REVIEW: THE SLIGHTLY ANNOYING ELEPHANT (Little Angel Theatre) ★★★★
I took my five year old niece to see Little Angel Theatre’s latest puppet recreation of a well loved children’s story book and we weren’t disappointed. The theatre itself was relatively easy to find, though off the beaten track, through a park behind Islington’s Upper Street – a fairly nice walk on a mostly summery […]
REVIEW: WHERE IS PETER RABBIT? (Theatre Royal Haymarket) ★★★★
On a rainy and grey afternoon I was delighted to take my 5 year old niece Amy to watch this magical interpretation of some of the best loved characters from the world of one of our most celebrated children’s authors, Beatrix Potter-conceived over 100 years ago. As a child I read all 24 of her […]
REVIEW: MATHILDA AND THE ORANGE BALLOON (ArlingtonArtsCentre) ★★★★
Randall de Sève’s book Mathilda and the Orange Ballon has been developed by The DH Ensemble in collaboration with US artist Jess Kaufman into a delightful children’s show for three to eight year olds and their families and is designed to be both interactive and deaf accessible. The result is a charming forty five minutes that […]
REVIEW: Rumpelstiltskin (Southbank Centre) ★★
This was my first visit to the Queen Elizabeth Hall, part of the Southbank Centre, since its refurbishment earlier this year. I think they have done a fabulous job of the work. The exterior architecture of the building is in the “brutalist” style and was opened in 1967 and was shortly thereafter labelled the ugliest […]
REVIEW: Peppa Pig’s Adventure (Theatre Royal Haymarket) ★★★★
Anyone who has the mis/fortune of parenting a toddler will know that Peppa Pig has an almost addictive appeal. I can bear witness to it’s near crack-like effect on small humans; there have been several occasions at 6am where I approach my child’s bedroom to hear him demanding vociferously ‘Peppa Pig!?’, so I couldn’t resist […]
REVIEW: Horrible Christmas (Alexandra Palace Theatre) ★★★★
The theatre at Alexandra Palace has re-opened after 80 years; the splendid Victorian theatre is back to wow audiences and its festive production is Horrible Christmas from the producers of the Horrible Histories stage shows and Olivier award nominated Gangsta Granny. Fans of Horrible Histories will know what to expect, and they won’t be disappointed […]
REVIEW: Aliens Love Underpants (Underbelly Festival) ★★★
“Aliens love underpants of every shape and size; but there are no underpants in space so here’s a big surprise!” Aliens Love Underpants, the children’s book by Claire Freedman and Ben Cart, has been adapted and directed by Adam Bampton Smith to bring it to the stage for the first time in the Spiegeltent on […]
REVIEW: The Tiger Who Came To Tea (Piccadilly Theatre) ★★★★
The Tiger Who Came To Tea is a classic tale, written in 1968, and remains one of the best selling children’s books of all time. The Tiger is often said to be representative if the Nazis in third reich Germany, coming to take from the people as a looming threat that may return – though […]
REVIEW: ONE DUCK DOWN (VAULTS Festival) ★★★★★
I should probably start this review by letting you know that Faceplant Theatre’s show One Duck Down, that is currently playing as part of The Vaults Festival is one of the best children’s shows I’ve ever seen. If you don’t get any further than this paragraph, please take with you the fact that One Duck […]
REVIEW: THE SNOWMAN (Milton Keynes Theatre) ★★★★
There’s something about The Snowman that really stirs up feelings of nostalgia. Whether it’s the heart wrenching feeling when he’s melted, or the song that evokes this emotion, I’m not really sure. All I know is that my family watch this film every December without fail. With something so poignant and beloved as Raymond Brigg’s […]