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DVD Review: The Hooley Dooley's Wonderful
Reviewed by Magdalena Ball
One of Australia's most accessible bands
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There are really two key criteria I think for making a good children's performer. One is musical talent, and the other, and this really cannot be faked, is a love for the audience. The Hooley Dooleys possess both of these criteria in abundance. Their musical talents really set them apart.
This latest video, which follows the electronic musical sound of their previous one - Oopsadazee - is set in the Hooley Dooley's backyard. As the guys wait for their character friends, Russell the muscly kangaroo and Tickle the Doodat (a kind of purple koala inspired thing) to come and play, they entertain themselves with songs, dances, and games. Russell and Tickle come along while the HDs are out looking for them and leave a trunk full of goodies before they go off to look for their human friends. The HDs return, find the trunk, but not their friends, and instead begin playing with the props inside the trunk. The whole effect is down to earth, friendly, and very accessible, with the excitement of finding the goodies in the trunk, and the make-believe that it conjures for the boys providing some of the forward motion. Russell and Tickle's little tricks, and Bruce's missing banana also add suspense, albeit in the gentlest way possible.
Does Bruce ever find his missing banana? I won't give it away, but rest assured, after watching this video, your children will walk around saying "eat a banana." Throughout the video there are the usual bits of vaudeville - Bruce's speciality - and lots of very danceable songs, including the very catchy potential hit single "Jump with Russell." (my favourite). Other songs occur almost spontaneously as items are taken out of the trunk - from a barber's cape which inspires a song and game about haircuts, a remote control, robot arms, pillows, or steering wheels. There are lots of simple games like Russell Says, Dotty, and "What If" which takes common items like milk, eggs and wool back from the supermarket to the farmer to the animal that supplied it. The overall feeling is low keyed, and relaxed, and your children can copy everything here. As always, the Hooley Dooleys encourage audience participation, and the theme song, Wonderful, is very uplifting, and directed specifically to viewers/listeners.
The Hooley Dooleys are one of Australia's most accessible bands, and as they have become bigger and more famous over the many years they have been together, they have held tightly to that. They still play small and very inexpensive venues and shake hands and chat with children afterwards - they have resisted major merchandising and syndication (as yet no Hooley Dooley yogurts or fruit salad on the market), and remain very educationally focused. They will probably remind you, as they do me, of your children's friends most involved and caring fathers - and they are indeed all fathers themselves. Excellent and well trained musicians and consummate professional performers certainly, but it is their obvious desire to do the right thing by children, which has given them a lasting and classic appeal. Wonderful is one of their simpler videos, but it will keep your children involved from start to finish with its 18 catchy songs and copycat activities. Wonderful
by the Hooley Dooleys
Roadshow
Sept 2003, Rated G
Available in DVD, Video, and CDThis review first appeared at Preschool Entertainment. It appears here with permission.
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Doggy Duo, by Sally Murphy. Available now from Banana BooksAussie Authors, by Sally Murphy
Resources for exploring Aussie literature in the classroom. Available now from the publisherSpeak Up!, by Sally Murphy
Public speaking activities for the classroom. Available now from Ready-Ed Publications
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