EdFringe Review: Cantonese Opera x Children’s Interactive Theatre: Dic Dic Chang Chang Playground

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Another great show for all the family, ‘Dic Dic Chang Chang Playground: A Cantonese Opera x Children’s Interactive Theatre’ is precisely as its title suggests, and a little more.

Presented by the One Table Two Chairs Charitable Foundation, this most accessible Cantonese Opera makes a delightful introduction to the art form. It enjoyed a successful tour in Hong Kong and has been translated into English for this foray into Fringeland.

Captains Dic Dic and Chang Change are guardians of Cantonese Opera Land, an idyllic world of drama, song, and magic. I would love to compliment the two young actors by name, but I don’t have a cast or crew list to work from. However imagine a kid-friendly stand-up duo, where Chang Chang is the cheeky gag-merchant, and Chang Change the long suffering straight guy. They exceed the average stand up with their skills in clowning, dance, song, and kung-fu.

Completing the on-stage cast is the Cantonese Opera Fairy (the audience are taught a small routine and a little Catonese to aid in the summoning.) A most elegant vision in flowing robes, she is key to introducing other elements of the Cantonese Opera form, from manifesting the seas with flags, to how one takes tiny steps to travel huge distances.

The Fairy is absolutely essential to Dic Dic and Chang Chang’s continued liberty when the ‘Boring King’ comes calling, a fierce faced puppet who wants to make the world a dull and boring place at all costs. Parents will not be surprised that the Boring King turns out to be more misunderstood than evil. Maybe he could challenge our heroes a little more, but the show packs a lot into its 40 minutes.

Overall ‘Dic Dic Chang Chang Playground’ is a lovely marriage of instructional guide, and fantastical comedy adventure wrapped in gorgeous costuming. The recorded backing track is lush and well queued, and though the piece would benefit from a little more live percussion, there’s a reassuring sense of quality to the production. There may or may not be another member of the cast, but I’m spoiling nothing.

Kudos are also due to the cast for adapting the piece for the relatively compact SPACE venue they’ve been given. Their movements remain fluid, a testament to their surefootedness and physical competence.

I’m sure audiences of all ages would enjoy ‘Dic Dic Chang Chang Playground’ – and who knows, maybe like me, when you head off to your next meeting (in my case with the Fringe Media Office) they will have you show the dance you learned. Reader, I did not hesitate.

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