Peter Combe is one heck of a drawcard for little kids and adult kids alike. â â â â œ

If you have a small child, or were yourself a child of the â80s or â90s, youâll know all his big hits and will have a good idea of what youâre in for at a legendary Combe concert.
If you donât fit either of these criteria, let me spell it out for you: this show offers close to an hour of highly professional kidsâ entertainment with great vocals (Mr Clickety Cane still has those golden pipes), lyrics and melodies that children love, plus a spattering of adult wit for the many parents and grandparents in attendance.
With a nod to his â80s career roots, Combeâs new Fringe show, Bellyflop in a Pizza, features a stage set with giant Rubikâs cubes.
Thereâs also lots of colour in the form of back-up singers and dancers from the Theatre Bugs. This chorus ensemble features seven lovely lasses and one little lad, all decked out in their sparkly Fringe best. The easiest way to describe their spangly, spotted and striped tutu costumes is âcarnival clown coolâ, or âvisual candy for kidsâ.
The show features all Combeâs hits (âTom Can Play the Trumpetâ, âQuirky Berserkyâ, âJack & the Beanstalkâ, âNewspaper Mamaâ, âJuicy Juicy Green Grassâ, âSpaghetti Bolognaiseâ, âChopsticksâ, âWash Your Face in Orange Juiceâ) and, as a special treat, a new song from his upcoming album. The test song he performed, âMr Soundmanâ, met with resounding approval.
A word of warning: itâs hot in the Corona tent at the Garden of Unearthly Delights, even when not overly hot outside. Many attending Sundayâs sold-out show spent much of the time fanning themselves and children with flyers and programs. That said, the kids still loved it and enjoyed the interactivity and invitation to dance on stage at the end.
At 50 minutes, Bellyflop in a Pizza is an ideal length for younger children and, from the excitement and applause, it was clear that decades on from those Rubikâs cube beginnings, Combe more loved than ever.
Four-and-a-half stars
Bellyflop in a Pizza is at the Garden of Unearthly Delights from March 11-13, and 18-19.
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