Josh Burton plays the hapless kitchenhand Signor Baffo in a new interactive comedy show for kids which is coming to several regional towns this October. Photo: Supplied.
Josh Burton’s life experiences have come together to culminate in an interactive theatre performance he thinks he might have been destined for.
The first regional tour of Signor Baffo is coming to the Riverina in October and is guaranteed to have your kids rolling in the aisles in fits of laughter as they watch Josh’s character Baffo bumble his way around a kitchen with some very messy results.
Following on from its Australian debut at the Adelaide Fringe — where it was awarded “Best Kids and Family Show” — this is interactive children’s comedy at its best.
Josh, 32, has acted in television, film and on stage, but says it’s this style of performance that he loves best.
“I grew up in a theatre family. My dad was a performer and my mum is a dramaturg, so we were always going to see lots of shows and lots of comedy.
“I was the little kid sitting there, being inspired by it, watching these performances, desiring and fantasising to be that when I grew up.
“It’s genuinely a real honor to be in a show that is exactly the type of show that would have inspired me as a kid.”
Signor Baffo will tour Wodonga, Shepparton, Bendigo, Wagga Wagga, Canberra and Goulburn from 3 – 12 October with tickets ranging from $18 – $28.
“Signor Baffo is a bit of a clown,” admits Josh.
“He’s a kitchenhand in the kitchen of a famous chef called Signor Figaro and Figaro has not come into work on this day. So, the hapless kitchenhand, Baffo, decides to make himself an honorary chef for the day and do all the food and take on all the duties of the chef without knowing how to cook!”
Things are bound to get messy in the kitchen when Signor Baffo, who has no clue how to cook, takes on the role of head chef when his boss doesn’t turn up for work. Photo: Supplied.
Things then get a little sticky and there’s chaos in the kitchen as Baffo contemplates: what is the best way to mix meatballs with spaghetti, how does a sausage roll and how do you make a chicken lay an egg?
“It gets reasonably messy, but I’ve made sure that the mess is mainly contained to myself and the kitchen floor that we set up; we can isolate the flour, water and the whipped cream to that area,” he laughs.
“At one stage the performance included raw eggs that got spilt, and I’m incredibly grateful that is no longer part of the show because they stink!
“But it’s a really, really fun role and throughout the show there are ample opportunities for the kids to get involved, whether it’s contributing from their seats or getting up and being a part of it.”
Josh is no stranger to improvisation (improv) in front of an audience. Along with his brother Tom, they form the Burton Brothers comedy duo who are known for their knack for improvisation, their high energy and their chemistry as performers.
Improv can include song, dialogue or a stand-up routine and is performed without a script. A performer can begin with a simple premise, often via an audience suggestion, and allow scenes to develop spontaneously in real time.
“All audience members, young and old, love to feel like they are a part of something that is unique to that show, something that has only happened in this moment and will never happen again,” said Josh.
“I think we all live for those sorts of experiences in live theatre. It’s what makes live theatre so special, when you have something like that, when you know this moment is only happening in this show, this one time.”
Josh’s acting career has included stints on television show Neighbours, and he has had supporting roles in several Australian films.
“I also worked in a primary school for 10 years, so using all the different experiences I’ve had I really allow the kids in Signor Baffo to influence the show and be part of it. Allowing their creativity to run rampant is something that I really, really enjoy.
“Some people ask if it is frustrating if the kids interfere or do the wrong thing and I say ‘No, it’s so exciting as a performer’ and I encourage it. The show is for them and I love that it gets to be interrupted and contributed to by them.”
Josh reveals that while he loved his years as a teacher’s aide, he realised he had to walk away from that part of his life.
“I’ve always really liked working with kids, so it was a natural fit for me to work with a school as long as I did.
“But eventually I decided that it sort of became hard to keep trying to inspire kids to go and follow their dreams and do all that they wanted to when I wasn’t throwing myself into my own dream.
“So, I walked away to practise what I preached, in a sense.”
He auditioned for the Australian role of Baffo in London, where it has previously toured since 2013, and the show debuted in Adelaide before travelling to Melbourne and Sydney.
Actor Josh Burton loves the excitement of improvising and encourages his audience members to jump in and help him with his culinary quandaries. Photo: Supplied.
Produced by Interactive Theatre International, the show’s producer Jared Harford said it had an overwhelming reception in the capital cities and he hoped families in regional Australia would love the culinary comedy just as much.
While you don’t have to bring your children donned in waterproof capes and windshields there may be the odd fluff of flour in the air and a spatter of cream flung about.
“By the end of the show, I am usually covered in whipped cream. I’ll let the parents in on a secret here, it’s shaving cream which is a lot safer and easier to work with than whipped cream.
“I did have a scare once, though,” he chuckles.
“I rarely fully break character but there was one show where right at the end a little bit of the ‘cream’ had hit the floor and I saw a kid jump out of his seat and run up and grab a handful of it off the ground and go to put it in his mouth. I just jumped in front of him and said, ‘nooooooooooo don’t eat that!’
Crisis averted.
“I encourage kids to come with their ideas and come ready to play, get involved and have fun! Throw what you want at me, let’s make a new show together.”
Signor Baffo can be seen at the following locations:
- The Cube, Wodonga – 3 October
- Riverlinks Westside, Shepparton – 5 October
- The Engine Room, Bendigo – 6 October
- CSU Riverina Playhouse, Wagga Wagga – 8 October
- Tuggeranong Arts Centre, Canberra – 9 & 10 October
- Goulburn Performing Arts Centre, Goulburn – 12 October.
For more info and tickets, visit Interactive Theatre.
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