REVIEW: Daddy Daycare
- Jacqui Dwyer
- 53 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Daddy Daycare is a practical study proving that consent + play = pure joy. Hear me out.
Steph Crothers’ debut solo show marries the universally adored language of Play School and classic clowning to teach the basics of enthusiastic consent, expressing boundaries and ‘daddy’ etiquette in a way that never stopped being fun.
The show was light and bubbly, warmly inviting us to come inside and play games with our host, a sweet and caring teacher we called ‘Mommy’. We were beckoned into a familiar feeling space by Crisstian Grueber’s deftly tickled ivories, as he played jazzy renditions of lullabies and nursery songs from the keys. His soundtrack to the entire show was bright and emotive, perfectly matching every gear shift and becoming a character in itself. Max Arnold’s set design was perfectly nostalgic, brightly coloured with a sky backdrop and various friendly toys scattered around (with certain phallic upgrades).
Steph is both the shiny children’s entertainer and cheeky stripper of our dreams, leaning into both styles with ease and eerily perfect similarity. Her voice shape-shifted from gentle and encouraging, drawing us in, to bubbly baby-talk, equally encouraging and just juxtaposed enough to feel emotionally confusing and hilarious. She also deserves a MICF award for Most Expressive Eyes, which often said more than any dialogue could have.
Steph’s stellar writing paired with Sophie Power’s direction makes for an engaging night that never slows, and I’m itching to give details but I just don’t want to spoil it! What I will make special mention of is the exceptional puppet friend that we meet along the way, stunningly and graphically crafted by Elyce Phillips.
This production has unfortunately faced some hurdles throughout its season with certain daddies in the audience not playing nice; icky heckles, inappropriate photos, and angry walk outs from men who assumed they were there to watch a strip show based on the poster alone. As Steph put it in an online post, “The kind of man that needs to see this show, is not the kind of man I want in the audience.” Despite this, Steph embraced our audience with such warmth and generosity, and we truly felt so much safety and freedom to play in that space.
The triumph of this show is that it allowed the audience an opportunity to engage kinaesthetically with consent - to actually practice what was being preached in real time. Adults forget that they always have the instinct to play in their arsenal, which is the best medium for connection, and learning. Daddy Daycare highlights the similarities in ‘the script’ strippers and children’s entertainers use, and I think they’re so similar because children and people engaging in sexual play are inherently vulnerable, and do need the extra support in boundaries and consent to free them up for ideal and safe playtime. That’s where the fun truly thrives!
Therefore, I truly believe (having graduated from Daddy Daycare with my WWWC) that consent + play = pure joy. Go catch some joy at The Motley Bauhaus until the 19th April. It will surprise you.
