Reviews

If you have a show in the Shire area, we can send a reviewer – and your show can appear on these pages too! Email editorial@ shiremagazine.co.uk. We look forward to hearing from you!

Discover what Shire’s team thought of the concerts, live events and theatre shows they’ve seen over the past couple of months at local venues

TASTE CHESHIRE, CHESTER RACECOURSE

We arrived at this food festival on a sunny Sunday with empty tummies, and we weren’t disappointed. The many stalls offered samples, with larger meals available from catering vans. We started with Greek souvlaki – soft pitta bread filled with tender chicken and lamb, tzatziki, and salad. It was delicious.

The children spotted the bubble waffle stall and ordered three huge, freshly made waffles filled with chocolate, strawberries, and sauce. It’s the first time ever they haven’t finished a dessert. Luckily, I was on hand to help.

There were cooking classes from local chef Brian Mellor and TV’s Chris Bavin (Eat Well For Less), as well as workshops designed to get children excited about food. They got to make dishes including beef burritos, salmon noodles, and biryani. We all returned home full and happy! AB ★★★

ONE PIANO, FOUR HANDS, MARKET DRAYTON FESTIVAL CENTRE

Sitting at the piano, John Gough and Tom Kimmance appeared joined at the hip. In Mozart’s “Sonata in D major”, they demonstrated the power and variety of sounds achievable with four hands while playing with the sensitivity and intimacy of the closest chamber ensemble.

Then it was into Schubert’s masterpiece “Fantasie in F minor”. Huge mood swings in this profound, autobiographical piece were realised with a fine unity of interpretation; the moments of joy as light as air, those of angry resignation hitting us like a power hammer.

The pianists continued with nimble versions of Dvořák, Debussy, Rachmaninoff and York Bowen, ending with an arrangement of Liszt’s “Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2” that threatened to raise the roof. JH ★★★★★

A DAY AT CHESTER RACES

Chester hosts 15 flat race meetings a year from May to September, as well as numerous events throughout the year. Whether you are a keen horse fan or simply fancy a day out with a difference, a trip to the Roodee (the racecourse’s proper title) is always entertaining.

We spent the day as a family in the County Long room where we were looked after by wonderful staff all eager to make our day the best experience possible. There are two restaurants, 1539 and the White Horse, on site and it’s also possible to bring a picnic to enjoy as the horses go thundering past.

It is genuinely a thrilling environment to be in, and easy to get caught up in the excitement. The beautiful beasts and their magnificent speed kept children and adults spellbound over the day – a super celebration of equine excellence! IS ★★★★

MOONLIGHT FLICKS AT CLAREMONT FARM, WIRRAL

A night at the cinema is always a treat, but an outdoor one adds to the excitement – especially when you’re off to Claremont Farm with some excitable children to watch Jurassic Park! It doesn’t matter how many times we’ve seen the dinosaur classic – thanks to the excellent sound and production from Moonlight Flicks, we still jumped out of our seats at several points during the movie.

Every viewer gets a pair of high-quality headphones, pre-charged to last the duration. I thought watching a film outside might be a less immersive experience, but with sound seeming to come from all directions, the opposite was true. The headphones also had red lights on, so if you looked around in the darkness, the audience could be mistaken for dozens of glowing eyes of velociraptors looking back at you… Spooky! KS ★★★★

HARRY POTTER: A FORBIDDEN FOREST EXPERIENCE, ARLEY HALL & GARDENS, CHESHIRE

This after-dark woodland trail was created by award-winning theatrical designers from Warner Bros. Before entering the trail, which takes around an hour to complete, there are quaint wooden outlets serving mulled wine and hot chocolate.

On the trail, sound effects and smoke add to the atmosphere, with the dark forest illuminated by thousands of lights. There are lots of magical creatures lurking in the trees including centaurs, nifflers and a hippogriff, as well as the Weasleys’ flying Ford Anglia.

The children loved the interactive parts, which included waving a wand to make a patronus appear. The huge griffin was a hit and they loved how it bowed back to them when they lowered their heads. Giant spiders fell from the trees (there is an alternative route around for any arachnophobes) and a unicorn magically appears through the trees.

It’s a magical evening, suitable for all ages though some parts may be a bit scary for smaller children. The trail runs until 15th December. AB ★★★★★