Walking in the Air (for twenty years)... The Snowman at Sadlers Wells

This Christmas for the 20th Year running, and our third, the Birmingham Repertory Theatre's magical production of the Snowman has returned, again triumphant, to London's West End.

There is little in life to surpass the child-like anticipation of Christmas and this year with a combination of six and four year olds who are both head over heels in love with the magic but old enough to partake fully in every thing the season has to offer to the wide-eyed youngster, I can't imagine it getting better than this.

We went to see The Snowman as it opened, right at the end of November, something to be highly recommended as there is nothing that says 'Christmas is coming!' like a viewing of The Snowman. We emerged, enchanted as always, and ready to deck the halls, crack open the Rutter and throw our selves head-first into advent. Christmas for me, more than any other season, is the time for memories, for dreaming and re-gaining the wonder in life. The Snowman was Culturebaby's first ballet, and it has held us all, as Waugh would say, a 'finger's breadth from the turf' ever since.

The Snowman with its classical score is so distinctive and dynamic that it alone can paint pictures in the mind's eye. I was stunned that from three, Culturebaby was able to narrate what was happening in the story accurately from the music alone. And then there is the story itself, heartbreaking and instructive on so many levels. Ultimately it is a tale of belief, friendship, living life to the full and dealing with loss.

The production, which follows the broad format of the film, is particularly effective as a stage show because it captures the depth of emotion and wonder present in the story, but with an enormous injection of joy. Refusing to take itself too seriously, the ballet features dancing fruit, a jolly (if rather windy) Father Christmas, waltzing penguins and mischievious Jack Frost, determined to capture the hand of the Snowman's dainty dance partner. The sets are simple but effective - they even manage a motorbike on stage -  and of course the magical moment where the pair take flight is achieved with gasps of delight by the children. This year we particulary loved the scene with the toys, which come to life in James's (the boy's) bedroom. A dancing ballerina, a bear and a solider all join in the fun, as a toy train makes its way across the stage. Likewise the Snowman's ball is musically and visually gorgeous. I've said before that one of the most brilliant elements of this performance is that it also contains a small boy, only a few years older than the host of children wishing themselves in his shoes. What wonderful inspiration for any tiny dreamer! Every year the girls also harbour a fascination with the unnerving but gymnastic Jack Frost. One year on, it was the first thing 4 year old Culturetot mentioned as she glanced at the posters on arrival at the theatre. It's sometimes astounding what can stick in the memories of even the littlest of theatre-goers.

Its a testament to a great family production that The Snowman is able to hold an audience of the very young captivated throughout, rising only to join the boy as he dances in the snow falling from the ceiling at the end, with its optimistic implication that our eponymous hero could return. That is, of course, the crucial promise of the coda of this piece; that even before the advent of a sequel it never really seemed possible that this was truly the end. The hopefulness of a fresh fall of snow is the perfect ending to a magical performance.

Over the years we've had so much fun with the Snowman that we've now accumulated a list of specifically themed activities to accompany the show and provide some creative inspiration. These work for a wide range of children's ages.

 1. Snowman and Snowdog Christmas Cookies 

These simple Christmassy smelling and tasting biscuits are based on an extremely simple recipe. A golden syrup, ginger and cinnamon combination worked really well for the season.

Sift together 350g plain flour, 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Add 2tsp ground ginger and 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Add 125g butter and blend until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Stir in 175g soft brown sugar.

Lightly beat an egg and 4tsp golden syrup together, add to mixture and blend until the mixture clumps together. Knead until smooth, wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes or so whilst you preheat the oven to 180 degrees C/Gas Mark 4 and line baking trays with greaseproof paper.

 Roll the dough out to around 0.5cm on a lightly floured surface. Create shapes using the cutters.

Place on baking tray and bake for 12-15 minutes. Leave to cool for 10 minutes. 

 

We then varied the recipe to suit tiny hands using roll-out icing to cover each biscuit (also using the cutters) and tubes of food colouring gel for decoration.  

2. Running a Snowman on the Shelf Advent

Lots of parents arrange an advent activity called  Elf on The Shelf, where a cheeky little helper is sent by Santa to keep an eye on the household and consequently gets into mishaps along the way. This isn't something we have ever done, but one year we decided that our large cuddly snowman might enjoy some elf-like antics. Given that he is the ideal companion for a child throughout this festive season, and he already loves exploring the house (and gets into a few scrapes along the way), he was the perfect messenger from the North Pole for us: our very own Snowman on the Shelf.




