CLARA CROCODILE
A 100 percent Territory story presented by Territory creatives hits the stage at Brown’s Mart Theatre.
WORDS TIERNEY WHITE
IMAGE ROAMING CREATIVES
IT WAS DURING the pandemic that local singer-songwriter Sally Balfour released her first ever album – a Northern Territory-inspired children’s record about a little crocodile called Clara.
The album was recorded in 2019 and 2020 in Mparntwe/Alice Springs by Darcy Davis at Red House Recording Studio – just down the road from Balfour’s childhood home – and features a swag of Territory musos including Xavia, Katie Harder, Dave Crowe, the late, great Ted Egan, Balfour’s father Scotty, and her own children and nephews, making it extra heartening.
This month, her vision to present Clara Crocodile as a stage show is realised, with a fun gig for music fans of all ages presented by a talented entourage of locals.
Clara Crocodile’s gotta skip town when she realises her parents are planning to eat her, so she sets off down the Stuart Highway in search of a new home, encountering familiar Territory environments and animals along the way.
Created to expose little ones to the magic of live music, the stage production combines live performance, puppet storytelling, and animated visuals, resulting in a rich, sensory experience for all ages.
Balfour recalls becoming a parent as the inspiration behind the project.
“I think the actual story came to me when my first bub was born … I was sitting on the couch at home, and I was looking at him, and I was wondering what the hell I was gonna do with my life, feeling this overwhelming change in my identity now that I was a mum,” she says.
“I was listening to kids' music, and what was out there, and I wasn't too keen on what I was hearing … like, mainstream kids' music kind of thing. There's some really cool kids' music, but then there's just some stuff that I don't know how parents stay sane listening to it … So, Clara’s story and music styles kind of appeared when I became a mum.”
Balfour’s witnessed the wonder in the eyes of her own children when they experience a live theatre or music gig, and says kids accessing live performances is the driving force behind the live stage show.
“It scares me that live music is becoming a dying art form. It scares me that kids aren't exposed to live music like I was when I was a kid, and I really wanted to make the music, and the music being played, a focus of the show,” she says.
“I think, probably in the last 18 months, it feels like there is this shift that the music industry is seeing, and then, just sitting back and watching that and thinking, ‘well, what do I want to contribute to the music industry?’ And I think one thing is finding ways to give kids exposure to live music.”
Suffice to say, the kids are sure to love this one. Making it extra sweet is the Territory-ness of it all, as Clara Crocodile travels through the NT encountering Territory characters along the way. Plus, Territory kids are no stranger to crocs and taught to be CrocWise, their presence such a part of our culture.
“The story of the crocodile came from looking at all the newspapers, and the media, about how many crocs there were, and croc culling, all that sort of stuff,” Balfour says.
“And in every kids’ show, or every kids’ story, there has to be a trauma that the kid faces. The trauma that Clara faces is that her parents are gonna eat her … that's quite funny, and I quite liked the dark humour that you could have around that, you know? Having your parents want to eat you, because, well, that never happens!”
As well as the little ones getting a kick out of this one, music fans should also have a hoot, as a collective of local creatives collaborate for the first time. Balfour’s joined by musicians Yuka (Fukuzaki) Hicks, Conor Cartwright, Pele Savage, Tim Webb, and Mark Smith, with their music supported by puppetry from Tania Leiman as Clara.
Balfour is stoked everyone’s come to the party, and to bring it all together on stage.
“I wanted to create music for kids, that adults could enjoy. I wanted to make a story album about the Territory. I was lucky enough to make a wish list of artists in Alice Springs to record the album. I was lucky enough to ask brilliant musicians from Darwin to recreate the album as a live stage show. And they have come on board!”
Don’t miss your chance to see this total Territory production in the Northern Territory institution that is Brown’s Mart Theatre. You really can’t get more Territory than that.
Clara Crocodile
WHEN SAT 18 APR 10.30AM & 2.30PM
AT BROWN’S MART THEATRE
COST $12
INFO claracrocodile.com
