Helena and the Journey of the Hello

The beautiful and awkward moment where a child crosses over and begins the journey to adulthood.

For Helena Bugosi that moment happens in an instant and in this instant Helena makes a powerful choice. While this is the journey of Helena Bugosi, an eleven year old girl who possesses a magical voice, it is also the story of two others; a mother and a father.

Helena and the Journey of the Hello is a classical style fairytale in a crossed line conversation with contemporary times. The old world charm of the illustrated story is given a digital twist as unexpected parts of the set and costumes open like pages in a book. Children and adults are amazed at what is possible with a mobile phone, a coat and an old iron bed as they are taken on the Journey of the Hello.

The audience sit inside the fantasy world of Helena Bugosi. And what a world this is! Helena’s mum is always on the phone – because she lives in it. Helena’s father goes into the forest and befriends the animals and Helena sings songs by the side of the road with an old wolf, a fox and a hare.

Terrapin’s naughty and enchanting show is narrated by these three mischievous animals that could be straight out of the midsummer night forest. They croon and wail in a waltz playing band; they fumble with puppets and fiddle with phones, weaving the audience through a thicket of stories about Helena, her father and her mother who lives in a phone!

“Helena and the Journey of the Hello is one of the best works around on the Australian scene for young audiences. It treats its audience with deep respect – it is sophisticated, theatrical and immensely entertaining.”

Noel Jordan, Sydney Opera House

“Helena is wonderful, in the truest sense of the word – filled with strange and intriguing delight. It’s bursting with images and ideas.”

Andrew Harper, Realtime Magazine

“A compelling mix of comedy and pathos”

Briony Kidd, Australian Stage

“Mobile phone functions, to do with video, sound and LCD screens are also utilised to mesmerising effect. Small squares of colour glide like trout around in the pitch black; eyes and mouths assemble into Daliesque collages. Helena contains many splendid segues and surprises – technical, comic, musical, design”

Susanne Kennedy, Lowdown Magazine