Culturebaby has just reached seven, seemingly in the blink of an eye, and is keen to write her own reviews . So for the first time here's why she thinks you'll enjoy The Snowman, in her own words...
"On Saturday 24th November we went to the Snowman. It was magical because they fly to the North Pole and at the end snow falls on the stalls and you can catch it. Jack frost is naughty and cheeky.
In the first Act it is the most magical because the Snowman comes to life. The second part Father Christmas comes and they have a boogie and a funny ending dance. My favourite parts are when the banana, a coconut and the pineapple come out of the fridge, and dance with the Snowman.
It meant to the boy so much because the Snowman was his best friend."
If you want to read my more detailed previous review of this wonderful show see here for their 20th Anniversary last year.
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 until 6th January. You can book here.
Disclaimer: Many thanks to Sadler's Wells for press tickets to The Snowman and for media images, taken by Tristram Kenton.
On Saturday we returned to our local theatre to see a wintery interpretation of how Lewis Carroll's Alice would deal with falling into a land of winter, ruled by a despotic Red Queen and her deck of playing cards. Combining elements of Wonderland, Through the Looking Glass and iconic poems such as The Jabberwocky, this creative concoction was thoroughly effective, gripping and rather emotional. As with much of Carroll's ingenious creations, the apparent nonsensical prose holds timeless wisdoms. The Rose Theatre's recent Hunting of the Snark, likewise, has had a surprising legacy with the girls.
Alice, brought up by loving parents, loses her mother during the war, and her father's mind to post traumatic stress. Formerly surrounded by joy and wisdom, she finds herself at the mercy of a joyless aunt who is set on her attending a finishing school. On receipt of the parting gift of her father's watch, Alice's fervent wish to halt time immediately leaves us at a permanent two minutes to four. A white rabbit appears, steals the watch and leaves her with no option but to follow him into Wonderland to retrieve her precious gift.
Encountering the most bizarre of characters - a talking rabbit, a smiling cat, a dodo in search of love and a waddle of penguins, she finds herself in a surreal game of chess. Characters who work to aid her quest, though fantastical, are strikingly reminiscent of family members (friend or foe). Realising the importance of friendship and love for even the most unsavoury of characters, Alice grows an army of the bonkers, the bizarre and the brave - a frumious bandersnatch, and a knight brandishing a vorpal sword, a mad hatter help the little pawn to ultimately defeat a queen. Because of course, with the right strategy, even the smallest and seemingly most insignificant of pieces, can become the greatest.
The production itself, as Culturedad noted, was akin to something you would expect to see in the West end. The digital effects were brilliant - with Alice growing to the size of the theatre, or flying on the back of enormous puppets. The Jaberwocky managed to be huge and ferocious and the surprising coda - which I shall not reveal in this review - brought tears to my eyes as I witnessed the unbridled wonder and joy on the faces of the girls. They declared it absolutely brilliant, one of the very best performances they've seen (and we see a lot of theatre). It captured their imaginations to the extent that the very next morning Culturetot charged into our room brandishing her vorpal sword ready to slay the ferocious Jabberdaddy. There was not only a great set of professional actors, but also a host of youth actors who did a sterling job. A thoroughly scumpiferous frumabulous production. Go and see it.
Culturebaby's verdict (6): "I liked when Alice grows tall when she ate the tart, because the background was an amazing giant screen. The Queen's voice was funny. The show was very clever because the claws of the Jabberwocky seemed real. Alice learned she could be a hero and she didn't have to leave with her Aunty - she was strong, and she learned that she has to look after friends, and they will help her too. The frumious bandersnatch was actually friendly. He helped Alice."
Culturetot's Verdict (4): "I would have liked to have played the red queen, I liked her voice. I liked Alice because she ate the tart and it was funny. The doormouse was cute - I liked the song they sang when they were having tea. Alice learned to be a White Queen - she was strong and saved her friends. I liked the caterpillar - he told the tale of the Jabberwocky."
A Q&A WITH SUSANNAH VAN DEN BERG ‘QUEEN OF HEARTS’
What made you keen to join the cast of Alice in Winterland?
I’ve
seen a few Christmas productions at The Rose, as well as being involved
in several community scratch choirs. I have always been impressed with
the production values and the commitment and energy of the youth
theatre. I was also excited about tackling a brand new script and
original score, being involved in creating something new and fresh.
What is Alice in Winterland about?
The
setting of the original books has been changed to during the First
World War. Using elements and characters from the two books it’s
essentially a coming of age story for Alice. Through her adventures in
Wonderland she gains the strength and courage to deal with the trauma
and responsibilities of reality.
