7 year old Culturebaby is now starting to review her own events, and frankly what could be more satisfying than hearing directly from her?
"Aesop’s Fables was great, I saw it at the Unicorn Theatre. This theatre is just for children.
The show we saw is first about mums trying to get on but they are being competitive, while the children are just playing. [Think - clever version of the Tortoise and the Hare].
The second part of this fable is the story about dogs and wolves talking about being free, or being a pet but like a slave. I would rather be the wolf because he was a little bit hungry but he was free.
Next I saw the story about a child called Frankie and a white crow. This story means that it doesn’t matter what you look like, but it matters if you’re kind and you have love.
Finally the last story is about not being greedy otherwise you’ll throw up, or saving cake too long till it gets mouldy.
My favourite story was Frankie and the white crow because it really teaches us a lesson, because it doesn’t matter what you look like, it matters if you have love. The white crow’s brothers and sisters wanted him to be gone and killed, and nobody else wanted to play with Frankie. The little girl called Frankie was sad because she was very different - nobody wanted a play date with her or to play with her, because her hair was different and she kept 'pooking' in public. But at the end all of them made friends and everybody was nice to everyone else.
People should come in and see the performance because it’s all about how are you should live your lives, about being kind, not being jealous or mean and you should respect people's rights and don’t be mean to them because they’re different.
The setting was great because they have these boxes and they open them up and there was a special button and if you press it, it would change the story to a different one.
The story is for ages 4 to7, but there is also another production for people over eight years old.
Aesop was a slave and a storyteller who lived in the land of Ancient Greece. He wrote 725 stories and fables."
Culturegirl, a recent five-and three quarters ish re-brand from Culturetot ("I'm not a baby mummy!") also wanted to add her rather more entertainment-oriented reflections:
"There was this type of button that you press, and when you press it, it changes into different parts of the story. My favourite part of the story was all of it. I liked the Wolfie one because it was funny. I would be the wolf because it is free. The cake one was good because if you eat it too quickly you get sick, and if you bury it for a long long time it looks like witch cake. People should come and see the show because it is funny."
So there we have it. Rave reviews. It was also worth adding that the theatre, as always, was massively welcoming and it was great to see a diversity in their staff, with their seeming deliberate recruitment approach in this area. Culturebaby sat down and had a good chat with one of the theatre stewards about how he could relate directly to her analysis of the tale of Frankie and the White Crow. It was a touching and mutually upbuilding moment.
The Unicorn notes: "We considered doing all 725 fables and then thought better of it. What we’ve done instead is asked a few of our favourite writers to select one fable and to re-tell it for today’s audience. We’re presenting two versions of the results: one for ages 4-7 and one for ages 8-12. This is a celebration of young and old, ancient and new – a tribute to how fresh, bold and vibrant the classics remain today."
While we ended up seeing this performance later on in its run, we hope this show might return. We've loved everything we have seen at the Unicorn and you can see all their future programming here.
The images included in this post are courtesy of the Unicorn Theatre and Guy Rhys, Craig Sugden, Jessica Hayles, Rosie Wyatt, Jessica Hayles, Nathaniel Wade, Jessica Hayles and Shazia Nicholls respectively.
On Good Friday we joined a packed audience at the Rose to see George's Marvellous Medicine. It was rather the local event - lots of people from the area have mentioned that they have been and loved it. I think this is fabulous - theatres should be at the heart of community, part of the warp and weft of our family routines. The offer at the Rose is so fantastic it never fails to deliver - this time we took one of Culturebaby's friends - its a great idea for a slightly different playdate.
The girls are really getting into Roald Dahl. We have a great set of audiobooks that we listen to on long journeys and as a real surprise this year Culturebaby passed over any opportunity to wear a ball gown or a tutu and went to World Book Day at school as Matilda, clutching a basketful of books. They hadn't yet read George's Marvellous Medicine, so this interactive, fun and musical production was a great introduction to this Dahl classic.
George is on half term and can't wait to crack open his latest novel, but unexpectedly (and equally unwelcomely) his grumpy Grandma announces her imminent arrival to stay... indefinitely. Wielding a buzzer and using it regularly, his Grandmother proves both mean and demanding. George resolves to cure her mood with a fantastical medicine of his own invention. I was reminded on watching quite how deathly this medicine really would have been (and the cast took great pains to reiterate 'don't try this at home') but somehow George's marvellous medicine proves far from toxic - instead on ingestion it causes spectacular growth...
What we loved about this colourful and high energy production (with a Grandma who really did steal the show) was the extent to which a delighted audience were involved. In a test of observation, we had to help George create his medicine and then piece back together the initial concoction when more was required. The young audience did rather well...
CHANDNI MISTRY INTERVIEW – GEORGE‘S MARVELLOUS MEDICINE
Chandni Mistry, who plays the role of the Chicken, talks about the production.
“I’m so excited to be part of this show! Our production of George’s Marvellous Medicine shows how imagination is the most amazing thing, not just for kids but for adults too. All George wants to do over his school holiday is read a book but the adults keep getting in the way. To get around that, he finds the most ridiculously inventive ways to have fun again.
