Quentin Blake’s Mrs Armitage On Wheels at The Southbank Centre Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Mel Randle
Yesterday, during a half-term trip to London, we went to the Southbank Centre to see Mrs Armitage On Wheels, a children’s show based on the story by Quentin Blake (best known for illustrating Roald Dahl books). It is running as part of The Southbank Centre’s Imagine Festival, a programme of fun and creative events for the whole family throughout the school holiday.
Mrs Armitage is an inventor who likes to solve problems by creating things from the contents of her shed. In this story, she is cycling to see her cousin Angela in a neighbouring village along with her dog Breakspear, however she encounters things along the way, such as bad weather and a family of hedgehogs who are in the road. She returns home to make gadgets and improve the bike in order to complete her journey.
The show is aimed towards children aged 3-8 years, however my daughter is 10 and thoroughly enjoyed it, as did I. All performances are relaxed, babes in arms are welcome and people are free to come and go if need be, so if you are looking for something with perfect theatre etiquette, this is not for you. That being said, the audience were fabulous and I think a lot of that was down to the fact the show kept the children entertained throughout! It runs for 50 minutes without a break which seemed to be the perfect length for little people, any longer and I think they would have started to get fidgety! As a side note, this was staged in the Purcell Room, and the seats are super comfy!
The cast is made up of three people – Mrs Armitage and then two actors who adapt to take on roles of various characters and puppeteers. The puppets used are fabulous to portray Breakspear, the family of hedgehogs – who were too cute!! – and a very clever letter from cousin Angela. There are a few songs and a little bit of audience participation where we had to make horn noises.
The set as we entered was what appeared to be a little wooden shack with a hole in the roof in the middle of the stage. As it happened, it opened (‘like a doll’s house’, to quote the young girl sitting behind me) to reveal the inside of Mrs Armitage’s shed. This shed was then used in different guises during the show to facilitate scene changes.
This was a really enjoyable show for all ages but especially as a perfect introduction to theatre for little people. Although sadly this Imagine Festival is nearing its end, the Southbank Centre always puts on great events for children during school holidays. As well as the performances, there are usually lots of free events too. Whilst waiting to get our seats there was a giant chalk board floor for the children to squiggle on in the foyer. And for those with more time, there was a family trail to follow around the site.
I highly recommend seeing Quentin Blake’s Mrs Armitage On Wheels if you get the chance, and checking out other events at The Southbank Centre, especially as they are celebrating 75 years this year so I’m sure they will be making it extra special!
Rating: 5/5
Quentin Blake’s Mrs Armitage On Wheels is at The Southbank Centre until Saturday 21st February 2026.
Tickets from £22 + booking fee
For more information and for booking, visit https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/quentin-blakes-mrs-armitage-on-wheels/