CHILDREN’S THEATRE
What's On The Alban Arena 01727 844488 www.alban-arena.co.uk
Children’s Theatre
Sat 30 Mar – Mon 1 Apr The Singing Mermaid at Artsdepot
Sat 30 Mar Fireman Sam The Great Camping Adventure Norman wants to go on an adventure to impress his friends, so when two famous animal explorers arrive in Pontypandy, he decides to follow them into the mountains. But when Norman discovers a rare red squirrel, one of the explorers decides to take the glory for themselves, leaving Norman stranded in a cave. Now it’s up to Fireman Sam to save the day and ensure everyone is safe on their camping adventure! Wed 3 Apr The Little Mermaid From the producers of Rapunzel, it’s time to make a splash and join Ariel; her father, King of the Seven Seas; Ursula, the evil sea witch, and a whole host of fabulous characters in this brand-new adaptation. Expect lots of fun, singing and dancing, all brought to you by a fantastic and energetic company of wonderful performers. Sparkling scenery, beautiful costumes and an exciting opportunity to meet the characters after the show, this is sure to be the family show of the year that you don’t want to miss! Thu 4 Apr Rude Science Brace yourselves for TV Gastronaut Stefan Gates’ hilarious, high-tech, highly-explosive new family show, packed with science stunts and spectacular experiments. It’s a thoroughly educational science extravaganza based on the acclaimed Rude Science book. Ages 6+ Artsdepot, N12 020 8369 5454 www.artsdepot.co.uk
Sat 30 Mar–Mon 1 Apr The Singing Mermaid The singing mermaid is tempted away to join a travelling circus, with the promise of a life of excitement, and her own swimming pool! The circus audiences love her singing but she soon finds she’s been tricked by the dastardly circus master. Will she ever escape? With three skilled performers, beautiful puppets, and wonderful music and songs, Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks’ much-loved story comes to the stage. Ages 3–8. Sat 30 Mar WiFi Wars WiFi Wars returns with the live comedy game show where you all play along! Log in with your smartphone or tablet and compete in a range of games, puzzles and quizzes to win the show, and prizes! 3pm show ages 6+, 7pm show - ages 11+
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you to join in this April for an egg-stra special Easter-themed performance that promises fun for all ages! Ages 0-6. Compass Theatre, UB10 01895 673 0200 www.hillingdontheatres.uk
Tue 2 – Sun 7 Apr Dogs Don’t Do Ballet Biff is not like ordinary dogs. He likes moonlight. And music. And walking on his tiptoes. You see, Biff doesn’t think he’s a dog, Biff thinks he’s a ballerina… The sublime and the ridiculous combine in this hilarious story of a small dog with a big personality and even bigger dreams, brought to life using beautiful puppets, well-loved ballet music and dazzling comedy. Ages 2–6. Mon 8 Apr The Great Stink Join English Touring Opera in Victorian London for The Great Stink, a hilarious, funfilled family show about poo… lots of it! Brought to life with singers, musicians, puppets, and interactive moments children will get to meet Queen Victoria, Prime Minister Disraeli, and even the Thames herself. Ages 7+. Thu 11 Apr The Showstoppers’ Kids Show If your children could create their very own dream musical – where would they start? The Showstoppers’ Kids Show takes your kids’ ideas and turns them into marvellous, musical adventures from scratch, in front of their very noses. From their imaginations to the stage – everything is made up on the spot entirely from audience suggestions, but grown-ups take heed: we ONLY take suggestions from kids! Ages 5+ Fri 12 – Sat 13 Apr Princess Smartypants Princess Smartypants does not want to get married. She wants to carry on making music with her menagerie of monstrous pets, but the King and Queen have other ideas… Find out how Princess Smartypants fights to preserve her independence in this hilarious fairy-tale-with-a-difference. Full of songs and madcap comedy, Princess Smartypants is a treat for all the family. Ages 4+.
