Hello!
We are looking forward to welcoming you to Curve for our Relaxed Performance of Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book. We hope you are excited to see the show!
This pack is designed to give you a bit more information about the performance and our theatre ahead of your visit.
What is a Relaxed Performance?
Relaxed Performances are open to everyone but are especially tailored to support audiences who may benefit from a more relaxed performance environment. This may include children, young people and adults with neurodivergence, such as autism, learning difficulties and other sensory or communication needs.
Throughout the performance the lights will remain on, and whilst the Theatre doors will be closed, audience members will be able to come and go from the
space if they need a break from the performance. There is also a relaxed attitude to noise during the show, and the sound and lighting will be adapted to more comfortable levels.
Getting to Curve
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Our address is Curve, 60 Rutland Street, Leicester, LE1 1SB.
Here is a map of where Curve is in the Cultural Quarter, and the surrounding area.
Getting here by Car
There are a number of car parks close to Curve, with the multi-storey NCP Rutland Centre Car Park being the closest to our Theatre. Customers are advised that none of the car parks detailed on this page are owned or managed by Curve or Leicester Theatre Trust Ltd.
NCP Rutland Centre Car Park (Multi-storey)
56 Halford Street, Leicester, LE1 1TQ
Access Spaces: 7 | Max Height: 1.93m
Curve visitors can park in the NCP Rutland Centre adjacent to Curve for £7.95 when validated at Box Office, Green Room Café or Stage Door Bar during your visit.
If parking at NCP Rutland Centre between the hours of 5pm and 2am, you can access a cheaper rate of £5.95 if you pay via the NCP ParkPass App, or £6.95 if you pay your parking at the machines located in the NCP on the day.
Southampton Street
Leicester, LE1 1TG
Access Spaces: 4
Hourly charges from £1*
NCP Lee Circle Car Park
Leicester, LE1 3RE
Access Spaces: 4 | Max Height: 1.93m
Hourly charges from £1.95*
Dover Street
Leicester, LE1 6PW
Haymarket
Leicester, LE1 3HP
Access Spaces: 5
Hourly charges from £1*
Newarke Street
Leicester, LE1 5SN
Access Spaces: 1
Hourly charges from £1*
Highcross John Lewis Car Park
Leicester, LE1 4QJ
Access Spaces: 14 | Max Height 1.98m Access Spaces: 109 | Family Spaces:
Hourly charges from £1*
56 | Max Height, 1.98m
Hourly charges from £3.50*, plus flat evening rate of £2.50* between 5pm and 6am.
There is also a drop-off point outside our theatre. *Prices subject to change.
Getting here by Bus
All Leicestershire bus services have stops within a three to 10-minute walk of Curve, with services terminating on Humberstone Gate, Haymarket Bus Station or St Margaret’s Bus Station.
For more information about travelling by bus in the city, visit www.leicester.gov.uk/transport-and-streets/travelling-by-bus, or call Traveline on 0871 200 2233.
Getting here by Train
Leicester Train Station is less than a 10-minute walk away via Charles Street. For the latest service information, please visit www.nationalrail.co.uk.
Visual Story: Your Visit to Curve
Curve is a large, round building with a glass front, as shown below. The outside of Curve looks like this:
Halford Street Entrance
Rutland Street Entrance what3words: ///wide.wiping.dared what3words: ///driver.other.ideal
There are two main entrances into the building – Halford Street, by our Green Room Café, and Rutland Street, by our Box Office. Both entrances have a set of glass double doors.
The doors will open outwards automatically as you move towards them. There is level access into the building from both entrances.
When you enter the building, you will be in the Foyer. Our Foyer is one big circle which wraps around two of our performance spaces – the Theatre and the Studio Theatre.
As you make your way around the Foyer, you will notice lots of large pictures on the big red walls. This is our production gallery, and features pictures from our previous productions.
In addition, there are large digital screens displaying upcoming shows and events throughout the building.
A number of automatic hand sanitiser points are available around the building. To use these points, simply hold your hand beneath the dispenser.
Push dispensers are also available around the building.
Before the show, there will be some loud announcements in the Foyer telling you how long it is until the show begins, and other useful information about your visit.
It may also be noisy in the Foyer as other audience members will be arriving to see the show. You might like to cover your ears or wear a pair of ear defenders during this time. There are ear defenders available at Reception, if you would like to borrow some and do not have your own.
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Here is a map of the Ground Floor of Curve.
In the Foyer inside the Rutland Street doors, you will find our Box Office.
Car parking tickets for cars parked in the NCP Rutland Centre Multistorey Car Park next door to Curve can be validated at the Box Office for £7.95.
