The founders of Roustabout Theatre privilege have turned the challenges of 2020 into creative ideas and continue to find joy in sharing their stories and laughter with people of all ages.
Mates blogger: The Family Stage
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The Family Stage is a blog following the lives of two musical mad mums who are attempting to sustain their theatregoing habit after adopting two little girls. Born out of Mummy’s indecision over whether to become a theatre blogger or mummy blogger, it attempts to straddle the boundary between the two worlds. But with family life revolving around extracurricular activities of the performing arts variety, and weekends filled with family theatre, Mummy finds that her musings remain distinctly stagey. When the munchkins are in bed, Mummy and Mrs Mummy take it in turns to go to grown-up shows, ensuring that they have something to talk about besides children.
The latest from The Family Stage on MyTheatreMates
‘Brilliantly adapted for digital delivery’: PLAY-ALONG PLINK & BOO – Can’t Sit Still (Online review)
Nothing can replicate the feeling of live and interactive like a production that is indeed live and interactive. Or so we thought until we watched Play-Along Plink & Boo.
‘Has the audience engaged throughout’: UP, UP, UP & AWAY! – Super Stories With City Actors (Online review)
With Up, Up, Up and Away, Super Stories With City Actors have put together a fun family adventure that successfully replicates the joy of live children’s theatre.
‘A courtroom setting gets round socially distanced difficulties’: THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS – Guildford Shakespeare Company (Online review)
Guildford Shakespeare Company first performed their adaptation of Kenneth Grahame’s classic in 2015. After a successful series of Zoom murder mystery evenings, they decided to recreate their hit family production.
‘A cautionary tale about the importance of ideas & the value of human connection’: THE MACHINE STOPS – Big Telly Theatre (Online review)
Imagine a world where social contact is limited by a raft of regulations. A world where everyone communicates via computer instead of face to face.
‘As entertaining as it is educational’: LUNA – Roustabout Theatre Company
It’s a brilliant piece of theatre which will no doubt capture the imagination of anyone interested in space, and is one of those shows which genuinely works as well (if not better) for the adults as it does for the kids.
‘The key to the show’s success is its simplicity’: The Polar Bears Go Up – Unicorn Theatre (Online review)
The Polar Bears Go Up sees the Polar Bears off on an adventure to rescue a balloon, utilising multiple inventive methods of transport to climb higher and higher until, eventually, they end up in space.
From stage to sofa: A rundown of digital theatre available for families
In this article, we’ll be rounding up everything that’s available for families to live-stream to their living room.
‘Strong ensemble piece’: MACBETH – Greenwich Theatre ★★★★
Lazarus Theatre Company’s production of Macbeth effectively mixes the old and the new, adding to this sense that Macbeth is a cautionary tale for every era.
‘It’s funny & sad all at the same time’: NETFLIX & CHILL – Drayton Arms Theatre
Netflix & Chill is a truly thought-provoking play which shines a spotlight on the taboo topic of male mental health.
‘Oakley was absolutely stunning’: WAITRESS – West End
We were incredibly excited to learn that we would instead be seeing Desi Oakley, who had formerly played Jenna in the US tour, and had been flown over especially to cover the sickness spreading through the Waitress diner.
‘Make sure you see it’: POTTED PANTO – Southwark Playhouse ★★★★★
Do you love panto? Potted Panto is the panto for you. Make sure you see it.
‘A really good all-round family show’: OI FROG & FRIENDS! – West End & Touring
Oi Frog & Friends! is an entertaining, musical romp through many of the well-known rhymes from the original books with a witty script and songs which are upbeat, catchy and full of clever lyrics.
‘An absolute treat for anyone who loves musical theatre’: CURTAINS – Touring & West End ★★★★
Curtains is a hilarious love letter to both the murder mystery genre and musical theatre itself, performed brilliantly by an impressively large cast in which there is not a weak link.
‘A rich tapestry of music brings the story to life’: ISLANDER – Southwark Playhouse
Finn Anderson’s stunning score for Islander at Southwark Playhouse is performed beautifully by Bethany Tennick and Kirsty Findlay who pull off Amy Draper’s ingenious concept & direction seamlessly.
‘Raises the bar for the modern musical’: PRELUDES – Southwark Playhouse
While this may not read like an ordinary review, Preludes is far from an ordinary show. Dave Malloy’s work is a revolutionary piece that tackles the topic of mental health in the arts and poses probing questions about the subjectivity of art and the meaning of success.
‘If you like the film, you will most likely enjoy the stage show’: SCHOOL OF ROCK – West End ★★★★
For anyone unfamiliar with the show, it is based on the 2003 film starring Jack Black as a wannabe rock-star who masquerades as a private school teacher and ends up taking his class to Battle of the Bands. If you like the film, you will most likely enjoy the stage show. On the flip side, don’t go in expecting big surprises.