Theatre 2017: Review Thirty-one - Fantasia Live

Fantasia Live in Concert, The Royal Albert Hall, London. October 2017.

Delayed gratification appears to be a thing in our family as this was actually my nephew's birthday present and he's waited patiently since June for this to come around!

My sister and I saw a previous version of this back in 2012 and so knew we were in for a treat and it didn't disappoint.  Wonderful music and scenes from these beautiful films - what more can you ask for.

Once more the responses from the audience added to the magic and I think pretty much the whole Albert Hall jumped at the volcano in the scene set to Stravinsky's Firebird Suite.  It wasn't until afterwards that we realised how different to before this show was - with over half the programme coming from the newer Fantasia 2000 film.

My personal favourites were all included and so I was very happy, and from the applause I think that my nephew, sister & husband felt the same!  For me there really is something special about live music and live music in the splendour of the Royal Albert Hall is even more special!

Our only small quibble with the experience is that there was no programme and we do all really like one of these as a souvenir.

Theatre 2014: Review Twenty-Five

The Tiger Who Came to Tea, Lyric Theatre, London. August 2014.

Attending theatre events aimed at the under ten audience is becoming a real treat and I am so happy that my nephew is becoming an ardent theatre-goer.

Unlike the other shows I've attended with him this one was more typical of a children's play and I wasn't quite sure what to expect, especially after having read The Tiger Who Came to Tea out loud so many times at work story times it isn't one of my top 10 picture books (it is in the top 50 however).

This was, again, magical. There was lots and lots of audience participation but unlike at panto this was totally integral to the story and not at all cringe worthy.

The special effects were wonderful - watching the Tiger eat all of the food and the gasps of amazement that accompanied this made it worth the ticket price without a doubt!

The other thing that amazed me was the audience, a full theatre of children and yet the audience were so well behaved and much less disruptive than many at serious shows full of, supposedly, adults. Very few people fidgeted or left and I didn't hear/see a single mobile phone.

I was worried how such a short, and lets be honest quite old fashioned book, would work but it was brilliant.

Once more the programme was a copy of the original book - another plus for seeing children's theatre and I love the idea of using theatres in the morning (or in the afternoons on non-matinee days) to introduce a new generation to the delights of the theatre and the excitement of seeing plays in London's West End.

This was the last trip for a while I'll be making to the theatre with my nephew as he starts school in a month but I'm already looking out for plays suitable for him that will be on stage in the school holidays but shhhh... don't tell his mum!