Tell us a bit about your character. What are you most enjoying about playing The Queen of Hearts?
The
Queen of Hearts is a delicious megalomaniac, rather like a modern day
dictator. I’m finding her such fun to play because she has no limits. I
have the ability to be as silly or outrageous as I like because my court
allows me to get away with anything. Like anyone in great power, the
chance of being overthrown is always present so I’ve chosen to rule by
fear.
What particular challenges does this role present to you as an actor?
Vocally
it’s a big role - lots of shouting “Off With Their Heads” - so
sustaining that will be a big task. Delivering a pretty spectacular
battle scene whilst wearing a massive dress is also going to be
challenging! Alice in Winterland, is based on Lewis
Carroll’s timeless books, Alice Adventures in Wonderland and Through the
Looking Glass. Why do you think these characters have such an enduring
appeal?
They’re magnifications of human nature -
all elements we recognise in ourselves taken to huge proportions.
They’re all things we could become.
The production sees
a professional cast and a youth company perform together. What has it
been like working alongside Rose Youth Company?
Really
fantastic. They have such great energy and focus that could shame some
other professional companies! Working with two separate casts is a joy
as a performer as you get different performances to play off, meaning no
show will be the same. The company really works as a true ensemble,
they are generous to each other and there are no small parts. Slotting
into a company like this is incredibly exciting. Why do you think people should come and see Alice in Winterland?
The
story is incredible and the families who come to see it will go on a
real journey with Alice. There’s puppets, magic, monsters, a new script
with an electrifying original score, some terrible jokes, beautiful
costumes & scenery and snow... there’s definitely snow. Entertaining
yet life affirming.
A Q&A WITH BILLY RILOT ‘TWEEDLEDUM’
What made you keen to join the cast of Alice in Winterland?
I
was lucky enough to be in the cast last year and enjoyed it so much I
decided to audition for Alice in Winterland. Last year’s production was
the best few months of my life, I made a lot of great new friends that
will last a lifetime. What is Alice in Winterland about?
Alice in Winterland is about friendship, bravery and family.
Tell us a bit about your character. What are you most enjoying about playing Tweedledum?
My
character is Tweedledum, he is loving fool, who is not too bright and
is devoted to his twin sister even though they squabble. I enjoy playing
Tweedledum because I get to do lots of clown work (including fixed
points, accents and playfulness).
What particular challenges does this role present to you as an actor?
As
Tweedledum I have to do an accent, which I have never done before on
stage. It gives the show more realism and it really brings it to life.
Alice
in Winterland, is based on Lewis Carroll’s timeless books, Alice
Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Why do you think
these characters have such an enduring appeal?
I
think the characters have such an appeal because the journey of Alice is
so brave, how she goes from being a lost girl to being the brave hero
and saviour of wonderland.
The production sees a
professional cast and a youth company perform together. What has it been
like working alongside professional actors?
It has been
such an eye-opening experience for me, learning from them and working
with them, the pros are also extremely nice people. Why do you think people should come and see Alice in Winterland?
I
think people should see Alice and Winterland because it is a story that
all ages can understand and appreciate …there are villains, heroes,
animals, talking playing cards, monsters – it’s scary, funny, sad and
exciting.
A Q&A WITH REN WALSINGHAM ‘DORMOUSE’
What made you keen to join the cast of Alice in Winterland?
I love acting and when I saw that Alice In Winterland was on I was so happy I went to the auditions.
What is Alice in Winterland about?
Alice in Winterland is about a young girl who has lost her family and one day gets sucked into the mad world of Winterland.
Tell us a bit about your character. What are you most enjoying about playing the Dormouse?
My character is a fun character, a bit cheeky and knows everything!
What particular challenges does this role present to you as an actor?
The physicality of a realistic mouse.
Alice in Winterland, is based on Lewis Carroll’s timeless books, Alice Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Why do you think these characters have such an enduring appeal?
The story is relevant of anytime we live in.
The production sees a professional cast and a youth company perform together. What has it been like working alongside professional actors?
Amazing, I have learnt so much! Why do you think people should come and see Alice in Winterland?
It’s a great family show with a twist on a classic.
