Saturday 14th December 2019 at Leeds Library. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Wrongsemble continue their winning streak of Children’s theatre shows with Hansel and Gretel. Much like The Princess and the Sprout and Billy Shakes before it, this new show from writer and director Elvi Piper is cleverly constructed with an eye for fun and and delicate moral messaging,... Continue Reading →
Malory Towers: A*s All Round
Tuesday 10th September 2019 at York Theatre Royal. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Wise Children bring a wholesome tale with a few thrilling rough edges to the stage in this musicalised production of Enid Blyton’s Malory Towers. As far as children’s stories go, Malory Towers has it all; sparky youngsters, peripheral grown-ups, minor conflicts with potentially perilous consequences and... Continue Reading →
Interview: Cast Members Talk Swallows & Amazons
Just in time for the school holidays, a new adventure tale lands in York! Arthur Ransome’s classic children’s novel Swallows & Amazons plays York Theatre Royal from 26th July - 24th August 2019 (tickets here). Here, five members of the cast - Anne-Marie Piazza, Alex Winfield, Ellen Chivers, Kiernan Buckeridge, William Pennington and Laura Soper... Continue Reading →
The Princess and the Sprout & Other Festive Tales: A Winning Mash-Up of Old & New
Sunday 16th December 2018 at Leeds Central Library. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Family shows which strike the balance between being child-friendly and genuinely engaging for all are relatively hard to come by. The shows which get past that first round rarely make it over the next hurdle: actors performing with a dash of kid’s TV energy rather than... Continue Reading →
Matilda the Musical (Tour): Roald Dahl’s Classic Finds a Perfect Second Home in Musical Theatre
Saturday 22nd September 2018 at Manchester Palace Theatre. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Roald Dahl’s Matilda is an undisputed modern classic and this stage musical from the RSC is truly worthy of Dahl’s original magic. It’s a whole lot of fun with a thin veiling of darkness and melancholy as befits any of Roald Dahl’s tales - but particularly... Continue Reading →
The Secret Garden: A Beautiful Adaptation of a Classic Children’s Novel
Wednesday 1st August 2018 at York Theatre Royal. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic children’s novel gets an affectionate adaptation from Jessica Swale in this production from Theatre by the Lake. As far as adaptations of classics and of children’s fiction go, this is beautifully done, paying tribute to the original with a few tweaks to... Continue Reading →
Holes: A Coming of Age Story with Lasting Appeal
Wednesday 4th April 2018 at Nottingham Playhouse. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Louis Sachar’s modern teen fiction classic has lain dormant in many a heart and mind since becoming a staple of secondary school curriculums. This production from Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company directed by Adam Penford reminds us why this story remains a steadfast presence in memory. When poor... Continue Reading →
George’s Marvellous Medicine: Light, Bright and Breezy
Tuesday 13th March 2018 at West Yorkshire Playhouse. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ With the touring production of George’s Marvellous Medicine, it’s a case of good old fashioned family fun - with plenty of modernised moments. Curve Leicester and Rose Productions present David Wood's adaptation of Roald Dahl's beloved story with simplicity and accessibility. The adaptation offers up one... Continue Reading →
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: A Grand & Enchanting Display of Imagination
Wednesday 6th December 2017 at West Yorkshire Playhouse. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ As Professor Kirke tells our child protagonists; the mind should be like a parachute in order to function: open. This spectacular production of C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe glorifies exactly that, taking the audience on an adventure of pure fantasy. West Yorkshire... Continue Reading →
The Witches: Daringly Dahl With Lots of Laughs
West Yorkshire Playhouse, Saturday 14th January, 2017. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This production of Roald Dahl's 'The Witches' packs lots of laughs, plenty of energy and a dash of thrilling threat; it's a fast-paced piece featuring elements of farce, musical theatre and panto. The audience is very swiftly made aware of the fact that this is not a... Continue Reading →