The Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly at Lighthouse Poole - Review

As a family we love going to the theatre to see family friendly shows and we are spoilt for choice in our local area. The Lighthouse Poole is our local theatre and they have a wide range of live shows including a fabulous line up of kid friendly performances. 

Over the Easter holidays, the People's Theatre Company bought their fantastic live show to Poole - The Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. This is a story I remember reading as a little girl and as always with these kind of shows, I was really intrigued to see how a short children's book could be turned into an hour long show! 

As we took our seats, the stage was simply set with a sofa, fridge and a simple window backdrop. The story began and we were introduced to the old lady - who was a spritely old thing! We also met an alien and a space traveller called Nambang from the planet Toefluff. 

Photo credit - PTC

As you may have guessed, the story is not quite as you expect! I won't give anything away but let's just say, the audience are very much encouraged to join in with the songs. The singing helps the old lady finish the story so we (and the aliens) can see what happens. How does she eat all those animals? Does she die?! 

Photo Credit - PTC

At just over an hour, this was the perfect amount of time to keep my little ones entertained. I think the alien story line went over their heads a little but they found it hilarious watching the animation of when the old lady eats all the animals. The audience participation was fun and very suited for the age range in the audience - even Erin (2) knew most of the songs so it was fab for her to be able to join in. 

Elliot's favourite part (and I knew it would be!) was getting to shout "PERHAPS SHE'LL DIE!!!!" at the end of every segment. He was a bit over enthusiastic at times haha! 

The icing on the cake for the children was spotting the characters in the foyer after the show - Erin's a bit funny with people dressed up but even she had her photo with the alien! 

Thank you PTC for a fun afternoon - we hope see more of your shows in the future :)

For more information and tour dates, check out the PTC website

**Disclaimer - We were provided with press tickets for the purpose of this review but our reviews are always honest! 

Dick Whittington Pantomime - Lighthouse Poole - Review

We have been taking the children to the local pantomime at the Lighthouse for the last few years and always had a really fun time. The productions seem to get better and better and this year was no exception!

Dick Whittington was written and directed by Peter Duncan and Chris Jarvis - Chris also plays the role of Dick. Parents with kids a certain age will no doubt be very familiar with Chris from his CBeebies shows! He's definitely one of our favourite CBeebies stars and we knew we'd be in for a treat with him involved.

I have to admit I wasn't familiar with the story of Dick Whittington - we all know that he goes to London in search of fame and fortune but that was about the limit of my knowledge! I was looking forward to seeing how the story would come to life...and were the streets really paved with gold?

The story of Dick Whittington begins with Fairy Bow Bells and a bang and the energy, laughter and entertainment didn't let up through out the whole show! Chris Jarvis makes a brilliant Dick, he is instantly likable and the crowd really get on his side. His sidekick Tommy the cat was fantastically played by Sammy Phillips - she might not have had a speaking part but she certainly captivated the audience with her facial expressions and movement!

Allo Allo favourite Richard Gibson is back on stage playing the lovable, but dippy Alderman Fitzwarren while his daughter Alice, and future Mrs Whittington is played very well by Katie Arundell.

Panto wouldn't be panto without a dame to bring the comedy and this year Dame Dolly Donuts (played by Dereck Walker) had the audience in fits of laughter with her cheeky innuendos and dazzling outfits!

The stars of the show for me though were the rats. We know there are lots of rats in London but I have never seen one in a leather jacket until now!! Led by King Rat (and expertly played by Craig Rhys-Barlow), they were brilliant villains and had Elliot booing and hissing at the stage!

It was a fantastic production and the cast and crew worked their socks off to entertain us. From the sets, to the costumes, to the music, to the local jokes, even the Baby Shark underwater scene, there was something for everyone! My favourite part was the 12 Days of Christmas musical number - it was fast, bonkers and I will never be able hear the original in the same way ;)

The panto finished with a big old singalong to Abba which had the audience on their feet and it's safe to say, we were thoroughly entertained!

You can catch Dick Whittington at the Lighthouse until 31st December - for more info and to book tickets click HERE

Dinosaur World Live at Lighthouse Poole - Review

If you are a regular reader of this blog then you might have guessed that Elliot likes dinosaurs a bit. Well, not just a bit - he is dinosaur crazy and has been since he was a toddler!

Recently, a show called Dinosaur World Live roared into our local theatre and I just knew we had to go!

Suitable for all the family (3+), this interactive show introduces us to Miranda, who grew up on a remote island off the coast of South America where dinosaurs still roamed. Miranda was very bubbly and engaging and chatted to the audience about her parents who were palaeontologists and how she looks after the dinosaurs.

Throughout the show, the audience are introduced to 6 different dinosaurs, from little baby ones to big ginormous ones! You're probably wondering how on earth they got dinosaurs to go on tour but they are actually puppets. And very very clever puppets! Even though you can obviously see the cast controlling the puppets (complete with noises!), they are so realistic and by the end of the show you almost don't see them as puppets.