Alice In Winterland will be at
Rose Theatre Kingston from Thu 7 Dec – Sun 7 Jan. Tickets cost from £15
and are available online, rosetheatrekingston.org, by phone, 020 8174
0090, or from the Box Office
Listings
Fri 22 Dec 11am, 5.30pm
Sat 23 Dec 11am, 5.30pm
Sun 24 Dec 11am, 4pm
Tue 26 Dec 1.30pm, 6pm
Wed 27 Dec 11am, 5.30pm Thu 28 Dec 11am, 5.30pm
Fri 29 Dec 11am, 5.30pm
Sat 30 Dec 11am, 5.30pm
Sun 31 Dec 11am, 5.30pm
Tue 2 Jan 11am, 5.30pm
Thu 4 Jan 1.30pm (relaxed performance), 6.30pm
Fri 5 Jan 6.30pm
Sat 6 Jan 11am, 5.30pm
Sun 7 Jan 11am, 5.30pm (signed performance)
Box Office: 020 8174 0090
Monday – Saturday: 10am – 8pm (6pm non-performance days)
Sun: one hour before the performance
Disclaimer: We received tickets to the performance for the purposes of review, as always views are all entirely our own. Photographs courtesy of the Rose Theatre Press Office.
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)
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.
One of the most memorable and emotive of our
Christmas activities each year has been attending the Amadeus Orchestra
and Mozart Symphony Orchestra's Christmas concerts. Two years ago (here) we
wrote about the brilliant Mozart
Symphony Orchestra's Peter and the Wolf and the Snowman double bill at
Cadogan Hall. This year (following an astounding diary fail last year
where we turned up to the concert a day late) the Culturebabies arrived
at King's Place for a repeat performance with the Amadeus Orchestra and
two full year's worth of anticipation. It was worth
waiting for - a double whammy of two of their most loved orchestral
works in one sitting. Excitingly the Amadeus is one of the world's foremost training orchestras for young professionals and music students.
Firstly we
were treated to a live performance of the children's classic:
Prokofiev's Peter and The Wolf, narrated by Simon Murray and featuring
musicians dressed in hats relating to their characters. The conductor was engaging and fun. He gave us facts about the instruments and told us what to look for as we progressed throughout the piece. Each instrument gave us a short demonstration. This brilliant composition is,
without a doubt, the best classical piece I've found to introduce to
young children without the aid of film. Written in 1936 by Prokofiev for
the Moscow Theatre for Children, the work was intended to be,
and was commissioned as, a guide to the instruments of the orchestra.
Interestingly for us adults, given its genesis in the Stalinist regime,
there are a number of political themes underlying the musical tale and it
narrowly escaped state censorship (see here for an interesting article) but for adult and child alike it can also be enjoyed at face value as a brilliant musical exploration of the orchestra.
Following the interval, the concert hall was transformed into a cinema and we were presented with the full
film of the Snowman in cinematic scale, but with the original soundtrack removed. Instead we were accompanied by a live orchestra
and the 13 year old Choirboy Sebastian Till performing the classic
Walking in
the Air. As I wrote recently, a Christmas viewing of the Snowman is like a rite of passage, a ritual through which the joy of childhood is kept alive. Fully versed and note-perfect, surrounded by family and strangers alike, we re-enter annually this intimate tale of belief, living life to
the full and dealing with loss. Nothing says 4 sleeps to Christmas like
a viewing of the Snowman and as far as cinematic experiences for
children go, this was pretty impossible to beat.
This fantastic
series of Christmas concerts varies each year a little but retains many
of its most magical components. They've since added an out of London concert in Cheltenham too. Last year, Culturebaby (then just 4)
and I headed over to the first in the series: Paddington Bear's First Concert at Cadogan Hall. This was varied, funny and entertaining with narrators as distinguished as Simon Callow and Richard E. Grant.
It began with a welcome surprise, a startlingly moving arrangement for a Symphony Orchestra of the main themes from Frozen. Frankly if most parents of little women knew this, the tickets would have sold out in record time for this element alone. We then moved on to the main billing, a narrated musical story (first performed in 1986) of the lovable Paddington Bear; charting his journey from Peru to Portobello Road to an eventual (and unscheduled appearance) in one of London's finest concert halls. Finally we squirmed our way through Roald Dahl's quirky and characteristically macabre Revolting Rhymes version of Jack and the Beanstalk set to music. Whilst this day of the programme was less traditionally Christmassy than the classic double billing, it was musically accomplished and enormous fun - and I see that this year they combined Frozen and Paddington with Briggs' Father Christmas.
Follow On Activities
Rather inconveniently, one of Culturebaby's only Christmas requests two years ago 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, including a set of Safari TOOBs miniature instruments. Happily it was a roaring success, easy to create, 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. We've also since discovered a couple of great story book titles - there are various versions from Ladybird and a beautifully illustrated edition by Ian Beck with text boxes fringed with the instruments present at each point in the story. We've also found an English National Ballet School performance available on DVD, which the children love, and an academy award winning (best short film 2008) animated film.
Over the years we've also enjoyed an enormous amount of fun along the theme of The Snowman and this year I produced an extensive Christmas round up from biscuit making to imaginative play activities. Click here to read this post.