3. Create a Snowman Themed Christmas Play Basket

Somewhere between two and four the girls particularly loved a series of small-world Montessori-inspired play baskets I made for them, though they still indulge daily in imaginative play. If you have a child who loves sensory play and small objects I'd highly recommend making these simple dreamscapes for them to explore. The Snowdog joined our already much-loved little Snowman in the basket alongside a tree for Culturebaby to dress with miniature decorations.The floor of the basket was scattered with items that can be collected, matched and counted such as wooden and felt snowflakes, stars, reindeer, small presents, miniature musical instruments and bells.

4. Explore the Story through Art and Modeling

Between 2 and 3, little ones are beginning to draw with clear intention and increasing ability. Using playdoh is another way to foster this interest, and three years ago we tried modelling the characters from the Snowman, and watching others do so - as well as 'melting' (squashing) the snowman afterwards. Creating the scene of the house from playdoh and acting out certain parts of the book was really effective.

5. Imaginative Play and Storytelling with Characters

This activity was revived a couple of years on the run. The first year, we created a snowy landscape with a large white towel and, listening to the audio soundtrack, used one of Culturebaby's play cottages and characters, with her toy snowman, to act out parts of the story. The second year, we set up a sheet of faux snow material and included the scenes with the dance of the snowmen, when Father Christmas gives James the gift of the scarf and the final morning. The girls have reached the stage where they happily act out stories together. I may resurrect the materials to see how they use them.

 

 
6. First science experiments - Three years ago we took a few ice cubes and let them melt in a bowl at room temperature. We talked about what was happening and why - and of course why the Snowman had started to melt when he sat too close to the fireplace. Practical activities like this have also helped the girls understand and discuss differences in temperature.










The Snowman is currently on at The Peacock Theatre, WC2A 2HT from Thursday 23 November - Sunday 31 December 2017
Performances: 11am, 2.30pm & 7pm. Times vary on selected dates. See website for full schedule.
Tickets: £15 - £36
Family Ticket: £115 (four tickets including at least one child)

Ticket Office: 020 7863 8222 or www.peacocktheatre.com

The Production will also be touring as follows:

The Mayflower Theatre, Southampton (10-14 January), Milton Keynes Theatre (17-20 January) and Theatre Royal, Brighton (24-28 January).

Disclaimer: We received tickets to The Snowman in exchange for an honest review. We return to The Snowman annually - its a joy and a tradition. Long may the magic last. Images Courtesy of Sadlers Wells Press Office.

My First Ballet: Cinderella

For the second year, the girls and I returned to the Peacock Theatre in London to see the young and talented dancers from the English National Ballet School perform for the tiniest aspiring ballerinas. Now in its sixth year, the My First Ballet series features a classical ballet, specially shortened, adapted, and cleverly narrated to suit children as young as three. 

Marina Minguez as the Fairy Godmother (c) Photography by ASH

 Maria Isabel Trabalon Sanjuan and Jeong Eun Park as the Stepsisters (c) Photography by ASH

Although arguably the music of Cinderella, a Prokofiev classic, is a little less memorable than Sleeping Beauty (last year's lovely production), the rags to riches tale is firmly fixed in the fairytale canon and lent itself very well to this adaptation. The narrator, now older, takes us on a journey back in time to a story from her youth and we meet the young Cinderella through the older Queen's eyes. This year's story had a real element of humour and the stepsisters, full of character, stole the show. 

Remi Nakano as Cinderella and Yuki Nakaaki as The Prince  © Laurent Liotardo

One of the best elements of the My First Ballet productions are the interweaving of narration and dance. Carefully and intentionally, the dancers illustrate that many of the ballet moves that we might usually miss with the whirl of limbs and chiffon have specific meanings. These are deliberately emphasised throughout and outlined in the well designed programme. Miniature audience members are invited to spot certain gestures and specific moves throughout the ballet. At crucial junctures time is slowed so we don't miss a crucial exchange. I'm always learning something new alongside my little women and enjoy these productions just as much as they do.

Remi Nakano as Cinderella and Yuki Nakaaki as The Prince  © Laurent Liotardo

Marina Minguez as the Fairy Godmother 

& Mar Bonet Sans as Cinderella (c) Photography by ASH

This unique collaboration between English National Ballet and English National Ballet School is always particularly exciting for Culturebaby as we are lucky enough to be able to attend ENB's Junior ballet school. These brilliant dancers therefore demonstrate in a connected and tangible way what is possible for the very youngest of students. The classes, run by highly trained professionals and featuring a real pianist, come highly recommended. No auditions are necessary but the quality of teaching is excellent. We are heading over to Chelsea tomorrow to take part in the annual performance for the Juniors, which last year was hugely impressive. It's a class worth travelling to. 