The Beck Theatre 020 8561 8371 www.becktheatre.org.uk
Thu 4 Apr The Sooty Show: 75th Birthday Spectacular! Celebrating 75 amazing years in show business, Sooty, Sweep and Soo are planning a very special birthday party and you’re all invited. However, in true Sooty style nothing goes to plan! With buckets of audience participation and gallons of giggles, this spectacular celebration of the longest-running children’s television show in the world will delight Sooty fans old and new and is a must-see treat for the whole family. Mon 8 Apr Alice In Wonderland Follow Alice and the White Rabbit as they set off on a colourful, topsy-turvy adventure and meet a host of outlandish characters including Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee, the Queen of Hearts, the Cheshire cat and of course, the Mad-as a bat-Hatter! Children and adults alike are invited to join in the hilarity of seeing this classic story brought vividly to life in a show packed with comedy, music, audience interaction, and fun for the whole family! Fri 12 - Sat 13 Apr Betty Blue Eyes The award-winning Beck Youth Theatre returns with the original British musical. Brilliantly adapted for the stage and with a deliciously infectious, toe-tapping, retro contemporary score, Betty Blue Eyes is an utterly British musical, full of eccentric characters, lots of laughs, a gigantic heart and one very special pig. Chickenshed, N14 020 8292 9222 www.chickenshed.org.uk
Wed 3–Sun 7 Apr The Little Mermaid: Easter Panto Will Princess Lenor finally get to meet her handsome Prince, with whom she has fallen in love? Will the evil Sea Witch’s wicked plan to take over the underwater Kingdom succeed, bringing misery to all the sea-creatures? This swashbuckling adventure promises to bring lots of laughter, songs to sing-along to and plenty of audience participation. Harrow Arts Centre, HA5 0208 416 8989 www.harrowarts.com
Sat 16–Sun 17 Mar The Tiger Who Came to Tea The doorbell rings just as Sophie and her mummy are sitting down to tea. Who could it possibly be? What they certainly don’t expect to see at the door is a big, stripy tiger! Join the tea-guzzling tiger in this delightful family show; packed with oodles of magic, sing-a-long songs and clumsy chaos. Don’t miss this stunning stage adaptation of the classic tale of teatime mayhem... expect to be surprised! Ages 3+. Fri 5 Apr The Little Mermaid: Easter Pantomime Join TaleGate Theatre Productions under the sea for this bubbly Easter pantomime. Follow Lenor, our mermaid princess, as she finds her sea legs in search of her happily ever after. Expect a fast-paced, highly entertaining Easter Pantomime featuring pop songs, magic and puppets Guaranteed to make a splash! Thu 11 Apr The Amazing Bubble Man Louis Pearl explores the breath-taking dynamics of bubbles, combining comedy and artistry with audience participation and enough spellbinding bubble tricks to keep everyone mesmerized. From square bubbles, fogfilled bubbles, giant bubbles, bubble volcanoes, tornados and trampolines to people inside bubbles, the Amazing Bubble Man conjures shrieks of laughter and gasps of amazement from all ages.
Tue 2–Sat 6 Apr Easter Bunny Tales Get ready to experience a magical journey filled with enchanting stories, educational songs, and plenty of movement. The lively Tales from the Shed team invites Familiesonline.co.uk
CHILDREN’S THEATRE Little Angel Theatre, N1 020 7226 1787 www.littleangeltheatre.com
Tue 2 – Sun 7 Apr Dogs Don’t Do Balletat Artsdepot
Fri 1 Mar–Sat 20 Apr Persephone - a Tale of the Seasons Join Persephone and her animal friends as they guide you and your babies through the changes in nature, collecting things on their way… Persephone is a gentle sensory exploration of the seasons, perfect for babies and toddlers. There are separate performance times for babies (6-18 months) and toddlers (18 months – 3 years). Puppet Theatre Barge, W9 020 7249 6876 www.puppetbarge.com
Until Sun 24 Mar The Insect Circus (Little Venice) The Insect Circus invites the audience to forget reality and become immersed in the strange and beautiful world of insects. Beetles and grasshoppers, wasps and dragonflies, demonstrate their dexterity with great skill and humour. Presented using marionettes, the show breathes new life into the traditional techniques used in Victorian trick marionettes. This show has no words and is accessible to the D/ deaf and Hard of Hearing. Ages 4+ Fri 29 Mar–Sun 19 May PEA (Little Venice) Tiffany is twisting and turning and her mind won’t stop whirring- she just can’t fall asleep! She knows there must be a PEA hidden underneath her bed. As Tiffany adventures down through worlds of mattresses and mysteries, she meets the restless bed folk: the bumbling Shepherd and his herd of ‘counting’ sheep, the thieving Bed-Bugs, and of course, the wise old Memory Foam... Join Tiffany on her quest to find the PEA and get a good night’s sleep. But what is really keeping her awake? Ages 4+. The Radlett Centre, WD7 01923 859291 www.radlettcentre.co.uk
