| Wiggles pack fun-filled punch
BY JENNIFER NORELLI-BURKE, Daily News Staff Writer August 29, 2005 Hurricane Katrina may be hitting with a vengeance, but "The Wiggles Live: Sailing Around the World" tour packs a punch of its own. The Wiggles took stage Saturday at Mellon Arena for a fun-filled afternoon and evening of singing and dancing. Parents and children dressed in Wiggle-wear were ready to set sail. Advertisement The show opened with the one of the Australian quartet's signature tunes, "Toot Toot Chugga Chugga Big Red Car." With jumbo video screens on either side of the stage, the audience was able to watch Anthony Field, Greg Page, Jeff Fatt and Murray Cook drive through the city, the parking lot and backstage. Once the car made it to the stage, children (and parents too!) gave them an outstanding ovation. Once the gang was in full swing, the fab four and their fun-loving companions - Dorothy the Dinosaur, Wags the Dog and Captain Feathersword - performed their songs to the highest level. The group went sailing through the crowd greeting eager children. Audience participation played a key role in the success of the show. Every parent, guardian, aunt, uncle and child were playing along. Their song list featured several tunes from their television show, including "Look Both Ways," "Rock-A-Bye Your Bear," "Hot Potato" and "Fruit Salad." Besides singing their noted songs, the group made the performance local by adding a Pennsylvania Polka to the show. It was a bit amusing to see Aussies' polka! Although the show is geared toward toddlers, the group makes it fun for the parents, as well. Besides making each other laugh on stage, they add innocent adult humor in their dialogue. Captain Feathersword once again had his magic buttons, prompting him to perform like Mick Jagger, an opera singer, Metallica, Enrique Iglesias and Elvis. Added to the show were new tunes, including "Sailing Around the World," "Mop Mop," "Agapame Tin Athena" and "Brown Girl in the Ring" that featured a folk dancer named Lucy. In what's become a Wiggles tradition, members of the dance team went through the audience collecting bones for Wags and roses for Dorothy. Ending the show with a medley of songs was a sure-fire way to leave the audience wanting more. Everyone, of all ages, seemed to have a fun-filled afternoon. ŠThe Daily News 2005 |