There are some very nice ideas in Polka Theatre’s Maanika and the Wolf which make it far from an ordinary telling of Little Red Riding Hood.
‘I can’t wait to see & hear the children’s reactions to the play’: Peter Glanville on Polka’s pop up show Maanika & The Wolf
The Polka Theatre’s artistic director chats to Love London Love Culture about the theatre’s pop up performance of Maanika & The Wolf.
‘An inventive & compelling retelling of a classic’: A CHRISTMAS Carol – Polka Theatre (Online review) ★★★★
An inventive and compelling retelling of a Christmas classic, the Polka Theatre’s A Christmas Carol is a great introduction to the tale of Mr Scrooge for audience members young and old.
’It’s 18 minutes of pure joy’: A CHRISTMAS CAROL – Polka Theatre
Polka Theatre’s A Christmas Carol is a brilliant take on a traditional tale which feels more relevant than ever this year.
INTERVIEW: Spotlight On… The Everywhere Bear illustrator Rebecca Cobb
The illustrator Rebecca Cobb spoke to LLLC’s Emma Clarendon about collaborating with Julia Donaldson and bringing The Everywhere Bear to the Polka Theatre.
INTERVIEW: Random Selfies writer Mike Kenny
Love London Love Culture spoke to writer Mike Kenny about writing for young people’s theatre and Random Selfies, playing as part of the Polka Theatre’s Techtopia Festival.
INTERVIEW: Actor Mark Houston on Chocolate Cake & children’s theatre
Mark Houston is currently appearing in the Polka Theatre’s production of Chocolate Cake, based on Michael Rosen’s poem (playing until 13 May 2018). He spoke to Love London Love Culture about the show
Interview: Spotlight On:… I Believe in Unicorns adapter Danyah Miller
Danyah Miller has adapted Michael Morpurgo’s I Believe in Unicorns for the stage, which plays at the Polka Theatre in Wimbledon from the 14 to 18 February before continuing its tour. She spoke to Love London Love Culture…
Interview: Spotlight On:… I Believe in Unicorns adapter Danyah Miller
Danyah Miller has adapted Michael Morpurgo’s I Believe in Unicorns for the stage, which plays at the Polka Theatre in Wimbledon from the 14 to 18 February before continuing its tour. She spoke to Love London Love Culture…
THE SNOW QUEEN – Polka Theatre
The idea of four modern-ish children improvising a story is not particularly original but it works splendidly in Mike Kenny’s adapatation of The Snow Queen for a cast of four.
CHILD OF THE DIVIDE – Polka Theatre & touring ★★★★
Child of the Divide launches Bhuchar’s Boulevard, a new development on from the company, Tamasha, she founded with Kristine Landon-Smith in 1989 and which premiered Child of the Divide originally in 2006.
NEWS: Dick King-Smith’s Babe the Sheep-Pig tours UK after Polka Theatre
It has been announced that a new production of Dick King-Smith’s Babe the Sheep-Pig will head off on a UK tour, after a Christmas season at the Polka Theatre in Wimbledon from 25 November 2016.
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.
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This blog is a bleat. And I hope the producers and promoters of theatre for children are paying attention. Sadly, theatre for children – other than at Christmas when it briefly moves centre stage – remains at best a fringe venture and at worst a Cinderella genre. So it needs all the publicity and attention it can get. Right?