Remi Nakano as Cinderella © Laurent Liotardo

ENB has worked with Widgit to produce resources that can be easily used by the young but also by those with learning difficulties or disabilities. The My First Ballet: Cinderella Symbol Resources are designed for use before, during and after performances. You can download these here at the links below. Some of these flashcards in particular are brilliantly useful and I'll be producing a set for the girls soon:

• Plot Summary
• Going to the Theatre
• Flash cards and Quizzes
• Character sheets
• Ballet people

Remi Nakano as Cinderella  © Laurent Liotardo

Another great accompaniment to the performance is James Mayhew's beautifully illustrated picture book Ella Bella and Cinderella. It is part of the ingenious series where the little ballerina Ella is transported, with the aid of a magical musical box, into a series of ballets; supporting the characters and saving the plot.

Although the ENB school dancers have finished their run for the year, performances continue over the summer at two locations. For further details and booking information see the website at www.ballet.org.uk/myfirstballet

Anita Wolleb as the Fairy Godmother  © Laurent Liotardo

The Peacock, London
18 – 23 July 2017
Box Office: 020 7863 8000
Tickets: £10 - £25

 Manchester Opera House
26 –30 July 2017
Box Office:
0844 871 3018
Tickets: £11.50 - £29.40

Disclaimer: We received press tickets for the purposes of review from English National Ballet. All views are, as always, our own. Photographs are courtesy of ENB and the specified photographers - with thanks.

My First Ballet: Sleeping Beauty

On Good Friday the Culturebabies and I headed over to the Peacock Theatre to see the latest in English National Ballet School's inspired series of child-friendly ballets. My First Ballet, now in its 5th year, features a shortened version of the full ballet, with additional narration, intended to introduce the youngest of children to the classics. We'd been really excited to see Swan Lake last year but, due to a fire in Holborn, the London leg had been cancelled. So with a year's worth of anticipation, the girls donned their tutus and we made a great day of it. 

This unique collaboration between English National Ballet and English National Ballet School was particularly exciting for four year old Culturebaby as we are lucky enough to be able to attend one of the ENB's Junior ballet classes (currently in Chelsea, Richmond and Putney). These fabulous classes, run by highly trained professionals and featuring a real pianist, are also part of the ENBS so this term Culturebaby has been studying the Sleeping Beauty to tie in with what the older students are performing. It's amazing for a four year old to feel like they are part of a much bigger endeavour and see what their hard work could achieve. My First Ballet isn't danced by ENB professionals, it is created by English National Ballet’s Associate Artist George Williamson and performed by second year students from English National Ballet School. This means there is the odd wobble, but what an inspiration for a mini-ballerina starting out!

The production has so many elements that are perfect to capture the imagination of even the youngest child (two year old Culturetot was just as captivated as the older children). The costumes are stunning and the tutus, so important to little people, are spectacular - with just the right level of sticky-outiness for any toddler to covet every one. The set was also beautifully designed. There's no dumbing down here; this is no pantomime. Whilst there is humour, the young audience is treated with a significant level of trust and respect. Whilst the ballet is shortened and a narrator is added, this served to bring out the best in the performance and highlight elements even adults might not normally notice. Cleverly, the narrator is Aurora herself, looking back over the fairy tale of her youth. I was particularly impressed by the way that the narration pointed out the unique sign-language of the ballet (perhaps lost on many of us). Move by move, certain signs were highlighted as part of the tale, introducing the youngest viewer to the lexicon of the dance.

Culturebaby is rather old-school in her tastes. Whilst other children are single-minded in their devotion to Frozen, she prefers the older classic tales and Sleeping Beauty is amongst her favourites. It is such a simple story to follow and is so well known, that it works extremely well as a child-friendly ballet. Though it has a princess and an adventure, it fortunately features strong female characters in the roles of the fairies, and a malevolent character who must be overcome in the form of the evil fairy Carabosse (not Disney's Maleficent of course). There's even cameo appearances from Little Red Riding Hood, the wolf and Puss in Boots. The Peacock Theatre is large enough for the ballet to feel authentic and a real treat. The only downside was that the ENB school's budget doesn't seem to extend to a live orchestra - the music is recorded (but still of high quality).

