Canberra Reviews

Grab the kids, or anyone who’s free for that matter, and get along to see The Arrival. It could be the highlight of your week.

Spare Parts Puppet Theatre has created something truly innovative with this production. Based on Shaun Tan’s award-winning graphic novel of the same name, The Arrival is as moving and visually stunning as its source material. Its tale of migration to a strange new land is a simple one, yet its themes are universally recognisable and will doubtless resonate with many in the audience.

The Arrival succeeds through simplicity. No more than three actors and a couple of cheeky puppets appear on stage at any one time. Giri Mazzella plays Aki, who journeys through homesickness, communication difficulties, poverty and general exhaustion in his new homeland. Mazzella is supported by Karen Hethey as Aki’s gruff landlady, and Sanjiva Giovanni Margio as an elderly, understanding gardener. The actors communicate their characters so effectively through mime that it’s easy to forget no one actually speaks throughout the entire play.

Damon Lockwood provides expressive backup puppetry, but each actor is called to the role of puppeteer at various points. These transitions are handled seamlessly, and the two strange puppet creatures that appear in Aki’s new homeland are a delight to watch. They act not only as comic relief from the harsher realities of the story, but also as intermediaries between the three characters and their audience, making sense of each situation through endearing squeaks and gestures.

The actors bring strength and humour to their roles, but the real stars of the show are those who have worked behind the scenes to create The Arrival’s inventive set, mesmerising projection imagery and communicative soundtrack. These three elements transcend mere background as the music and artwork support and even interact with those on stage. Best of all, Tan’s artwork has a major role to play, combining with the music and set design to create an engrossing world within the space of a few square metres.

While this production is visually remarkable and emotionally rewarding, there’s a chance some younger members of the audience, particularly those unfamiliar with Tan’s graphic novel, may have struggled to understand what was happening at first. Judging by the eventual drop-off in whispered parental explanations, however, any confusion subsided as the story progressed.

At just under one hour, The Arrival was over too soon, but its sense of joy lingered long after the curtains came down.


Spare Parts Puppet Theatre presents
The Arrival
Based on the novel by Shaun Tan

Venue: The Playhouse | Canberra Theatre Centre
Dates: 25 – 28 June
Duration: 50 minutes, no interval
www.canberratheatre.org.au