Gogo fish - the fossil that changed the world

‘Gogo Fish – the fossil that changed the world’ by Damon Lockwood is a 55-minute play, presented by the Barking Gecko Theatre Company at the Subiaco Arts Centre, Hamersley Road, Subiaco. The performances are twice daily at 11.00 am and 1.00 pm until 11^th October.

         It is 1986, and Zach (Jimmy James Eaton) and Charlie (Cassandra Vagliviello) - two Steve Irwin look-alikes - are wandering through the Kimberly, when they find the remains of a complete Gogo fish that lived 375 million years ago, the evolutionary ancestor of humans.
        Charlie found that by using the fish as a club it acted as a time machine. The harder you hit the further back one goes in time.
       We meet the Clam family and their sexually frustrated daughter. Numerous nautical living things appear as we travel through evolution.

The invitation asked all fossils to join them at Subiaco to see Gogo fish. Although I am now classed as a fossil, I am probably more like the Gogonasus fish’s cousin, Osteolepis from Scotland. Damon Lockwood has blended his knowledge of natural science with comedy to produce this fabulous documentary / adventure for children.

Director, Jeremy Rice, has kept the pace bubbling along. Cherie Hewson’s cleverly devised, bright creature costumes combined with Bryan Woltjen’s (as always) inventive set which transformed convincingly from the desert rock formations of the Kimberley, to the coral reef, home of the organisms. Ash Gibson Greig’s music captured the mood perfectly with plenty of bounce to hold the children’s interest.

Cassie was a superb straight man and feed for Jimmy James’ zany and unique humour. The two captured the audience, and held them wanting more for the duration of the show. Jimmy took us through a couple of dozen characters, ranging from a waving frond, to the WA Governor! This was Jimmy at his very best.

Fun – and education – for 7 to 12 year olds, slightly younger children may worry about words like ‘Nautiloid’ and ‘Placoderm’. This show glowed for the whole performance, great fun and kids loved it.