Tadaaaa! The show is about to start, the audience cannot wait, everybody’s in their places, the curtains are about to open annnnnd…. Cow… Cow…? Cow is hiding in the back stage, Cow just can’t do it! “What exactly are you afraid of?”, a fellow cat asks. Cow, like most of us when we become the centre of attention, is afraid of messing up and being ridiculed.
As grown ups we don’t really appreciate how many times we were put under the spotlight as being kids. Whether it was raising our hands to ask a question, standing in front of a classroom to present a project, or at a Christmas school presentation. Even a talent show is something that can sound really attractive — a moment to shine on what we think we do best? C’mon! — but can also be utterly terrifying. The thought that even something as simple and natural for a cow as jumping over the moon — I mean, it’s what they do — can go wrong in front of everyone just gives me goosebumps. I don’t want to be in that position, I don’t want to be on stage, I can’t… do it.
A mix of animals and crazy object creatures that make part of the spectacle — plus a stressed up tiny dog director — get frustrated at the beginning but then become solitaire to Cow’s fear of stage. They all come together to help Cow with the best kinds of advice: start small, try again, practise over and over,
there is nothing wrong with failing, do your best, and have fun.
With weird and colourful characters and musical rhymes, Yes You Can, Cow! gives us the courage to face the audience embracing all possibilities. The worst it can happen if we get it wrong is being embarrassed for a bit, but it doesn’t compare to missing the fun of being on stage. On any stage.