Disclaimer: We received tickets to the performance in exchange for an honest review. We received the Safari Toob Instrument back a couple of years ago for review purposes too. All other materials and ideas are our own.
Over the last three years we have seen some incredible children's theatre; inspiring, thought provoking, exqusitely beautiful. This magical corucopia always flows to its greatest excess around Christmas and again this year we've been lucky to be invited along to some of the most wonderful festive offerings from some of our favourite theatres. With the advent of children, the enchantment of Christmas returns with all its glory, and when I look back on my childhood what remains with me is not the plastic paraphenalia, the material or gastronomic glut that we have come to associate with the season; it is the family time, the carols, the stories and the experiences. I have no doubt that our festive concerts and theatre trips will
remain tightly woven into the fabric of the girls' childhood memories; more
valuable than toys, and with the potential to be renewed annually.
Here are four brilliant shows we have seen over the last two years and highly recommend, some still available this year, most perennially available every Christmas - a testament to their enduring appeal.
English National Ballet's The Nutcracker
Image Courtesy of the ENB 2015
Last year I wrote that if it were possible to pinpoint the single most influential and enduring
cultural moment in Culturebaby's life to date, without doubt I'd look
to our trip to see the English National Ballet's gloriously Edwardian
and throroughly spellbinding production of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker in January of 2015. Last year we returned to experience one of their special under 5s performances (no different - just children of all ages welcome). This production is the perfect first introduction to ballet for a child.
Short, fast moving, easily intelligible and gloriously visual. The music is distinctive
and memorable; the costumes the stuff of childhood dreams. The whole
experience is the epitome of Christmas enchantment with its story of a unique present, gifted by a beloved Godfather: a Nutcracker who comes to life, whisking our heroine Clara away from the clutches of an army of mice to a distant land of sweets. If, like mine, your
children are in love with their ballet slippers, I can't think of a better
Christmas present than this performance with its host of talented young children providing a tangible goal for our aspiring dancers.
Nutcracker Image Courtesy of ENB
The Nutcracker was the first ballet I saw as a child and I still
remember it, but it wasn't by the ENB and I wasn't three. I was
initially hesitant, unsure whether this was too soon. Would they sit
still? Would it be too frightening? I
needn't have worried. By no means an unusual toddler, and as prone to
fidgetting as any, Culturebaby sat utterly entranced throughout the entire
production, and not only that; she lived it daily for the following six
months. Every day she requested to listen to the full ballet as she
played, and on many an occasion she watched the Kirov's production on
DVD and copied the steps. She created again and again the land of sweets
with materials as diverse as playdoh, confectionaries and crayon. She
saw the theme everywhere from the art of Hunderwasser to the decoration
of a cupcake. Our old wooden nutcracker and a stuffed toy mouse were
constant companions. We looked for every possible version of the story
available. So last year I had no hesitation about bringing our just 2 year old along to the family performance. Accustomed to the soundtrack and excited by the chance to finally see it too, she hummed along and sat equally engaged throughout. I had thought that three was a stretch for a first ballet, now I'm completely convinced that a toddler will gain much from the experience too. The girls act out theatre productions at home, they create dances. These experiences are becoming part of their lexicon and life. I'm so glad we started so early.
The other, less traditional, first ballet we attended with (then) a three year old Culturebaby was the gorgeous stage show of the classic Briggs' tale The Snowman, presented by Sadler's Wells and the Birmingham Repertory Theatre at the Peacock and now in its 19th year. Christmas for me, more than any other season, is the time for memories,
for dreaming and re-gaining the wonder in life and little encapsulates this sensation better than this beautiful story coupled with Howard Blake's ingenious score. Pieces like this
matter, they train a child's ear, stretch the imagination and instil a
life-long love of music.
We've returned to this performance now every year and it still holds every inch as much enchantment as when we first saw it together. This year we were in the stalls, close to the action and literally able to dance in the snow falling at the coda, with its optimistic
implication that our eponymous hero could return.
The
production is gorgeous. It is peppered with humour (with its oversized animals, comedic household discoveries and dancing fruit) and though the set is relatively simple the props are very effective. The scene when the toys come to life in James' room is particularly lovely. The choreography is great - the dance of the Snowman is a joy to watch, there are instruments on stage and singing, a motorbike and, to the girls' delight, a 'real ballerina' complete with tutu. The entire audience burst into spontaneous applause this year as both Snowman and James took to the air on strings. Culturebaby, remembering moments from last year, waited with impatient anticipation for the arrival of the gymnastic and rather sinister Jack Frost.