“When I first got the part I really didn’t know what to expect. Obviously I play a giant Chicken but exactly how we’d make that happen on stage was a mystery to me. Our Director, Julia Thomas, has a brilliant eye for creativity and invention that keeps everything a surprise and a little unexpected. I’m certainly not your typical Chicken!
“One thing I’ve got to say about this show is how amazing the cast and creative team are. Everyone is giving their all behind the scenes and up on stage, I think that really shows too –you can’t get up in front of audiences as a Chicken or a grumpy Joan Collins-esque Grandma and be even a little bit shy. It’s all or nothing!
“This is a kids’ show but it really is fun for the entire family. Julia Thomas and our Designer Morgan Large have packed the production full of references to modern life that keep it current and fun for all ages. Tasha Taylor-Johnson, our Composer, has also infused the show with this incredibly funky, hip hop soundtrack that you can’t help but want to move to. It’s a brilliant vibe.
“We do have a strong ‘don’t try this at home’ message in the show but we’re also really inspiring creativity and entrepreneurship in our audiences. A lot of our props are made from recycled objects and we actually spent hours when rehearsals first began just letting our imaginations run wild and making the props that you see on stage, from pigs to milkshake machines. It was great for us to get in that creative zone and the things we made from the most random objects absolutely work in George’s world.
“This is the first time I’ve ever performed in an adaptation of one of Roald Dahl’s stories but I’ve always loved him as a writer. I remember reading his stories when I was younger and finding them so funny, there’s a lot of nostalgia for me in this production. That’s the great things about Dahl – kids are still reading his stories and are coming to the theatre with their parents who also read the books when they were children. They have this universal appeal that brings everyone together which is fantastic to make come to life on stage."
“I think my favourite thing about this production (and there are lots to choose from!) is the reaction we get from audiences each performance. Hearing the crowd laugh and enjoy the show is just the best feeling you can have.”
George's Marvellous Medicine is touring and is currently in Liverpool.
We were also very pleasantly surprised by our first trip to the Polka to see Michael Rosen's Chocolate Cake. We love his writing but this piece was a first for us. It's wonderful to go to the theatre to celebrate already loved books or productions, but it is also a joy to experience new ones, to go not knowing what to expect, and to come away the richer. Chocolate Cake is a musical play based on a poem by Michael Rosen (now a book) and in the production we meet a young Michael, his older brother and his mother. Michael looks up to his older brother who he perceives to be much cooler, funnier, and cleverer than him - but he doesn't see his own strengths. Michael's favourite treat is chocolate cake. He dreams about it, creates stories about it, and looks forward with impatience to the next opportunity to eat some - his brother's birthday. The evening before the party an enormous cake created by his mother is stored safely in the kitchen, ready and waiting. The anticipation proves just too much for Michael. He wakes in the night and creeps downstairs...
There are some wonderful touches in the show. It is very human - messages of handling temptation, forgiveness, patience and family love and the music was excellent. Mark Houston who plays Michael has a really great voice and his '50s style song 'I'm Sorry' was a real highlight. Although we never know whether the story is true, we realise that Michael is in fact a young Rosen. His mother talks about his creative imagination and that his poem about a bear hunt was mentioned by the teacher as the best in class. We are left wondering whether he too had a brother that he felt in awe of. We all really enjoyed the production.
Set designer Verity Quinn talks in the programme about her inspiration for the design of Chocolate Cake. "I wanted to create a design which felt a bit like a living pop-up book of Michael's mind, using geometric shapes and bold colours which could pop out and fold away to celebrate the creativity and imagination of Michael's life., I was especially inspired by the abstract colour block paintings of Piet Mondrian, by Pop artists Claus Oldenburg, Patrick Caulfield and Roy Lichtenstein and by Russian interior designer Daria Zinovatnaya... I love the freedom there is at Polka to create unusual worlds that are full of possibilities. It's a really unusual space to design for which challenges me to be inventive and there's a fantastic production team here who bring the designs to life with skill and ingenuity."
Why not try some Mondrian-inspired follow on art activities on our blog here.
You kind find out more about the excellent programming at the Rose theatre here, and the Polka here. The Rose has recently announced its 2018 Christmas show, a festive new version with original music of the Brothers’ Grimm classic Hansel & Gretel written by Ciaran McConville, who returns to the theatre following last year’s successful adaptation of Alice in Winterland (see our review here). Rosie Jones will direct a cast of local young actors from Rose Youth Theatre led by a team of professional actors. The production opens on Fri 14 Dec, with previews from Thu 6 Dec, and runs until Sun 6 Jan 2019.
Chocolate Cake is touring to a range of locations around the country.
Disclaimer: We received tickets to the performances in exchange for an honest review. All views as always are our own. Photographs courtesy of the Polka and Rose theatres.
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.
7 year old Culturebaby is now starting to review her own events, and frankly what could be more satisfying than hearing directly from her? 
Next I saw the story about a child called Frankie and a white crow. This story means that it doesn’t matter what you look like, but it matters if you’re kind and you have love. 
Finally the last story is about not being greedy otherwise you’ll throw up, or saving cake too long till it gets mouldy. 
&susannahvandenberg(queenofhearts).credit-markdouet.jpg)
