Incredibilia is a theatrical adaptation of 20 books by author Libby Hathorn. This show for families has been adapted by acclaimed theatre-maker Kim Carpenter (of Theatre of Image) with music by Peter
Kennard. See it at Riverside Theatres (Parramatta) on 1 June 2024 at 11a.m. or 1p.m.
We recently spoke to Kim Carpenter about the creation of Incredibilia and making theatre for children and families.
Artsplorers: Hi Kim. Would you tell us a bit about Incrediblia?
Kim Carpenter: It’s a 45 minute show, so it’s a very tight little show. It’s the adaptation of 20 of Libby Hathorn’s picture books It is a challenge to adapt 20 books, so we’ve just taken the essence of each book to make a journey.
I read about 40 to 50 of Libby’s books, and then chose the ones that had common themes and ideas. It’s really about friendship. It’s about family. It’s about nature. It’s about travel to other countries, and the world in general. So it’s a big canvas. And essentially, it’s two friends who’ve been invented for this overarching story called Incredibilia. …
The friends start off in a library, so they start off reading books, and from the book becomes actual stories that appear in three dimensions. It’s about using your imagination, and dreaming, and going on an emotional journey with these people.
The piece has been put together with music. … Peter Kennard is the composer. We’ve worked together on nine productions, mostly quite large productions. He also is, in this case, the live musician. We’re fortunate to have him.
Artsplorers: Do you enjoy working on something that’s a bit more contained like this with just two performers and the musician? Is that is that a fun challenge for you as a creator?
KC: It’s a joy. …
In this case, we have two terrific performers who are very good. I auditioned widely before I found the right two people. The chemistry between the two was to be very important. You have to believe that they really like each other… They’re very charismatic, and they’re multi skilled. The biggest thing was that they had to really sing; so they had to have a background in music theater, not just drama. Having just the two performers, the musician-composer and the stage manager in rehearsal is terrific. We’ve had a good time – we’ve enjoyed each other’s company and making the work.
Artsplorers: So, you have your enormous stack of Libby Hathorn’s books. Was there something that gave you an “in” to her work, whether that might be the style of her language or the themes that she uses, or something else? Was there something that made you say, “aha, this is how I’m going to go ahead with this work.”?
KC: Well, I think it goes back to what I said earlier about the themes that are continuity themes in her work – friendship family, and the world around us. … Because she’s a grandmother and a mother, she uses her own family as references for her stories. That’s very evident. There’s a tenderness and a beauty there, and a poetic quality.
But I was also looking for drama. And I was looking for contrast. So the overall arching story of Incredibilia has peaks and valleys. We have moments that are very exciting and fast. Then we have more lyrical, tender moments. Then we have very funny, humorous moments. … It always ends in in some kind of a moral.
I am a visual director, so I’m interested in the imagery. I think with children in particular, you have to get them visual content to engage them and surprise them. There’s 101 puppets and props. Just when you think you know what you’re watching, it changes to another world, another time, another set of images. The puppets and props are all made from what some people call recycled things, but they’re objects that you find around the house or in the garden. And then they’re reinvented, painted and combined to turn into other kinds of characters and creatures… subverting ordinary objects into extraordinary things.
Artsplorers: I’ve seen that sort of thing work in theater with children and they are just so amazed by watching that transformation happen before their eyes. It must be such a joy to see kids enjoy that.
KC: When a school audience or parents or grandparents are amazed that the children are so engaged and just sit there, absolutely absorbed, I think that is because it moves at a fairly rapid pace. It changes all the time. They’re constantly stimulated and surprised. And particularly schools think, “Oh, well, maybe they can go home and make this themselves.” Of course they can. It is essentially about imagination – whether that be in the story, but also, you want the audience to use their imagination, as well.
Artsplorers: I understand you’re quite a visual person. And Libby, of course, is a person of words. And then you have the the music as well. What was that collaboration like between all of you?
KC: Well, I’m very used to working with writers and composers. … The first draft was developed with Libby and, being a visual director and designer, I did drawings for each story – just line drawings to get the flavor of the piece. Then I departed from that draft and started working with the composer. Composers are usually very visual, as well, so the imagery is important to them in terms of finding the right sound and moods. So, Peter and I worked together on the next three drafts… to eventually arrive at a draft that became the rehearsal draft.
Within that period of development, designs were done. And, in fact, props were made. We eventually did a one week rehearsal period, and then we had a month between the rest of the rehearsals. … In that week, we explored the entire script, but in a very sketchy way. It’s no longer words on a page. It becomes a show. It’s no longer just about the books. It’s about the show. When people come to see it, they’re engaged in a show. It transcends the original source.
Artsplorers: Yes. I always say that one thing I love about picture books and about musical theater both is that they’re their own art form, but they’re comprised of two other art forms. It’s as if they’re a secondary color that has taken two art forms and created a new art form. And so, with this, you’re creating a kind of tertiary color. You’re taking musical theater, you’re taking picture books that have already combined these elements and making something new with it, which is beautiful.
KC: That’s right. It’s layered. It’s also more reason for people to engage because I don’t necessarily think people know exactly what they’re coming to until they’re actually in the theater. It it unfolds in front of them.
Artsplorers: I recently had sort of a rant on Instagram, because I read a review of a children’s show that it was “almost too good for children.” I think there is sort of a perception for some that you can just kind of slap something together for children and the real artistic work is happening for adults. I think this couldn’t be further from the truth and does a dishonor to children. I’m interested to hear from you, as someonewho has made a lot of work for children in a way that is very thoughtful and respectful, your thoughts on an ethic that you might bring to creating work for children? Or, is there something that people might be surprised about in terms of what it means or what it takes to create work for children?
KC: I like to think of it as theatre that’s intergenerational. It can be appreciated on different levels, according to your age and life experience. Adults can enjoy it, as well. … They will get something more than the children will. As adults who are creating the work, we have to like it. We have to enjoy it to satisfy our sensibility as artists. So, we’re never, ever looking down, we’re looking up.
The fact that it’s visual means that that we all can understand visual language more than words. Your children may not be even able to read at a very early age, but they can see, and they can read colors, and shapes, and forms and textures. On a purely sensual level, this can engage your child. As they get older, they can understand the language, and then they can understand symbols and the things that are represented.
I remember many years ago, a mother taking a child up the stairs of the Wharf Theatre at the Sydney Theatre Company to see a show. … She said, “you may not understand all this because they won’t tell you everything. They’ll suggest.” And I thought, “Oh, that’s very good.” …
Of course, music is also a very sensual thing. That’s why all the productions I’ve done are an equal combination of storytelling through music, and image, and words. It’s not dominated by text. The text is usually quite economical. With picture books, the text is always economical. You comprehend the story through a combination of pictures and words. It is three dimensional on stage with lighting, and costume and props and puppets. It’s a combination of all those elements coming together to tell a story.
Thank you to Kim Carpenter for speaking to us about Incrediblia. Tickets and more information about the show at Riverside Theatres (Parramatta) can be found here.