Overall, Cirque Berserk! at Riverside Studios does exactly what is says on the tin, offering up a real circus experience in a theatre setting. While it doesn’t quite have the same atmosphere as the Big Top (and some acts feel a little constrained by the comparatively small performance space), it’s every bit as thrilling as its tented counterpart.
‘It’s the performances that make this Christmas show shine’: PINOCCHIO – Unicorn Theatre
The use of fairytale, music and the goodie/baddie dichotomy remain in Pinocchio at the Unicorn Theatre, but the eggy, set gags and joke routines of panto are thankfully left out. Colourful, detailed design (by Jean Chan) and puppetry (by Chris Pirie) give the show a festive lushness, but it’s the performances that make this Christmas show shine.
‘Gets the environmental message across in an entertaining way’: DINOSAURS & ALL THAT RUBBISH –Touring
This year sees the 50th anniversary of Michael Foreman’s classic story Dinosaurs and all that Rubbish, a cautionary tale about environmental destruction which remains as relevant as ever. Back in the 2021 lockdown, Roustabout Theatre adapted the popular picture book into a three part online series. They’re now back with a live stage version of the story, which is out on an autumn tour following an Edinburgh Fringe run.
‘Will inspire children to find the superhero inside themselves’: AIDY THE AWESOME – Touring
The Gramophones are a female-led company making contemporary theatre that puts women and girls centre stage. They are currently on tour with Aidy the Awesome, an aerial theatre show for ages three to eight which aims to break down gender stereotypes and offer young girls funny, feisty and strong role models.
‘Brilliantly accessible experience’: THE EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES – Polka Theatre
Aimed at ages three to eight, The Emperor’s New Clothes at the Polka Theatre is a fun show with a moral message that remains as relevant today as it ever was.
‘Toilet humour & good gags for the kids’: GANGSTA GRANNY – Bloomsbury Theatre
David Walliams’ style of humour also tends towards the gross side. But in between all the fart jokes is a story with real heart that will resonate with adults and children alike.
‘Breathing new life into such a well-loved classic’: BEDKNOBS & BROOMSTICKS – Touring
Everyone has a list of favourite childhood films and, as you might expect from a family of musical theatre lovers, Disney films feature heavily on ours.
‘A fast-paced romp through one of Shakespeare’s daftest comedies’: THE COMEDY OF ERRORS – Wimbledon & Touring
Scoot Theatre is out touring cricket grounds (plus a few other places) again this summer with two condensed, family-friendly Shakespeare shows. Alongside the return of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (which we saw and loved at BarnFest 2020) comes The Comedy of Errors.
‘It’s hard to pick holes in this production’: The Wolves of Willoughby Chase – Greenwich Theatre
This was our second trip to Greenwich Theatre in a week as we returned to watch The Wolves of Willoughby Chase. The production was originally scheduled to run last Christmas but was unfortunately halted by Covid restrictions. After another Covid-enforced delay, it’s finally up and running alongside Pinocchio as part of the theatre’s inaugural in-house rep season of family theatre.
‘Even the rain can’t put a dampener on the magic’: ARTHUR/MERLIN – The Actors Church
Iris Theatre’s Arthur/Merlin is an interesting take on the tale, which fuses together the classic and contemporary and includes plenty of comedy to offset some of the darker moments.
‘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.
‘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.
‘Bold, genre-bending’: SNOW WHITE & ROSE RED – Battersea Arts Centre
Combining their woman-led, political ethos with the use of live music, RashDash reclaims femininity and appropriates the traditionally patriarchal adventure of fairytales in this spirited show for all ages.
THE STORY GIANT – Liverpool
As the Everyman’s company season continues, The Story Giant takes to the stage. An adaptation of a tale by Mersey Poet Brian Patten, it brings together a wealth of the theatre’s backstage talent for a real family affair.
SLEEPING BEAUTY – Oldham
The team at Oldham Coliseum always succeed in delighting their dedicated Northern audience during pantomime season and this year they’re back, and true to form, with Sleeping Beauty.
SLEEPING BEAUTY – Oldham
The team at Oldham Coliseum always succeed in delighting their dedicated Northern audience during pantomime season and this year they’re back, and true to form, with Sleeping Beauty.
GOODNIGHT MISTER TOM – West End
The WWII image of dejected, scrappy children with brown tags around their necks, clutching their most precious belongings as they are re-homed with strangers in the countryside is a powerful one. It’s one that inspired author Michelle Magorian to write Goodnight Mister Tom, adapted by David Wood for the stage, now in London after a successful run at Chichester and before heading off for a national tour. The audience meets little William, who is sent from Deptford to Dorset and assigned to live with the reclusive Tom Oakley. With a focus on Tom more so than the relocated children, this is a story about finding love again after a devastating loss. This part of the production is moving, but the story is slow to develop over a long time period and the flimsy, thin dialogue doesn’t support the large cast of characters, their development and the devastation of wartime.
BEAUTY & THE BEAST – Polka Theatre
Cold, dark days make me want to see feel-good theatre, especially in the run up to the holidays. Bonus points if it’s colourful, has some depth and at least some non-formulaic elements, even in a classic story. Polka Theatre’s Beauty & the Beast for ages 6-12 meets these criteria with a surprisingly complex storyline that keeps adult attention as well as kids’. Despite the target age range, there is some great humour and a touch of innuendo adults will appreciate (kids definitely won’t get it), sumptuous set and lighting and an adapted, relevant script. Some of the performances are wooden from the dated language and there are some dodgy movement-based transitions, but the school group audience was quiet and focused for most of the nearly two hours with interval.