Ticket enquiries for this performance and future shows at Curve can also be made here.
In the Foyer you will also find our Green Room Café.
Here you can buy a drink, snack or ice cream to enjoy before the performance.
There may be a small queue at the Café.
If you need to use the toilet before you take your seats, there are male, female and accessible toilets near the Green Room Café and Box Office. There are also gender-neutral toilets on the Mezzanine floor. The hand dryers in the toilets will be switched off, and paper towels will be provided.
There is a Changing Places Facility with adult hoist on the Ground Floor next to Theatre Door 4. Please note you will need to bring your own hoist straps to use this facility.
You will be watching Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book in our Theatre, which has new red seating as shown in the picture below. If you have visited our Theatre before, you will find it looks quite different during this visit!
This is where you will sit to watch the performance.
Circle
Stalls
Your ticket will tell you if you are sitting in the Stalls (Ground Floor, enter through Theatre Doors 3 or 4) or in the Circle (Mezzanine floor, enter through Theatre Doors 8 or 9). Your ticket will also mention which door to enter through and where to sit.
If you are sat in the Circle, you will need to take the stairs next to Theatre Doors 3 or 4, or the public lift next to Theatre Door 3 to get to the Mezzanine floor (Level M). The staircase next to Theatre Door 3 has 31 steps over three flights (9, 11, 11) and the staircase next to Theatre Door 4 also has 31 steps over three flights (13, 7, 11). There is a landing between each flight of stairs.
A member of our Visitor Experience Team can help you find the right door and your seat by looking at the letters and numbers on your ticket.
They will be wearing black shirts with a colourful Curve logo.
If you are sitting in the Circle, you may need to take further steps to get to your seat. There are 22 steps from where you enter through Theatre Doors 8 or 9 to Row H at the back of the Circle, with 2 steps between each row.
If you are sitting on the Row H balcony in the Circle, you will need to enter through Theatre Door 11. Please speak to a member of our Visitor Experience Team, who can help you access the Theatre via this door.
When you enter the Theatre, the lights will be on, and it will be noisy as the audience will be excited to see the show! You might like to cover your ears or wear a pair of ear defenders, and bring a comforter or toy to play with before the performance starts. Ear defenders are available from Stage Door Reception if you do not have a pair of your own.
You will need to pull the bottom of your seat down to sit on it.
Booster seats are available if you can’t see the stage comfortably, and a member of our Visitor Experience Team can get one for you.
They will also be happy to help you with anything else you may need to enjoy the performance.
When the show is about to start, the lights in the Theatre will be dimmed but it will never go completely dark. They will remain on at a low-level throughout the performance.
Everyone will try to be as quiet as they can so they can listen to the story and music, but you are welcome to interact with the performance if you would like to.
Whilst the inner doors to the Theatre will close, the outer doors will remain open throughout so you can leave the space if you need to use the toilet or take a break from the show. You can re-enter when you’re ready.
When the show has finished, the cast will come back onto the stage and bow. The audience will clap to show the cast they enjoyed the performance. It can be quite loud during this moment.
At the end of the show, the lights will get brighter again. You can leave the Theatre when you are ready.
Useful Information
Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book is based on the book of the same name written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. You might have read this at home!
The running time for Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book is 60 minutes with no interval, meaning there isn’t a break in the middle.
The performance is recommended for children aged 3+ but all ages are welcome.
If there’s anything we can do to support you and your party during this part of your visit, or if you have any concerns about waiting inside the Studio Theatre after the performance, please call the Box Office on 0116 242 3595 before your visit or speak to a member of the Visitor Experience Team on the day.
There will be different lighting throughout the show, with some moments in bright lighting and others in darker lighting. The house lights will dim and remain dimly lit throughout the performance. During the moments the audience will be asked to join in, the lights will become brighter so the characters can see you!
Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book - The Story and Sensory moments
Spoiler Alert!
Below is a summary of the story, which means we tell you what will happen during the show. This might be helpful to know before you come to the theatre, but if you want the story to be a surprise then we suggest you don’t read these pages. Please don’t share these with other people as they might want the surprise too.
If you do not want to read the full story but would like to see the key sensory moments during the show, please see the green boxes.
When you enter the auditorium, you will see the set. This is the living room. Music is playing.
Just before the show is going to start there is an announcement over the speakers.
Izzy enters the living room via the door at the back of the stage and the show begins.
The show starts with a song as the family gradually enter. They sing a song about Charlie, who is always reading books.
Izzy plays around Charlie, who is trying to read. She is disturbing him.
