Reviewed by Sarah Bryan
Perfectly timed and structured for little ones – a genius of a show!
Taking my two young children aged 4 years and 20 months to the theatre has the potential to go well or be a nightmare; will they sit still and be quiet? Will they tantrum over the treat and merchandise stalls? Will they be able to see? So what a delight to spend Saturday morning relaxed in a comfy orange seat, the temperature just right to keep you cool, the coffee tasting sublime and knowing your children are having a wonderful time and that noise and movement is encouraged and applauded.
The Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury is a lovely place; so bright and welcoming and although often busy it gives a feeling of space with its high ceilings and artistic lighting arrangement.
It struck me how super smart and efficient the Front of House team were; incredibly professional and polite they obviously rate customer care high up on their priorities as they make each customer feel as important as the next. It was a real time saver to be able to order drinks for the interval and although we still had to go to the bar to collect the hot drinks; this just showed me that the theatre thinks about health and safety too. There was a large selection of hot and cold beverages as well as tasty looking cakes and snacks to purchase at the bar, we tried the Beechdean ice cream which is available is small freezers located either upon entrance to the auditorium or in the main foyer. At £3 a tub it’s expensive but it’s local and unbelievably delicious and why not for a treat!?
My fears were a laid instantly as we entered the main door to the foyer from the watchful eye of Ronnie Barker (well his statue) sat outside gazing at the front of the theatre. The official Teletubby merchandise stall was placed off the right-hand side so although it catches your eye immediately; it’s not intrusive and overbearing. The light up character wands were certainly popular as many children were waving them enthusiastically during the performance.
As we were shown to our seats, I was surprised to see it was only half full. With tickets priced from between £11.90 – £25.15, it was clear this would have been more packed if the price was a bit lower for this type of show.
The show began and the set backdrop was eye-catchingly bold and familiar; cries of delight and pointed fingers ensued as the large screen showed the introduction to the TV show and the well-known theme tune played. “Will we see the real Teletubbies?” my 4-year-old asked bouncing in her chair. Her question was soon answered as the lovely happy “Sam” played by Naomi Slater introduced the show. Her character made friends instantly with all the boys and girls in the crowd and my 4-year-old felt the rapport, “I wonder what colour nails Sam has? She’s really pretty and I love her dress, do you Muma?” Naomi was superbly engaging and likeable; ideal for the role.
In fact, all the cast were great, they seemed to be really enjoying the show; I was particularly impressed with Rebecca Ayres who has the most amazing expressive face and the ability to bring to life whatever she is portraying. Her dancing flower was so enchanting and during the puppetry of the rabbits on stage, she enabled you to combine in your mine the fluffy bunny on sticks with her brilliant non-verbal signals, expression and movement so they were as one. What great art work.
Hats off to Lauren Martin too for her performance as “Po”. How she managed to jump so high in what must be quite a restrictive costume is really rather impressive!
The show has been created with such planning and thought and is so in tune with how a child’s mind works that it simply cannot fail to entertain. Delivered in short scenes to hold the attention, each scene bursting with something new to grab you and bring you back in, they used a winning formula by incorporating everything that makes a child smile, from tubby toast flying everywhere to learning simple signs and moves to a song and then repeating this so that during the final song almost everyone big and small could join in and feel a sense of achievement. In fact, I have had “All of us and all of you” playing in my head all day!
Although the total run time in 1 hour and 10 minutes, there is an interval in-between to allow a quick stretch and refresh which I felt was a great idea.
My youngest is 20 months old and a huge Teletubbies fan. This was her first theatre trip and to see her little face light up in awe at seeing her TV hero’s in the flesh was such a heart-warming moment. My 4-year-old equally enjoyed it, was able to participate more independently and even turned to me during the show to say “Thank you for bringing us here” She didn’t want it to end.
We absolutely loved this show. It’s perfect for the under 5’s and parents and grandparents will enjoy seeing the small ones have such a great time. It’s so perfectly fitting for what a child wants that it could have actually been from a child’s mind. Teletubbies Live has been created and adapted for the stage by Richard Lewis and produced by Fiery Light in partnership with licensor DHX.
During the interval we witnessed a toddler who has sustained an injury to his eyebrow and a gloved member of staff was administering first aid with his parents; this was reassuring as accidents do happen and to know there is someone trained to help you is very comforting.
The theatre is kept immaculately clean and there is a real feel of class to the place; I left thinking “I really must come here more often” and I picked up a brochure to see what’s on.
Rating: 5/5
Tickets cost from £11.90 to £25.15 (plus £2.85 transaction fee).
Teletubbies Live is at the Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury from 26-27 May 2018, for more information or to book tickets visit www.atgtickets.com/aylesbury or call the box office on 0844 871 7607.
Waterside Theatre, Exchange Street, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP20 1UG | 0844 871 7607