Tue 2 – Wed 3 Apr Spot’s Birthday Party Spot is having a very special birthday party and you’re invited! With party hats, songs, dancing and lots of interactive party games, this is going to be the best birthday party ever! Based on the beloved Eric Hill classic Happy Birthday Spot, this brand-new adaptation brings your favourite pup and his friends to life in an interactive and accessible show suitable for ages 2+ and their grown ups. Sat 6 Apr The Amazing Bubble Man Louis Pearl explores the breathtaking dynamics of bubbles, combining comedy and artistry with audience participation and enough spellbinding bubble tricks to keep everyone mesmerized. From square bubbles, bubbles inside bubbles, fog-filled bubbles, giant bubbles, bubble volcanoes, Familiesonline.co.uk
of the explorers decides to take the glory for themselves, leaving Norman stranded in a cave. Now it’s up to Fireman Sam to save the day and ensure everyone is safe on their camping adventure! Watford Palace Theatre, WD17 01923 225 671 www.watfordpalacetheatre.co.uk
tornados and trampolines to people inside bubbles, the Amazing Bubble Man conjures shrieks of laughter and gasps of amazement from all ages. Sun 7 Apr Pop Princesses This is the children’s pop concert with a big difference. The four fabulous Fairy tale Princesses are back with their new show for 2024. They just love to sing! It’s the perfect mix! Featuring a soundtrack of top pop hits from artists such as Taylor Swift,Little Mix, Ariana Grande, Meghan Trainor and Miley Cyrus, plus all the best songs from all your favourite Films and Musicals. Go and join the fun! Sat 13 Apr Alice In Wonderland Follow Alice and the White Rabbit as they set off on a colourful, topsy-turvy adventure and meet a host of outlandish characters including Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee, the Queen of Hearts, the Cheshire cat and of course, the Mad-as a bat-Hatter! Children and adults alike are invited to join in the hilarity of seeing this classic story brought vividly to life in a show packed with comedy, music, audience interaction, and fun for the whole family! You’d be MAD to miss it! Thu 25–Sat 27 Apr Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book Charlie loves reading. Especially books about pirates. But his sister hates it - it’s boring! Can Charlie convince her that reading is fun? Perhaps if she read a book about a pirate, who is reading a book about Goldilocks, who is reading a book about a knight… Go and delve into a range of books with Charlie Cook, brought to life with puppetry and enchanting songs, and perhaps you will be able to help his sister discover the wonderful world inside a book… Ages 3-8 yrs Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre 0844 826 4242 www.openairtheatre.com
and brown and fluffy? Grab your backpack and join Mouse on a magical theatrical journey as she finds fun, courage and a whole bunch of new animal friends. Ages 4+. Sadler’s Wells Theatre London, EC1R 4TN www.sadlerswells.com
Thu 4–Sat 13 Apr My First Ballet: Swan Lake Experience the thrill of the world’s most famous ballet with your little ones, in this specially adapted version for children aged three upwards. With a narrator to help follow the story, a shortened version of Tchaikovsky’s wonderful music, and all the beautiful dancing and elegant costumes you could wish for, this is the perfect introduction to the joy of live ballet. Watersmeet, WD3 01923 711 063 www.watersmeet.co.uk
Tue 2 Apr Fireman Sam Great Camping Adventure Norman wants to go on an adventure to impress his friends, so when two famous animal explorers arrive in Pontypandy, he decides to follow them into the mountains. But when Norman discovers a rare red squirrel, one
Wed 27 Mar Bring Your Own Baby Bring Your Own Baby Comedy is the award-winning lunchtime comedy show for parents… and you can bring your baby! These shows feature the funniest comedians form TV and the circuit telling their grown up jokes in a totally baby-friendly environment. Sat 30 Mar Comedy Club 4 Kids Cracking entertainment for everyone over six years old and under 400 years old (no vampires). There will be the best comedians from the UK and world circuit doing what they do best… but without the rude bits! Ages 6+ Sun 7 Apr Science Museum: The Live Stage Show This year join London’s worldrenowned Science Museum as they bring you this brand-new stage production aimed at igniting your curiosity, fuelling your imagination, and inspiring you in new and exciting ways. Produced by Mark Thompson Productions in partnership with London’s Science Museum this unmissable family show will ensure to capture the fascination of the whole family whilst learning something new and exciting too.
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Sat 23 Mar–Sun 21 Apr Bear Snores On A winter frost covers the trees of Regent’s Park, a snow storm is brewing and a tiny Mouse is looking for somewhere warm and safe to hide…a nearby cave could hold the answer but what else does it hold? Something big Families North West London 15