One of the truly wonderful elements of this experience is that the entire audience know the story and ritual-like enter into the story together. They know it, they love it, and they cheer it on to its inevitable sadness-tinged ending. The Snowman is a Christmas tradition and a rite of passage. It is a tale of belief, living life to the full and dealing with loss. For us parents that too may include the loss of our own childhood - but immersing ourselves anew into this story whilst clutching our delighted babies, we too can re-visit the wonder and see yet more layers of meaning in this most ingenious of Christmas tales.
For a selection of Snowman themed activities see here.
Sadler's Wells - The Little Match Girl
Photographs Courtesy of Sadler's Wells and Phil Conrad
Arthur Pita's dance theatre adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen classic is a refreshingly different sort of Christmas tale. In its fundamentals the story of the little girl is truly tragic, but this adaptation combines the sad with the hopeful and more than anything gives us pause for thought in this cold season about what more we ought to be doing for those in need.
One of the loveliest things about my five year old is that she hasn't become hardened to the world. Like many children she is full of compassion and cannot understand why the rest of the world can be so unthinking. She cannot walk pass a homeless person on the streets of London without emptying her bag of food and handing it over. I hope that she will never lose this urge.
She really related to this story of Fiammetta, a young girl in an imaginary Italian town who is forced to sell matches in the bitter cold. The little girl is full of joy, but also experiences great cruelty at the hands of those in competition with her and wealthy families who do not want to associate themselves with the poor. When she has her shoes stolen and her matches burned, the little girl begs for help with no success. She is chased away from the warmth and to her Grandmother's grave where, burning her few remaining matches, she dies. She is discovered too late by townspeople who had rejected her. But then comes an element of hope - the spirit of her loving grandmother guides her away from the cruel earth and to the moon from where she is able to watch over the little match girls of the future. She is warm and free.
The dancing is gorgeous, the scenery (such as the glowing moon) really
beautiful, and even such a tragic tale is effectively infused with
comedy and lightheartedness. Though there is no English dialogue (it has
a little Italian in the songs) this is surprisingly no issue. The
acting speaks for itself. It was a truly refreshing experience and one
which has stayed both with me and with the children. Culturebaby wants to do some fundraising at school for the homeless. If she's taken this away as a Christmas message from this brilliant production, there is little more valuable.
To accompany this show I'd recommend the beautiful Taschen Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen, which contains this classic story amongst 23 others with stunning artwork from 1840 through to 1980 from a wide range of countries. Taschen is so good at producing compliation volumes that themselves are works of art to treasure. We gave this beautiful volume to the girls as a Christmas gift.
The Unicorn Theatre - Baddies the Musical
We've properly discovered the wonderful children's theatre, The Unicorn, this year. The theatre, which has a home near London Bridge, was founded by Caryl Jenner as a touring
company in 1947 with a commitment to giving children a valuable, and
often first ever, experience of quality theatre, and a philosophy that
'the best of theatre for children should be judged on the same high
standards of writing, directing, acting and design as the best of adult
theatre'. Today, the Unicorn is the UK's
leading professional theatre for young audiences, dedicated to inspiring
and invigorating young people of all ages, perspectives and abilities,
and empowering them to explore the world – on their own terms – through
theatre. It is a wonderful, welcoming, space and we've loved visiting in recent months.
This Christmas we went to see the quirky Baddies the Musical, which returned to the theatre this year. It's a fun take on the fairytale world, examining what might happen if you were to extricate the baddies from their respective tales, leaving only the sunnier storylines. Inevitably we see that they are in fact required. Life is made up of contrasts: light is only understood in contrast with the dark, goodness when opposed by malevolence. We are also led to examine what are goodness and badness anyway? Intentionality matters. The cast is brilliant - the 'ugly' sisters have stunning voices and harmonics, Rumpelstiltskin in his efforts to be taken seriously is really quite adorable and Peter Pan is charmingly unpleasant. It's a fun musical adventure, but one with a deeper message and frankly I'd take this over a pantomime any day. You need the bad guys - especially when they can sing.
Disclaimer: we received tickets to the first three of these performances for the purposes of a frank review, and to the Unicorn in our role as ambassadors. All views are entirely our own.
Culturebaby has just reached seven, seemingly in the blink of an eye, and is keen to write her own reviews . So for the first time here's why she thinks you'll enjoy The Snowman, in her own words...
In the first Act it is the most magical because the Snowman comes to life. The second part Father Christmas comes and they have a boogie and a funny ending dance. My favourite parts are when the banana, a coconut and the pineapple come out of the fridge, and dance with the Snowman.
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. 
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.
2. Running a Snowman on the Shelf Advent
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.
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.
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