Charlie tries to encourage Izzy to read Izzy sings a song about reading being boring!
As she sings, she jumps around the room and keeps annoying Charlie. Mum and Charlie think that they can show Izzy how much fun books are.
They find a book about a pirate and play a game where they do lots of actions inspired by pirates.
They sing a song about being pirates. Izzy pretends to be a pirate captain.
Part way through the song a storm begins to brew. The lights flash and there are storm sounds.
The pirate captain is so busy talking to their parrot and ignoring the storm that the boat springs a leak.
The pirate captain is forced to walk the plank.
We see the pirate captain under water, the lights turn blue and we hear the sound of water and seagulls.
The pirate captain finds a chest on the beach and inside it is a book…
Izzy doesn’t want to read another book, but Charlie and mum encourage her by starting with a game of hide and seek.
They sneak up on each other and say Boo!
They sing a song about Goldilocks. It’s dark and the performers shine torches on their faces as they sing about an annoying girl who comes round even when she isn’t invited!
Izzy still thinks books are boring!
They look at a joke book and share some jokes. A dragon appears. From the book. It’s a Knights own joke book so all of the jokes have a knight or dragon theme.
Every time they tell a joke the dragon roars—until the final joke, when he laughs!
They sing a song about how dragons like jokes too. At the end of the song they all start laughing.
They look for another book that Izzy might like. They play leapfrog and find a book about a frog.
We hear frog noises and they sing a song about a frog who loved reading so much that they had read all the books in the library. Whenever the librarian shared a new book with them they always replied ‘Reddit!’
They look for another book for Izzy to read and find a book about birds.
They turn the window around and transform the living room into a garden.
There is the sound of birds singing, and they pretend that books are birds— Flapping their pages like wings.
They sing a song about the birds having a competition to build the best nest. The Owl is the judge. The Owl appears from a book.
We meet a pigeon, who builds a soft nest from cushions.
We meet a blue tit, who builds a nest from kitchen tools.
We meet a rook, who builds a nest from books.
The rook wins the competition!
Mum needs a rest!
She sits down to read her favourite magazine, but she falls asleep. Izzy wants to play space rockets. She counts down to lift off, but Charlie tells her to be quiet.
They don’t want to wake mum up, so they play more quietly. The lamp becomes a space ship with flashing lights. It zooms around and lands on the tree.
Alien eyes pop out!
They sing a song about exploring earth.
The aliens dance around mum as she sleeps and appear from everywhere! The alien in mum’s mug grows!
Mum begins to wake up and the aliens disappear in their spaceship. Mum wakes up just as they are gone.
Mum looks at her magazine and tells Charlie and Izzy that it’s about a King who loves sparkly things, but one day a robber comes and steals them!
The phone rings as the King calls the police.
They sing a song telling the story of what happens next.
Mum pretends to be a police person and blows a whistle as they chase the robber. Blue lights flash.
The robber steals a car, which revs and screeches as it’s driven away. They honk the horn as they are stuck amongst a flock of bleating sheep!
The robber is caught and the door slams as he’s put into prison.
They play a game, listing all the things that Mum buys when she goes to the shops. They move the furniture and create an underwater world, with rubber gloves as fish and a whale that blows bubbles.
A big crocodile puppet swims across the room.
They sing a song about a crocodile who is bored of eating fish.
The crocodile comes out of the water and tries eating books—The crocodile loves eating books. His body splits in half and reveals a tummy full of books!
One of the books in his body is an encyclopaedia. Mum explains what an encyclopaedia is—It’s a book full of facts!
She opens one page and reads about the biggest birthday cake ever made.
They sing a song about the cake and build it using tables. They bang bowls with spoons as they sing. They use a balloon to make a cherry on top of the cake.
The cake is so delicious a famous astronaut takes a slice to space. And he also takes a book!
The next book that they look at is a ghost story. Izzy puts a white apron over her face and says wooooooo!
The lights go dark and turn red. There are creepy ghostly noises and torch light.
They sing a song about Underarm Alice.
Alice is a ghost who carries her head under her arm. Her head is a picture on the cover of a book.
The lights flash as she wanders around and the song ends with a scary laugh.
The show ends with the family singing a song about all the different types of books there are.
At the end of the song the performers bow. You can clap if you want to.
They sing one more song—You can clap along if you want to. The lights flash gently.
At the end of the song the performers bow again They run off.
We hope you enjoyed the show!
At the end of the show, the actors will take a bow whilst some music plays. Everyone will clap to show the actors they did a good job, you can clap if you want to!
When they leave the stage, the music will keep playing and the lights will get brighter. The show is now finished, time to go home!
