Hachikō

Spare Parts Puppet Theatre’s holiday offering is the emotive and beautiful Hachikō The Loyal Dog, a story from Japan about a dog whose loyalty to his owner knew no bounds.

Hachikō is not a new show, but this latest incarnation remains delightful, charming new young audiences. Visually striking, all sets props, and puppets in this show appear to be made of cardboard - mostly in neutral tones - with occasional splashes of primary colours. The central puppet, title character Hachikō, has an origami feel, but is also endearingly brought to life by the puppeteers. 

Director Philip Mitchell, Animateur Ian Sinclair and Designer Matt McVeigh have created a world that is recognisable to adults as modern Japan, but is a relatable world of fun for the youngsters. Composer Lee Buddle’s engaging soundtrack and the emotive lighting of Karen Cook enhance the story.

Performers Kylie Bywaters and Sean Gustavino establish a lovely rapport with each other and the audience that they address directly. Using just simple props, they play a myriad of different characters, with great comic timing and excellent story-telling skills.

While this story is very sad, the mostly primary school children appeared to leave uplifted and declaring it “very good”. Lovely to see a show that crosses cultural barriers, treats its young audience with respect and entertains throughout.

Kimberley Shaw