The first child-friendly production to grace the stage this year is the Blunderbus Theatre Company’s production based on the Jill Tomlinson book, The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark. The star of the show, Plop, the baby Barn Owl was afraid of the dark, and so Mrs Barn Owl suggested he venture from his nest to investigate the dark for himself. This leads to a series of exciting adventures for Plop, which are recreated using ‘an irresistible blend of live music, puppetry and storytelling.’ This production is aimed at 3-7 year olds and their families and is already proven to be a hit with the Blunderbus Theatre Company reporting ‘record-breaking ticket sales at every venue we have swooped along to, including a sell-out run at The Lyric, Hammersmith’. This review of an earlier production reports that ‘the Blunderbus team consider all-comers, with children enthralled by the action, and accompanying adults chortling at the witty adlibs from this friendly and likeable company.’ Sounds good? Click here for full event details and to buy tickets for the show on Saturday 21st April at 11.30am and 2.30pm. (Tickets £7.50 adults, £5 Children, £20 Family of 4). 
Given that toddlers love a good race around, it’s rather fitting that the next production, (aimed at children 2-7 years and their families), is an adaptation of Aesop’s fable, named Hare and Tortoise. The show tells the classic tale of the racing hare and tortoise and ‘opposites, time and friendship’ and promises to bring you ‘this much-loved story brimming with ideas, characters, live music and wonderful physicality.’ This production is a creation of Leeds-based company tutti frutti whose success with this production on tour last year has lead to a 2012 retour, which kicks off at The Mart Theatre on Saturday 28th April at 11.30am and 2.30pm. With a review in the Guardian of last year’s show declaring that ‘Catherine Chapman's attractive, brightly coloured design niftily embraces the changing seasons as ice melts, flowers bloom and butterflies flutter, and the songs are jolly’ it sounds like it will be a great hit with the nippers. Click here for full event details and to buy tickets for the show. (Tickets £7.50 adults, £5 Children, £20 Family).
Following a sell-out run at the Lyric Theatre last Christmas, Snow Play by the Lyngo Theatre Company is ‘a showdown between Spring and Winter over who gets to stay and who has to go’ when Mr. Green discovers Mr. White has taken over his house and tries his hardest to get Mr. White out into the garden whilst Mr. White busies his self covering the house in snow. The show is aimed at 3-7 year olds and their families and sounds like fantastic fun as the audience gets to join in building a snowman and can even participate a big snowball fight - which this review describes wonderfully; ‘shrieks of pleasure accompany them ploughing onto the stage to cover Mr White in false snow or pelt Mr Green and his tennis racket with snow balls. Best of all, there’s no damp, soggy mess to clear up afterwards.’ Toddlers are bound to love the randomness of snow in spring as the show comes to The Mart Theatre on Saturday 5th May. Click here for full event details and to buy tickets for the show. (Tickets: £5 child, £7.50 adult, £20 family).
If your toddler is anything like mine, they will be massive fans of anything ever written by The Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler, with The Snail and the Whale being no exception. We are therefore thrilled to hear that Tall Stories are bringing their stage show of The Snail and the Whale to The Mart Theatre on Saturday 28th July at 11.30am and 2.30pm. This production retells the story of the snail’s trip around the world on the whale’s tail and their numerous adventures and brushes with danger, (or should we say ‘mild peril’ - don’t worry your toddler won’t be scared)! Tall Stories promise that this show ‘combines physical storytelling, live music and lots of laughs’. I’m inclined to believe them given their track record of touring with their various Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler collaborations across the globe from the West End to Broadway, Dubai, Australia and Europe. This review of one of their earlier productions confirms that Tall Stories bring you ‘a truly theatrical feast that leaves both adults and children fully entertained’. Click here for full event details and to buy tickets for the show. (Tickets: £5 child, £7.50 adult, £20 family).
Now the only thing left to do is decide which one to go to - I have a funny feeling we’ll be having several family trips to The Mart Theatre this year!
Blog kindly written by brilliant MooBaaKid, Stefni Oliver!