The material that the ENB has produced to accompany the production was also great (the programme contained the story as well as a version using symbols, games and ballet positions to learn. Their website also includes some great resources including these fantastic free printable ballet position flash cards. 

We also prepared in advance with some selected reading. In particular I'd recommend James Mayhew's Ella Bella and Sleeping Beauty, which is part of a series about a little ballerina who, aided by a magical musical box, becomes part of the ballets she is dancing; aiding the heros and heroines of the pieces and helping to save the day. The brilliance of these books, other than their gorgeous illustrations and the fact that they feature a kindred soul for our little ballerinas, is that they also stick to the non-Disneyfied plot of the original ballet. I'd also recommend Usborne's Ballet Stories for Bedtime, containing a selection of well known and less well known ballet tales. 

We've also found that one of the best ways to prepare for a ballet (so evident with our trips to see ENB's exquisite Nutcracker with the girls at Christmas) is to play the full ballets in the background at home. They are easy on the ear, full of distinctive tunes and the children seem to absorb the scores without realising it - evident in the theatre as they hum along.

I'd thoroughly recommend My First Ballet for children as young as two and suspect we will be going for a good few years as they serve as such effective introductions to so many aspects of each classic production. It's also great news that they tour round the country and are accessible to tiny ballerinas nationwide. Dates and further information can be found here.

Disclaimer: We received out tickets in exchange for a review. As always all views are very much our own. All photographs of the ballet are featured courtesy of the English National Ballet School.

Walking in the Air and Capturing the Wolf: A Musical Christmas

There is little in life to surpass the child-like anticipation of Christmas, a feeling I hope I will never lose; but this year with a three year old truly immersed in the wonder of it all, I deliberately minimised time spent shopping and majored on the music, the magic and the mystery. We carolled, read stories, made decorations, learned about the history of advent and indulged in a lot of festive play. And whilst Christmases come and go and the ribbon-clad material remains have long outlived their useful purpose, I believe and hope that it is the experiences, the feeling of awe and joy, that will stay with my little ones as they did for me.

There were periods when I was a child when my parents couldn't afford to take me to the ballet, and I will never forget nor cease to be grateful for the generosity of friends of theirs who, realising the enduring value of such things took me to see both the Kirov and the Bolshoi. I can still remember our position, the seats, the atmosphere, can almost see the tutus swirling in my mind's eye. These kind people gave me enduring gifts that are still coming to fruition and it is a legacy I take seriously for my babies too. Likewise, my parents sought out and brought to life an inspiring selection of classical music that has stayed with me ever since. They chose pieces that painted pictures with sounds, compositions aimed at children, ones that told stories or could be acted out and taught me about the orchestra. Favourites included Peter and the Wolf, John and the Magic Music Man, The Snowman, The Anvil Chorus, Troika, The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Hall of the Mountain King and The Nutcracker.

Christmas for me, more than any other season, is the time for memories, for dreaming and re-gaining the wonder in life and I was delighted to have the opportunity this advent to take Culturebaby to see her first ballet, The Snowman, and then to go as a whole family to see a festive concert at Cadogan Hall with a programme so perfect that it could have been designed for her.

Culturebaby like many her age, adores Raymond Briggs' inspired classic The Snowman. It formed the soundtrack to last Christmas and it has a score by Howard Blake so beautifully composed and enduringly memorable that she can narrate the story from the music alone. Pieces like this matter, they train a child's ear, stretch the imagination and instil a life-long love of music.

With this in mind I cannot think of a more perfect performance to introduce a three year old to the theatre than Sadlers Wells' annual ballet production of the classic The Snowman from Birmingham Repertory Theatre. This is the 17th season of this perennial favourite.

 I was a little nervous about taking such a young child to a proper theatrical production but I needn't have worried. The theatre was full of young children gripped in wonder as they remained pinned to their seats, barely able to breathe, let alone misbehave. Propped up by her special Snowman booster seat (very considerate of the Peacock Theatre) Culturebaby transformed into a mini-adult, appeciating a much loved classic for the beautiful, creative masterpiece that it is. It is a testament to the production that the children adored it, but such scenarios are also an act of trust in our little mischief-makers. Culturebaby, no stranger to energetic episodes, seems to sense what it expected of her in such an environment and she never fails to impress me. I think that in general the children sensed the utter magic of the whole event and the only moment they ran from their seats was to dance in the snow falling from the ceiling at the end, with its optimistic implication that our eponymous hero could return.

