was great, all children enjoyed it very much. You held their attention for the whole performance." “Our children really enjoyed the performance. They enjoyed the humour which permeated the whole performance.” “A lively performance that did justice to the book!... Great Actors... Was entertaining, moved quickly, kept all the kids entertained.” “It was magical, colourful and very entertaining. I liked the way the kids were invited to be an active audience from the start... An excellent way to share a story. The amusement of the show kept the students well entertained – the overall effect was terrific. You really brought the book to life.” “Tony and Casey made the story come alive. There was a strong sense of fun and humour. The story was well chosen because of its characters and plot. The underlying message came through. The children gained a huge insight into behind the scenes details in question time as well. A fantastic show!!” "Very professionally handled from initial contact through to presentation...Students loved it – evident by their faces. Best part is that the students have extra enthusiasm to borrow from the library."
"STELLA BY THE SEA" 2004 - 2005“Tony Bones brings a professional yet fun approach to the production which balances the serious aspects of the novel really well with the humour of some of the characters. The production is well structured, well produced and well presented and covers music, dialogue and action really well. The following discussion makes the actors even more ‘human’ and ties the work to the book. Really valuable and valued" "Lots of humour which engaged the children… Great themes about community…An engaging, vibrant production. An outstanding leading lady… Fantastic! Moved along at a great pace. All characters were very good… Question time- great explanations… Fantastic! Very enjoyable for Years 4-6 – funny but also tells a story. The people and format changes hold the audience’s attention...An engaging, vibrant production.” “Students very interested… Audience participation was excellent… Excellent production… Fantastic presentation of book… Worthwhile incursion… Actors relate well with the students… Very professional… Good price… Thank you for a wonderful production”. “Engaging performance. Humorous, energetic, entertaining. All students were totally engrossed, even the reluctant ones! Thank you for this positive experience… Very entertaining. Held our attention throughout. Wonderful portrayal of characters. Was inspirational. Great stuff!... Our students were engaged in the fast, energetic performance of “Stella By The Sea”. Very good – the students were very involved... Good interaction – story well suited for age group. The acting talent was very good and it all flowed. Enjoyable performance for both staff and students!” “Thoroughly enjoyable… Very professional script, props, costumes… Good values teaching through the presentation… Great music… Excellent timing of all aspects. Cast members very much enjoyed what they were doing – It showed. Was able to see last years performance also – Looking forward to 2005”. “Great delivery - all characters terrific, especially facial movements and acting. Loved movement all around audience area and how some kids were bought into play." " Great show, very good interpretation of the book...Another dynamic performance."
"TOM JONES SAVES THE WORLD" 2003 - 2004“A fantastic show, thoroughly enjoyed by students and teachers! The children loved it and they enjoyed the performance and listened to the message behind the book (be yourself). Very talented group of performers. Great show!” “I thought it was great. Children loved it – Book again for next year”. “Outstanding for both teachers and children. It was great how you included the audience into your performance. Totally enjoyed by my whole class. Thank you”. “Fantastic full performance. You covered it all… Loved whole package… Tony & Jodi had them enthralled from the start by ‘over the top’ – ‘kid friendly’ humour and silly, funny stuff they immediately related to…. Such versatile performers!!... Fantastic voices and characterization… a completely captivating performance”. "Excellent...Wonderfully acted... Portrayed the idiosyncrasies
of a young boy so well... Audience were captivated and I'm sure
it would have given them many avenues to explore in class discussion...
Congratulations to all cast members. Coming down amongst the audience
was a good way to bring the play and character right home to them
and gave the play another dimension." "My grade finished the book the morning of the performance.
We loved both the book and the show. The students were engaged throughout
the entire performance, and were able to make links between what
we had and hadn't read and your version. We've looked through the
teacher's notes and have some great ideas for follow-ups. Thank
you and well done." "An outstanding production. Very entertaining for both students
and teachers... Laughed till I cried! It was fabulous the children
loved it and continued to talk about it afterwards with great enthusiasm...
Excellent production - the children were entertained for the entire
show and all enjoyed it. Well-presented - funny... music... dance...
great story line - it had everything. Thank you... Great presentation
- kept the kids very engaged. The simplicity of production allowed
for more focussed attention on the storyline. Incredibly funny -
really enjoyed it. Thanks!" "A brilliant performance, which totally engaged our Level
4 students and staff....Witty, fast moving, engaging, thoughtful
and sensitive. Dealt with some big issues in a very realistic way.
Great interpretation of book." "Highly entertaining, slick performance, funny, well suited
to audience. Well done, encore!... Excellent. Really amusing - kids
loved it (as did the adults)... Fun, energy filled performance.
Script very close to original story. The children responded very
well to the antics - well done and thank you!" "Very creative and well presented....Enjoyed the music and
singing....Students could really relate to contextual themes, characters
and setting... Perfect timing re: song, dance and action... Actors
involved the children periodically in the script - this kept them
focussed and involved with the humour....The script was age appropriate
for 5/6 children...The humorous antics were received with laughter...
Great depiction of characters. Very true to storyline...Engaged
children beautifully." "First class dramatisation of an excellent story - students
were still singing the song and laughing over incidents next week
in the library... Entertaining, funny, thought provoking...This
was a very enjoyable performance and the feedback from the students
was very positive... I thought the play was terrific! Very thought
provoking and wonderfully performed. My students came back totally
energised and excited... a great message and performed so cleverly.
