A rambunctious modern fable.
Welcome to the island of Helium where Betsy lives with her balloon-factory-owning family.
They’re cheerful, a bit money-mad and life is on the up. But when the world turns against balloons, their world pops and Betsy must start a new life in a faraway city with her eccentric uncle Mr. Snark, an inventor of mostly half-finished things.
Unfortunately, Snark has problems of his own. In his city, it never stops raining. The streets are flooding. And things, quite literally, are starting to sink.
Betsy Balloon is a rambunctious modern fable with original music by Moniker, illustrations by Stephen Templer, based on a story by Bill Manhire and adapted for stage by Gavin McGibbon.
Duration 50 mins
Ages 7+
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Nigel Collins | Narrator
Aimee Sullivan | Betsy Balloon
Arlo Gibson | Mr. Snark -
Original Story: Bill Manhire
Music & Sound Design: Moniker
Stage Adaptation: Gavin McGibbon
Director: Joel Baxendale
Illustrations: Stephen Templer
Lighting Design: Marcus McShane
Costume Design: Gaby Stevenson
Scenic Design: Francis Gallop
Prop Construction: Luke Scott and David Laking
Developed and Produced by Andrew Laking
Based on a script and music originally commissioned by the New Zealand Festival of the Arts. Co-commissioned by Auckland Live and Creative New Zealand's Festival Commissioning and Presentation Fund, managed by PANNZ. Script licensed by arrangement with Playmarket on behalf of Bill Manhire and Gavin McGibbon. Thanks to Claire Mabey who initiated the project. Lōemis festival for seeing the early potential in the work and Auckland Writers Festival for staging an initial live reading. Huge thanks also to the team who worked on the early development: Nick Ascroft, Miranda Manasiadis, Jeremy Randerson, Isobel McKinnon and Jackson Burling.