The production was beautiful, peppered with humour (and dancing fruit) with stunning set, great choreography, instruments on stage and, to Culturebaby's delight, a 'real ballerina' complete with tutu. There were a number of moments of audible delight for my little lady, and no less when the Snowman and James took to the air on strings, but I think one of the wonderful elements of this performance is that it contains a small boy only a few years older than herself. I can see that she senses, when she sees older children take part in productions such as this, that these things are also within her grasp. What wonderful inspiration for my tiny ballerina. As well as talking about the experience, and with a new found fascination for the rather unnerving Jack Frost, I've regularly found Culturebaby pawing through the programme over the Christmas period and looking at the pictures. She was rather sad that we couldn't go back and watch it again. Next year for certain...



 A few days later we were very lucky to continue our Snowman themed advent with a perfectly pitched annual family concert performed by The Mozart Symphony Orchestra at Cadogan Hall. Culturebaby had been anticipating this festive treat for a good while as it conveniently comprised not one, but her two most loved orchestral works in one sitting. Firstly we were treated to a live performance of the essential children's classic: Prokofiev's Peter and The Wolf, narrated by Jack Dee and featuring musicians dressed as their corresponding character. This piece is, without a doubt, the best classical piece I've found to introduce to young children without the aid of film. It is brilliant for car journeys and Culturebaby never seems to tire of the simple tale. At present the girls listen to the Maestro Classics version daily, as we follow the story in our simple Ladybird book.

Rather inconveniently, one of Culturebaby's only Christmas requests was a Peter and the Wolf play set. Despite my scouring the internet, it transpires that toy manufacturers have largely failed us in this regard, and I set to work pulling together a DIY version with felt, playmobil and a selection of other models. Happily it has been a roaring success and Culturebaby doesn't seem to mind that the duck, cat and wolf belong in Brobdingnag. I was relieved that she immediately clocked the theme on opening and both girls have been playing with it daily. Today we did a spot of instrument-matching with our Safari models and, despite the current lack of an oboe and bassoon, I was surprised that when my leaky mummy brain failed me, Culturebaby was able, unprompted, to identify our stand-in pencil beside Grandad as a bassoon. This set was easy to pull together and gives a great opportunity for both imaginative play and visual illustration of the story and the instruments. I'd highly recommend the effort of making one.

 

 

 

Back to the concert... As expected, Culturebaby was enthrawled throughout, snuggled in excited horror as as the french horns heralded the arrival of the wolf, and both girls bounced away to the catchy string theme of our cheeky main character Peter. Then following the celebratory interval ice cream, and with a finally sleepy Culturetot, we were treated to a rare opportunity. Not only was this Culturebaby's first cinematic experience as a toddler, but she sat enthralled as we watched the full film of the Snowman accompanied by a live orchestra and, a beautiful surprise, the 11 year old Choirboy Jack Topping performing Walking in the Air.

This magical pairing of musical experiences made our advent such a memorable one that it would be hard to beat. Happily both concert and ballet will be returning next year. And like so; fresh Christmas traditions are born...


Bookings for the Snowman at the Peacock Theatre for next year will be available here.

You can find information on performances at Cadogan Hall here. Next year promises a repeat of this year's brilliantly festive concert and you can already book here. They also promise an exciting concert featuring Paddington Bear's First Concert and Roald Dahl's take on the classic Jack and The Beanstalk here. If you can't wait that long. Try one of their brilliant Crash Bang Wallop Family concerts that we reviewed here.

If you fancy some inspiration for Snowman Themed Play see here and here for some ideas and see Deb Chitwood's goldmine of a site for some further ideas for Peter and the Wolf Play.

Our essential kit, in addition to our easy to make Peter and the Wolf Playset, has been this simple and easy to follow version from Ladybird of Peter and the Wolf and The Maestro Classics version of Peter and the Wolf.

For the Snowman we have a selection of Snowman and The Snowman and The Snowdog books (we love the original Raymond Briggs picture book as well as a Ladybird version which follows the (different) film storyline and our latest hand puppet book of the Snowman and the Snowdog. We also own copies of both the beautiful films and soundtracks. The old-school amongst us may be delighted to hear that the Soundtrack of the Snowman and The Snowdog has just been released on a special white vinyl.

Disclaimer: we received tickets to each of the performances for the purposes of review. We also received over recent months a few items of Snowman and Snowdog merchandise for review. We owned most of the books, DVDs and soundtracks ourselves already. All views are, as always, entirely our own. All but two of the images of the theatrical performance of The Snowman were supplied courtesy of Sadler's Wells.