Poetic puppetry about boogers, bullies, and self-acceptance.
Elliot's Big Nose and the Snot that it Grows is an enchanting combination of puppetry, poetry, allegory, and song. It features eight year old Elliot, a big-nosed bookworm who is addicted to nostril picking. It sounds like a disgusting tale of woe (because it is) but solid Suess-ian stanzas and unique visual storytelling more than compensate for the ick factor of this semi-cautionary tale.
After an unfortunate chain of events involving snot, vomit, and half-digested chocolate milk is set into motion by a moment of nose-picking; Elliot becomes bullied by kids at her school. Consequently, Elliot is ostracised, her nose is referred to as a “huge atrocity”, and she gets in trouble for the debatable crime of reading books at lunch time. After wishing for a reduction in loneliness, Elliot develops a hunk of magical snot with limb-like properties. This versatile and possibly-prehensile snot helps Elliot survive the terrible tasks thrust upon her by the fickle contingencies of schoolyard social dynamics. From here on in, the story escalates wildly.
Preschoolers and parents alike will appreciate the creative usage of green crepe paper along Elliot’s snot-wielding journey, as she negotiates the predictably perilous roads of exclusion, peer-pressure and, eventually, fame. Elliot learns to strengthen key relationships by demonstrating how the so-called weaknesses people are teased for can, paradoxically, become their greatest strengths. This admittedly unsubtle lesson may be lost on younger children, but much of the positive messaging inherent in this production will be readily absorbed via the ears, eyes, and mucus membranes of growing human beings.
Heavy themes abound towards the end of the show. These include, but are not limited to, medical experimentation and a moment in which Elliot must choose between her books and her boogers. This relative thematic severity clashes with the booger-joke-vibe, but compliments the earlier instances of bullying and body-shaming. However, the show includes enough hilarity for its mostly-preschool-aged audience to experience a large degree of loud amusement, and very little quiet concern.
Elliot’s Big Nose and the Snot that it Grows contains a heavy viral load of snot scarves, booger lassos, and educational fun facts. It is funny, gross, and original, with strong performances, a satisfying script, and impressive poetic puppetry.