One of my students was almost wetting himself over the moves Tom
was capable of. Thank you!... The students of 5G thought it was
an excellent show. They found that there were messages within the
performance that made them think and consider their own lives and
the way they behave. A very funny and clever performance overall...
Had the students completely engaged. Enjoyable, well-performed,
great starting-point for classroom discussion... "
"BEAR AND CHOOK" 2003 - 2004 "Best performance I have seen... The children of all ages
enjoyed it... Interaction with children with dancing and singing
encouraged participation... Catered for all age groups, including
teachers.... Performers just fantastic - so much energy, so clearly
presented... Easy to see it was prepared by teachers - so appropriate...
Fantastic, lively, informative... very entertaining...... Engaging
interpretation of the book... Just wonderful... Will be booking
the company again next year." "A song, dance and action routine that kept all the children's
attention. The audience interaction was great and coming off stage
amongst the children as all part of the magic of live performance.
Props were good, singing and dancing great and the costumes were
excellent." "Enjoyable, fast paced, bright and lively... I was impressed
by the amount the children were able to recall, explain and discuss
the following day, even some of the smaller parts.... I thought
some of it would be 'lost' on these students but was pleasantly
surprised." "Fantastic performance! Witty, lively, interactive. The children
were engaged throughout the performance. The laughs and smiles on
their faces said it all! Highly recommended for all age groups." "Racy... entertaining... captured children's attention...
changes of pace interested kids... captured children's attention...
entertaining songs... children laughed at gags... interaction with
audience great for stopping children becoming restless... chance
to yell is especially good for older children... Easily interpreted
by all ages with simple but effective costuming... Audience participation
and movement throughout was well controlled and appreciated. Movement
a great idea. Great simple acting that students can emulate....Well
structured and pitched for our children (Prep - Year 6)... Excellent
idea to involve kids and allow them to wriggle. Followed story and
extras were very well suited. Fantastic!!... What more can I say
- you were both absolutely brilliant! The children will remember
this performance! Thank you!" "Excellent. Children were enthralled. Enjoyment from start
to finish. Quality of songs was excellent." "Brilliant, engaging, the children loved Bear and Chook...
Just terrific - entertaining, very cleverly constructed, lively
and humorous... Very entertaining for both the children and the
teachers... You have brought the characters to life... Excellent,
humorous, the children loved it!" "It was fantastic... Very entertaining... Very well acted.
Fast and furious performance. Kept children interested and involved...
The children loved it as did the teachers... Very dynamic. Question
time at the end was valuable and informative." "A fabulous show - our children and staff loved your interpretation
of Bear and Chook's characters. Lots of action, music, singing and
dancing and very creative props made for a fantastic performance." "Great performance once again. Singing was exceptionally good
this year. Props were cleverly done... Engaged the children so well.
It was great to see them laughing spontaneously... Thanks for an
excellent show." "Fantastic, fun and the kids just loved it - this teacher
did too!... Age appropriate - I love seeing children improvise play
and this was a great model for this. The children's faces were a
delight to watch... Excellent show. Children very much involved
and loved it. Keep up the good work... I was very familiar with
the text and loved how you interpreted it. Your presentation was
most professional and thoroughly enjoyable. All the students enjoyed
it and I think the 'breaks' were introduced in such a way that the
children thought they were the performers. Thanks." "Great costumes and the kids loved the slapstick humour...
Very funny, I liked the way they extended the story and used suggestions
from the children... Very creative and good use of imagination." "The performance was entertaining and relevant for both students
and adults." "Engaging performance. Entertaining , lively and relevant.
Keep up the great work. "All of the students thoroughly enjoyed the show 'Bear and
Chook' They laughed, sand, danced AND enjoyed the book." "Energetic, engaging... Brilliant!! Great way they very originally
acted out story with music and song... My group thoroughly enjoyed
Bear and Chook."
"When Dogs Cry" 2002 - 2003Nhill College
"My Story - A Different Sort of Real, The Diary of Charlotte McKenzie, Melbourne, 1918" 2002 - 2003Christine Trimnell - Teacher/ Librarian, Narre Warren North
Primary Malvern Valley Primary Maranatha School - Endeavour Hills Campus Holy Eucharist Primary, East Malvern Scotch College Junior School Narre Warren North Primary Warranwood Primary Roberts McCubbin Primary "Horrible Harriet" 2002-2003Abbotsford Primary Warranwood Primary Colac West Primary Hallam Primary Holy Eucharist Primary, East Malvern St Judes Primary, Scoresby Ringwood Library Watsonia Heights Primary Monbulk Primary Scotch College Junior School Clyde Primary Roberts McCubbin Primary Maranatha School - Doveton Campus "The Singing Hat" 2001 - 2002Tohby Riddle - Author of 'The Singing Hat' Melbourne Museum - 2001 Victorian Launch of Book Week Children's Book Council Of Australia - 2001 Victorian Launch
of Book Week Williamstown Primary Maranatha Christian College Wesley College Altona Library / Seaholme Primary St Anthony's Coptic Orthodox College Albanvale Primary Cranbourne West Primary "Something's Fishy, Hazel Green!" 2001 - 2002St Albans East Primary Maranatha Christian College |
