What I liked
Beautiful music composition, with lyrics ranging from simple to poetic (“there was a party of kissing,”) and a rockin’ live band leant a groundedness to the performance. Boisterous performances by the adults playing children, Liv Licursi and Ana Karina Cano, fused with emotional storytelling as they explored themes of language, diversity, loneliness, and friendship. The show builds emotional intelligence and is full of creative, child-like problem solving.
The production does a lot with a little- the set is simple, practical, portable, and contains a surprise cache of spectacle to delight the senses.
What I didn't like
The journey through the four elements is lost on the younger crowd, and the conclusion was a little muddy for this regrettably non-bilingual adult (Wait, Grandma came back? I thought it was her time to…go? What was her relationship to Cano’s character? ) Ultimately, my child had a transformative theatrical experience, which is all I wanted for her 2024 fringe.
My overall impression
It is rare to find a fringe show that is truly all ages, and it was a delight to be in the audience for “Baby Rock,” nestled between two moms with babes in arms while my own four and a half year old sat on pillows in the “lil rockers” section in front of me. This show, though it is not without its shortcomings, brings a visceral joy to children (and adults) through song, engagement, and spectacle, and helps instill a love of theatre at a young age. I’m a preschooler teacher by day, and I would recommend “Baby Rock” to my families.