Children from the audience were invited to come up on stage and help look after the dinosaurs - feeding them, and even brushing them. Miranda did a great job at putting the kids to ease in what could have been an intimidating encounter!

Our favourite moment was when Titus the  T-Rex came out on stage - the lights dimmed, there was smoke...and a deafening roar! Elliot did jump out of skin at this part so I think it could be a bit scary for little ones - although our friends were sat nearer to the front of the stage and their baby thought it was hilarious!

At the end of the show, the audience were invited to queue up along the stage for a special meet and greet with one of the dinosaurs. This could have been chaotic but actually everyone queued quite nicely and we didn't have to wait too long to get up close to the Segnosaurus! You could also meet the baby triceratops in the foyer which proved very popular.

Overall we really enjoyed the show. At just under an hour it was the perfect length to keep children entertained and the perfect mix of facts and fun!

Dinosaur World Live is currently touring the UK so check out the website for more info and tickets

*A big thank you to my friends Liska and Andy for letting me use their photos - my phone died 2 minutes before the show began!

DEAR ZOO LIVE - LIGHTHOUSE POOLE

There aren't many children's books that are still as popular today as they were back in the day. But Dear Zoo is one of those classics that everyone has read! First released in 1982, this book has been a massive hit with children over the years and has sold more than 8 million copies worldwide.

Dear Zoo has now been transformed into a colourful stage show and we were lucky enough to see it when it came to the Lighthouse, Poole.

If you're not familiar with the book, it tells the story of Ben (played by Harrison Spiers in the show) who writes to the zoo requesting a pet. Lots of animals are sent..but not all of them are suitable! It is such a simple book and perfect for little ones and I was quite intrigued to see how it would work on the stage.

As we entered the theatre, the stage was set out as a brightly covered garden. With a brief introduction from Sam the Zookeeper (Aaron Spendelow), we were introduced to Ben and his friend Sally (Molly Waters). Bounding around with the stage with lots of enthusiasm, they were engaging and very believable as their characters!

Soon, the zoo animals started arriving with Sam the Zookeeper. Following the illustrations in the book, the props/animal crates were all immediately recognisable and the children were very keen to see what was inside. With some animal songs and lots of audience interaction, the children in the audience were entralled.

Most of the animals were puppets but the naughty monkey and the frog were hopping around the stage causing mayhem!

If you know the story then you'll know that eventually, Sam brings an animal which is a bit more suitable but I won't give away too much ;)

This is a lovely stage show and perfect for an introduction to theatre for children. The recommended age range is 2-6 but I think younger audiences would enjoy it too, Erin certainly did and she's only 15 months old. The show is 50 minutes long which is just the right length of time to hold their attention. It helps that audience participation is encouraged so you don't feel so bad if your child gets a bit fidgety!

The Dear Zoo Live show is currently touring the UK, for more information on dates and how to book tickets, take a look at their website http://www.dearzooandfriends.com/dear-zoo-live

*Disclaimer - We were provided these tickets in exchange for an honest review but I think the big smile in the photo above says alot about how much he enjoyed it! :)

Aladdin at Lighthouse, Poole - Panto Review!

At the grand old age of 35, I have never been to a pantomime. It never appealed to me...that was until I became a parent! I really enjoy taking Elliot to the theatre and now he's 4, his attention span is so much better so he's able to sit through longer shows without getting too fidgety. This year seemed a perfect time for our first ever panto!

This years local pantomime at the Lighthouse Centre for the Arts in Poole was Aladdin, written and directed by Peter Duncan who readers of a certain age (ie old like me!) will remember from Blue Peter back in the 80's. It promised to be lots and fun and we were excited to see how Elliot would enjoy it!

When we arrived there was a real buzz in the theatre and rather than having to wait for the show to start, there were already circus performers on stage entertaining the crowd. They asked for a volunteer to walk along the tightrope and a young lad jumped up on stage but after he fell off and banged his head, it became clear to the audience that it was actually Max Bowden (Waterloo Road) and ta da, Aladdin had begun!

We were soon introduced to the other characters including the hilarious Widow Twankey, the evil Abanzer (Peter Duncan) and beautiful princess XiaoXue, played by Emmerdale actress Sapphire Elia.

Photo Credit - Richard Budd

The Aladdin storyline hasn't been tweaked too much but there was plenty of audience participation, lots of booing and hissing (Elliot loved this!), brilliant songs and choreography and even a flying carpet ride!

The leading characters all have great chemistry but the star of the show has to be Miguel Angel who plays the Genie...the Genie as you've never seen him before!

Photo Credit - Richard Budd

Belting out hits from rock gods of the past including David Bowie, Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson, he really stole the show and I couldn't wait to see what he'd sing next!

