Philadelphia
Peanut Gallery Pipes Up
by | Oct 2, 2024 10:52 am
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Posted to: Theater
Mr. Nutterbocker’s 7‑Year Plan
Pentridge Station
5110 Pentridge St.
Philadelphia
Sept. 29, 2024
Dressed in a red cap and a woolen cape, the nut wizard sang in a raspy voice, “They’re all a unique kind of nut, see. They’re all a unique kind of nut, tree!” With a sing-songy approach to wisdom, the wizard taught the audience about the trees around them and all the different nuts they produce.
It was easy for anyone in the audience to pipe up and participate. And it was one of my favorite moments as a 20-something adult at Mr. Nutterbocker’s 7‑Year Plan, a show by Wise Possum Puppetry put on at Pentridge station (among other locations) as a part of the Philadelphia Fringe Festival.
The show aimed high with efforts to appeal to all audiences through storybook representations of complex social commentary. What made this show work was not its articulation of a singular moral, but rather the facilitation of an environment that welcomed talkback and solutions. The interactive elements and the cast’s playfulness created a world where friends could make mistakes, forgive each other, share, and fall in love.
Though I assumed this show was for younger audiences, the set seemed designed to make even adult audience members feel miniature. Next to the stage was an oversized wooden chair with painted paper mache nuts the size of balloons. Versions of these nuts in different sizes and colors were strewn about the ground. Most of the chairs were of shorter stature to fit at the tables, which looked to me like large spools for thread.
My immersion into the whimsical world of Mr. Nutterbocker had begun. The star of the show, a human-sized squirrel, greeted younger attendees in the audience as they participated in the nut cracking station at “the pond.” The animals had large bobble heads made of paper mache which were painted with blues and oranges, perfect for a misty evening in September. They were looking very dapper and charming in paperboy caps and wool vests.
As the story began, I noticed some pauses in between plot points. There had been time built in for audience reaction, but not much reaction was coming from the crowd yet. Where was the peanut gallery? Luckily I remembered there is a quick fix for a somewhat awkward pause and I gasped in horror and shouted “NOOOO, HOW COULD YOU?” when the forest bully stole the squirrels’ nuts.
However, other moments provided less clarity regarding how we should participate, like when Mr. Nutterbocker was moping so much his friend got fed up and stormed off. What do you say to your friend when he’s feeling down and doesn’t notice he’s hurting the people around him? Knowing what to shout here gets a little muddy.
Though it seemed that the cast and crew are still working out some of the kinks, it was also abundantly clear that this show was created lovingly with community in mind. In the end, the original songs from the live band, the expressive handmade puppets, and audience interaction were what made this modern fable special.
