It dawned on my this morning that I have tried in recent posts to convey some of the joy and excitement Patrick and Mototsugo discuss cryo-ballisticsI have been enjoying in Japan, but that I have not mentioned the individual people. It is mainly they who have made this adventure so enriching. It is a wonderfully diverse and complimentary group from a wide range of institutions and backgrounds. Here they are in the order that their business cards fell out of my name tag holder.

Mototsugo Ueno, our “Rocket man” from Yamanashi Prefectural Science Centre gave us drive, energy and goodGrandpa Cathy under the influence of the crazy glasses humour. Kate Moore, one of Scitech’s finest kept us giggling and did some excellent work packing our road cases (the cardboard boxes used to transport our props to the performance space). Yuko Okayama, our facilitator from Miraikan, has been simply fabulous. She managed to find the perfect balance of humour, oranisational rigour, problem-solving skills and generosity of spirit. Hiromi Kurokawa, also from Miraikan has been a source of great ideas, committed performance and a fun-loving demeanour. We have also enjoyed the company of Museum Victoria’s Bernard Caleo. An accomplished comic artist (that’s comic, the noun although most his drawing this week has made me smile a lot) and performer, Bernard’s performance as the blue-wigged Mother is a highlight. And now it's runny again - Megumi and the oobleckI can only guess the psychological damage this performance might have caused to children in the audience. We brought a bit of Queensland with us in the form of Pete Cowes, from Queensland Museum. Pete played the father, married to Bernard's character. As if that wasn't challenge enough, he also managed a nifty bit of Japanese lip synching - hilarious.  

Akihiro Kumagai from Morioka Children’s Museum of Science is a good thinker with a fantastic sense of humour; he is also a sensational singer, as last night’s karaoke revealed. Questacon sent us Patrick Helean and Cathy Petocz. Patrick is our Australian Facilitator and is a source of boundless creative energy, wonderful support and heart-warming diplomacy. Cathy is another deep well of creativity. An accomplished musician, Cathy’s skills were revealed in the finale of our show as her Grandfather character rose to prominence in the centre of the stage. Mizuho Awakawa (Coco) of Hiroshima Children’s Museum brought an effervescent personality and an insightful mind, and was perfect as one half The twins, Mami and Cocoof our “twins”. The other half of the twins was Mami Ikeuchi, from Fujikawa-Razuka, Taikenkan Donbura. None of us will not forget Mami’s smile, her ideas, her performance or her skills with an AirZooker. We have been privileged to work with Megumi Ohashi from Hamamatsu Science Museum  as well, and whenever I think about her playing with oublek or using small balloons to impersonate a koala, I nearly giggle out loud. Megumi’s preparedness to try anything with a smile was great, and we are all wearing the beautiful string tie things she made us with pride. Pete and Bernard present an interesting angle on parentingMitsuru Kudo came with us from ANU and has been superb from the beginning, as an interface between the cultures. He has guided us (sometimes he didn't get completely lost), supported us, translated for us, ate with us and laughed with us.

Well, I must say I feel better for recognising everyone in our group, because these are the people that made it all work. There are more stories to be told about karaoke, taxis, MANGA, Fu-Fu and food, but they will have to wait for another time. Right now, as our group is dispersing it feels good just to see them to together again on this page.