Why do you think it’s important for young people to engage in art and culture?

It’s one of the great humanising forces – art, and music, and culture. There’s huge amounts of research that shows kids who are involved in music and cultural expression and creativity are happier and more productive. I think we’ve got a real opportunity to engage kids in the life of the mind and the life of their own creativity, and there’s nothing better for us to do, as a festival. 

Are these the kind of things that the parents will enjoy as well?

Completely. My take on kids programming is programming that I know works well for children, but that also has me completely enthralled, or falling off my chair laughing.

If it works for the kids, and it works for me, then I’m very happy. Which isn’t to say kids and adult perceive things in the same way, of course they don’t. There’s a sense of wonder, kids are so able to lose themselves in their imagination and go into the world of the theatre, whereas as we get older we get a bit more cynical – or sophisticated – whatever you want to call it. I think what’s so fantastic is seeing children completely lost in stories, and beautiful things.

These shows could help adults tap into that former sense of wonder. 

I think that’s right. They’re very special people, who can take you into that world, and we’re incredibly lucky to have two of the shows in particular – Baba Yaga and Peter and the Wolf – that have Christine Johnston, who is really one of Australia’s treasure performers. She’s one half of the Kransky Sisters. I have never seen anyone more like a kind of … child whisperer. [Laughs.] Children are just instantly entranced by her – and she by them. Of all people I know, Christine can engage in that magical world of the imagination. 

What works in the North do you want to highlight?

Well, Peter and the Wolf, which is Christine and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra – that’s just a classic. And then Baba Yaga, that’s a show that I saw at the Edinburgh Children’s Festival, and it had five star reviews from everyone.

There is also a fantastic show called the Children’s Party, which is an opportunity for children to be introduced to the principles of democracy and citizenship. It’s not a children’s party as in balloons and cake, it’s a children’s party as in a political party. The people up on stage are kids, telling other kids about, you know, finding their voice in a public arena. Then there’s a show in Burnie called Out of Chaos, which is some of the most amazing physical circus that you’ll ever see.