The best bit of the show for me was when the storyline went off track and the genie's magic made everyone sing about what they'd be doing if they weren't in panto. Great singing and acting from the whole cast but what made it was the 100+  cubs and scouts in the audience joining in with the Honey G dancing - absolutely hilarious and it was certainly a sight to see!

Our first panto experience was alot of fun and Aladdin is a real family friendly show. The pantomime isn't too long so it's perfect for little ones and they are sure to be entertained.

Photo Credit - Richard Budd

We will definitely back for next year's pantomime!

For more info and tickets, visit the Lighthouse website here

The Gruffalo's Child at Lighthouse, Poole - Review

One of the first books I bought for Elliot when he was born was The Gruffalo and then The Gruffalo's Child. He has grown up loving the stories and The Gruffalo has become a big part of our lives with trips to see him and even Gruffalo themed birthday parties!

We were meant to see The Gruffalo live show last Summer but unfortunately had to sell our tickets (fellow blogger Laura at Life with Baby Kicks went instead!) as we couldn't make it up to London. 

I was over the moon then when I saw the the live show of The Gruffalo's Child was coming to my favourite, and very local theatre at the Lighthouse, Poole. Needless to say, I snapped up tickets straight away :)

Having watched The Gruffalo's Child on DVD countless times, I was intrigued to see how it would be adapted for the stage. 

When we arrived at the theatre, we were shown to our seats and Elliot was excited to see we were in the front row and very close to the stage. As we were waiting for the show to start, he noticed somebody on stage peering round the tree branch at him...it was only the Mouse! She came down to chat some of the children in the audience and Elliot was desperate to show her his toy Gruffalo! 

When the Mouse jumped back on stage and the lights went down, Elliot was transfixed! With the Mouse narrating the story and including the lines from the book, the show begins in the cave where we meet The Gruffalo and his child. She is feeling bored and despite her Dad's warnings that "no Gruffalo should ever set foot in the deep dark wood", she sets out on an adventure and bumps into some familiar faces along the way....

© Tall Stories

The show features a small cast of 3 and the actor who plays the Gruffalo also plays the snake, the owl and the fox. We have such clear ideas of what these characters should be like after reading the book and seeing the film but the show put a brand new spin on these - who knew the snake could dance! 

The costumes are simple but The Gruffalo Child's furry suit was amazing and so colourful, being so close I could see all the detail and I was really impressed!

© Tall Stories

The show has some musical numbers which are SO catchy, I've had one of the songs stuck in my head since the weekend! The songs really help to bring the story alive and the children really enjoyed clapping along. 

The Gruffalo's Child is a really great show for 3+ kids and definitely a must for any fans of the book, or theatre in general. The show lasts for an hour without an interval so younger children would definitely enjoy it but might get a bit restless sitting sit for that long. Elliot was just starting to get fidgety so it was just the right length of time for us! 

For more tour dates and fun stuff, check out the Tall Stories website here

Pongo's Party at The Lighthouse Poole - Review

I always keep an eye out for new shows that would be suitable for Elliot at our local arts centre, Lighthouse Poole and this one immediately caught my eye! Pongo's Party is a family show aimed at children under 7 and features the voices of Justin Fletcher and Nicole Davis from CBeebies.

I had shown Elliot the trailer on YouTube and he was really excited to see the show. In fact, he bounced all the way into the theatre in excitement!! The theatre was great, loved the tiered seating as it meant that everyone had a clear view of the stage. There were plenty of booster seats available for the little ones too which was brilliant, the staff at the Lighthouse were really helpful handing these out.

Pongo's Party tells the story of Pongo the Pig and all his friends on the farm. It's Pongo's birthday but no-one seems to have remembered. I won't spoil the story too much but let's just say there might be a surprise party on the cards!

From the very first second, Elliot was memerised! The stage layout was simple but very effective and it allowed the puppets to interact with the audience. Elliot particularly enjoyed booing the naughty crow!

The show contains lots of nursery rhymes and songs and audience participation is definitely encouraged. It was really sweet to see all the children joining in with the hokey cokey! We also got to take part in a giant game of pass the parcel...although Elliot did cry a bit when the parcel didn't come to him!

I thought the actors who played Sally and Marty did a great job...although they might have been upstaged by birthday boy Pongo ;)

Makaton signing is used through out the show and I'm sure this is familiar to any child who is a fan of Mr Tumble. I think it's brilliant that children who use Makaton are able to join in with the songs!

After the show Elliot was able to meet Sally the Scarecrow and he said "I liked your singing" - so sweet :) ("Sally" was lovely by the way and so nice to all the children waiting in line to meet her)

We loved Pongo's Party and really enjoyed our afternoon at the theatre. I've always enjoyed seeing live shows and I love that Elliot is now at an age where he enjoys it too :)

Pongo's Party is touring the UK in 2016, see here for tour dates

*Thank you to Martin at Honalee Media for letting me use the Pongo's Party production photos in this review


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