Review: STOMP! At Jupiters Casnio, Gold Coast

Stomp review

STOMP takes the meaning of recycling to a whole new world of music and artistry. You will never look at your humble broom again in the same way. You will want to tap out beats while taking the rubbish bin out. You will want to make paper planes with the newspaper and amuse the kids. You will want to dig through the garbage and find something to make noise with. Umm.. maybe scratch that last one out. A day old garbage is not something that you want to hold .. or smell.

The toe tapping rhythm that the STOMP artists find carries through the crowds and in no time everyone is clapping and trying to keep up. There is a large level of audience participation. There is also a fairly clever gag running through the show that makes the whole show not only musical wizardry, but provides comic relief as well.

Some of the instruments used to create beautiful music defy logic. Whatever you do, don’t miss the trick with the lighters or the newspaper. Kids will love it (if they can keep quiet).

Speaking of kids, if you are going with little ones (less than 2 years old) make sure that you get aisle seats in case you need to make a quick exit if they start playing up. However, in a tribute to the show’s ability to keep kids amused, entertained and sitting still for around an hour, our 1.6 years old sat and watched the whole show in amazement. Occassinaly you could hear him say “man” loudly enough for everyone to hear during the quiet times of the show, but those quiet times were few and far between. Our 3 year old was thoroughly enthralled. We forgot she was there. Both kids want to see it again!

One sour note: When asked for some tap water from the bar staff at Jupiters Casino inside the theatre, I was refused. This is illegal in Queensland with fines ranging up to $4000. Bars must provide free tap water: http://www.olgr.qld.gov.au/stories/alcoholrelatedviolence2.shtml#7. You may want to take your own drinks to keep the kids hydrated.

What? STOMP at the Jupiter Casino, Gold Coast.

When? On now.

Tickets: At the Jupiters Box Office. From $59. You are better off combining a dinner and show package, which start at $69.

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Human brains are pretty amazing, allowing us to think, feel, create, communicate, move and more. But humans aren’t the only animals with cool brains, as Crab Museum explains in the book The No-Brainer Brain Explainer (illustrated by Bruno Valasse).

This book, aimed at kids in grades 1-4, is colorful and silly but also educational about how brains actually work, with billions of neurons sending electrical and chemical signals around the body.

“Everything we think, feel and experience comes from an electrical relay race, with neurons passing chemical batons to each other,” the book says. “The constant chatter of billions of brain cells creates your entire world.”

The book compares the brains of mammals to those of crabs (the book is “written” by a crab after all) and notes that crabs have fewer neurons and of course are much smaller, but they have separate parts of their brains that control their eyes and their legs. Crabs are also capable of remembering things, using tools and solving puzzles.

Some animals’ brains allow them to know more about their world in different ways from humans, such as spiders being sensitive to vibrations in their webs and catfish having an amazing sense of taste, with taste sensors all over their bodies.

It notes that 95 percent of brain activity goes toward things we do unconsciously, like breathing, walking and catching a ball flying toward us. It also talks about dreams, memory, how our emotions try to predict the future, where brains came from and fun facts about brains. For example, did you know a sperm whale is believed to have the biggest brain of any creature that’s even lived? Their brains weigh 18 pounds, compared to just 2.5 pounds for humans.

Information on what creatures have the smallest brains, the toughest brains, the most brains and those who actually eat their own brains will delight kids (and maybe gross them out a little bit). They’ll also enjoy learning about the mycelium network of fungi, which is like a brain without a body, and slime molds, which are like a brain without a brain.

It ends talking about why human brains are so special because we’ve found ways to work together, communicate and build communities on a scale bigger than any other animal.

Kids and adults alike will enjoy this colorful, silly and informational book about brains!

About the book: 64 pages, hardcover. Published 2026 by Wide Eyed Editions. Suggested retail price $19.99.

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