Photo provided by the company
Puppet shows are pretty rad. From large scale spectacles like Last Landscape, dependable and endearing works by acclaimed artists like Ronnie Burkett to adorable little productions like The Zucchini Club and Eric Woolfe’s oeuvre with Eldrtich Theatre—there’s a distinctive charm that appeals to me. A tiny venture I caught recently is Karl and the Junkyard Pack, a 45-minute scenario devised by Jesse Lewis and Rachel Van Staalduinen and presented by Playdough Productions.
Lewis has written this cute story and composed the music for its handful of guileless songs. Karl is a cat who lives in a junkyard. They love their home and small group of animal friends, their “pack,” and take pride in introducing us, junkyard tourists, to them. My favourite, I think, is Courtney the Crow, mostly because of the cute way she plonks her beak into the ground whenever she’s distraught.
Karl’s getting restless though and decides that going to the moon in a DIY spaceship will satisfy their curiosity. Randy the rat, a tiny Rat-Tuber conspiracy theorist, provides some early nay-saying and teasing, but eventually all the friends are on-board and supportive, though it means losing their pal. They come together to build a surprisingly functional and stylish little rocket. And, be still my heart, the little space helmet!
Does Karl get to the moon? Perhaps you’ll have an opportunity to watch the show and find out. I will tell you that Karl’s adventure confirms their place in the pack, nestles them more firmly into their identity, which is what this tale is ultimately about. Along the way, there are some amusing little riffs on contentious current topics and popular rhetoric. In no way politically provocative, this does draw some jokey reference to the discourse.
Staalduinen production design and puppets are modest and cozy. There is an understated, gently persuasive personality to each character, though I think the castelet and its junkyard set dressing could do with a little more clutter. Two miniature clusters of junk flanking the edges don’t quite sell it. At the performance I attended, Staalduinen also filled in for the voice of Karl, in addition to the ensemble of supporting characters, as Lewis had lost her voice. This certainly contributed to the overall sameness of the vocal delivery throughout, but the vibes were strong enough to draw us in regardless.
The plinky-plonky numbers are accompanied by guitarist Charlie VanStone. Seated off to the side, they also figure into the performance as a helpful side-kick. Their awkward little chats with Karl contribute greatly to the already delightful aw shucks vibe. Cheeky meta-theatrical asides factor in nicely here too, an affectionate awareness of the audience and its own artifice.
The defining quality of Karl the Cat and the Junkyard Pack is a quiet and candid earnestness. I was compelled to lean in towards them, as the gestures and voices seemed so delicate. While I couldn’t—hmmm, shouldn’t—actually pat them on the head, I tried my best to do so with my energy. Oh, and there are sing-a-long bits too, another winsome feature of this witty and sweet production.
Karl the Cat and the Junkyard Pack
November 6 to 9, 2025
Sweet Action Theatre
(180 Shaw St, Unit #109)
45 minutes
Photo provided by the company