APAC Review: Birds on Sticks

A dark, self-referential insight into the Australian puppeteering industry, starring a bloke from a kids show and the co-creator of Sammy J and Randy.

There’s definitely something for everyone amongst the Melbourne Fringe Festival’s 400+ events, though thankfully Aussie readers looking to narrow down their activities list need (hopefully) look no further. Following up on our previous article, here’s Bubbleblabber’s full review of Birds on Sticks, a new adult puppet show from Sammy J and Randy co-creator Heath McIvor playing at the Melbourne Fringe until September 30^th.

OVERVIEW (SPOILERS BELOW)

The show, written by McIvor himself, is summarised by the Fringe website as follows:

On the eve of a tour to the middle of nowhere, two disgruntled puppeteers look back on their career choices and ponder where it all went so horribly wrong.

While this definitely interested me before seeing the show, it’s actually not very accurate. Rather, the two leads initially appear to have more of a mentor/protégé dynamic. The former, the aging and disillusioned Simon, is played by Alex Papps, immediately recognisable to Aussies my age for his work on the kids show Play School (for any confused foreigners, just imagine my country’s version of Sesame Street). Papps’ casting was another of the show’s main appeals for me, and there’s a wicked delight to hearing him yell “fuck” in almost every sentence. However, within a few minutes, the role no longer feels like stunt-casting, as Papps convincingly portrays Simon’s equal desperation and arrogance. It must’ve been tempting to acknowledge the irony of trying to cling to the last shreds of his character’s career while thinking he’s the smartest person in the room, but thankfully Papps resists. It’s a monstrous, domineering performance, and I’d love for him to take on more roles like it in the future.

Meanwhile, McIvor plays Trent, a 23-year-old newcomer who seems merely naïve at first, but is in fact simply doing the gig to make ends meet. For a man who I’ve only ever seen perform behind puppets, it’s pleasing to see that McIvor is a strong performer in his own right. Trent’s willingness to deceive Simon and abandon the show for better opportunities is an effective slow-burn reveal. The character’s building exasperation and confusion at both the show and his co-star are also conveyed well, although I’m not sure McIvor totally sold Trent forgiving Simon for his lies to allow the show to end happily.

If it seems like I’ve focused more on the characters than the story or puppetry so far, that’s largely because Birds on Sticks does too. The costumes and set are deliberately minimal to direct focus onto the dialogue and characters, an approach that pleasantly surprised me with its lack of exposition. This really does feel like simply watching a rehearsal for a show, albeit one that quickly spirals out of control due to its actors’ personal flaws. Similarly, the puppetry feels like the consequence of character interaction rather than the cause of it, although McIvor and Papps are clearly old pros who handle the puppets with ease. The figures themselves are impressive looking recreations of Australian wildlife such as lizards, possums, and cockatoos (with one hilarious exception made from cardboard and balloons); through the rehearsal scenes we gather that the show is a brilliant parody of the educational puppet shows many Aussie children are forced to sit through in schools (Healthy Harold, anyone?), a detail the entire audience enjoyed.

OUR TAKE

As the man behind Randy, arguably the most recognisable purple puppet in Australia, McIvor has seen plenty of success on stage, and on TV with the show Ricketts Lane. Let’s be honest though, the disenchanted/disgraced aging performer has been a popular character for years now, and a show about someone with their life in order would probably be boring. My two favourite examples of stories featuring these characters in recent memory are BoJack Horseman and Birdman, and although Birds on Sticks doesn’t match either of those, it’s obviously not trying to given its limited scope.

Any fans of McIvor’s work or puppet shows, in general, should enjoy this. The lack of a larger story trying to force its way into the characters’ arguments is refreshing and allows McIvor’s dialogue and the acting to shine. Despite this, the ending felt forced, especially awkwardly having the characters say the show’s name and pretending it came up organically (something that almost always bothers me). Also, although it might’ve required some restructuring, there could’ve been more actual puppetry.

Overall, Birds on Sticks is a safe bet for quality and refreshingly short, but seeing it once is probably enough.

Birds on Sticks will be playing at the Melbourne Fringe until September 30^th. Tickets are available here.