Review: THE 52-STOREY TREEHOUSE Is Well Worth The Climb

Reviewed by Barry Lenny, Tuesday 19th July 2016

Richard Tulloch wrote the script for The 52-Storey Treehouse, adapting the August 2014 released book by Andy Griffiths (words) and Terry Denton (pictures), who also wrote a number of other books about the ever growing treehouse in which they live. The two collaborators have written a vast number of book series for children, of which the treehouse series is only one. Their treehouse has currently reached 78 storeys. This production, presented by CDP and Adelaide Festival Centre, is being staged in the Dunstan Playhouse.

Terry has forgotten that it is Andy's birthday, and no amount of hinting by Andy is working. They suddenly have to embark on a search for Mr. Big Nose, the person who publishes their books, but soon discover that their friend, Jill (the real world Andy's wife), has been poisoned by a sharply pointed carrot and is in a deep sleep. They need her awake to talk to an extremely hungry caterpillar, who could be able to tell them what happened to their publisher. The handsome prince that they find to awaken her with a kiss, however, turns out to be a potato, leader of the human hating vegetables, and kidnapper of their publisher.

A book called Fun with Vegetables, written by Vegetable Patty, and published by Mr. Big Nose, is a clue, along with a few vegetable leaves, so they hop into Terry's flying fried egg car and set off.

Graduates of the Ninja Snail Training Academy must make a 100 year long journey, but time must be stopped using a rocket-powered carrot launcher. The puppeteer from the 24 hours a day, 7 days a week Punch and Judy show is there, as is Jill. Some of the new thirteen levels of the treehouse, though, such as the chainsaw-juggling level, the watermelon smashing room, the wave machine, and the full size snakes and ladders games, with real ladders and real snakes, are not included in the play.

The high-tech detective agency is, though, and provides them with a magnifying glass for finding clues, and a disguise machine, the Disguise-O-Matic 5000. That and the snail academy are, in fact, the only two of the thirteen new rooms that made it into the play with any great presence, a couple of other only briefly covered..

Mark Thompson's set is based around a large wooden box structure, with doors and a trapdoor, which becomes every location through the implication of the action, occasional rotations, and the varied lighting, by Nicholas Higgins. Ross Johnston's sound design also contributes a lot to the excitement, and Thompson's costumes are bright and colourful.

The very young members of the audience were often restless, but seemed to enjoy the knockabout comedy, the chases, and other physical parts of the production, but words such as 'metamorphosis' and 'chrysalis' in the text suggest that the books are aimed at older, very literate children, rather than pre-schoolers.

Director, Liesel Badorrek, has a great cast to work with, and has injected lots of fun, frivolity, and downright silliness into the production, matching the nonsensical qualities of the books. This is the Goon Show for kids, surreal and hilarious. Artistic Director, Julian Louis, also ensures that the look and feel of the production is in keeping with the book.

Alex Duncan, as Andy, and Jack Starkey-Gill, as Terry, have a great rapport, bringing plenty of energy and a child-like playfulness to their roles. Jane Mahady plays Jill, as well as Vegetable Patty, creating two distinct characterisations with a quick change of costume and Zoran Jevtic appeared in a range of roles such as Edward Puppethands, the puppeteer of the Caterpillar, the voice and operator of Mr. Big Nose, a life size puppet, Prince Potato, and Bill the postman.

It hardly needs saying that the young audience loved every moment of this crazy play and its quirky characters, laughing, giggling, and bouncing up and down in their sets with excitement. It was plain to see that there were a lot of very popular adults, looking around the foyer after, with a mass of small smiling faces looking up with gratitude. Yes, the adults had a good time, as well.

Here is a little sample of the fun to be had.

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