Prolific Toronto musical theatre writer Andrew Seok has a signature style- all heart, total sincerity, soaring ballads with big ensemble harmonies. Your mileage may vary. The unrelenting prettiness of his work is a pro for me, though it can get repetitive, so it’s nice to see him stretch a bit with his latest piece.

Based on the viral story of that monkey in the Japanese zoo that found companionship with a stuffed IKEA monkey after being ostracized first by his mother and then by the larger macaque zoo community, Punch’s timeliness is a testament to Seok’s efficiency and dedication to new work (as of this writing, the real Punch is still only 10 months old; he was all over the internet in February). Though he leans on old habits a bit too hard in the opening/closing number that is both too serious and too saccharine (a strange thing to say about such a feel-good story but true nevertheless), Seok finds new momentum with the show’s best songs that blend childlike brightness with underlying sadness, a bit more uptempo from where he usually works.

The songs featuring Belinda Corpuz’s rich soprano as Punch’s one true friend Momo are a highlight, as is the bittersweet “Hey Dad” which sees Lara Roda’s charmingly vulnerable Punch trying to maintain her connection to the zookeeper she thinks of as her father. Surprising empathy for Punch’s mother (an intense and compelling Cyrena Fiel) is a dramaturgical revelation that gives the otherwise simple story some stirring complexity. And though, as the narrator, she’s limited to the least effective songs in the show, it’s always a privilege to hear Chilina Kennedy sing live.

I’d love to see Punch expanded into a slightly longer show with even more uptempo fun for young audiences, a perfect market for Andrew Seok’s signature sweetness.