Little Angel Theatre: Sleepyhead
Where? Midlands Arts Centre, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham, B12 9QH
When? 20th November – 2nd December 2018 (10am and 1pm)
Price? £9.50 – £12.50 per ticket
Recommended for aged 2-5 , me and Jemima headed along to watch Sleepyhead yesterday afternoon.
The production by Little Angel Theatre was fantastic and kept Jemima sat still in her seat, watching in awe and amazement, for the full 45 – 50 minute production.
The story is about a very cheeky and mischievous little baby who does not want to go to sleep. No matter how hard Dad tries to get him to go to sleep, he just keeps getting up and exploring his surroundings. Dad, exhausted, tries every trick in the book – eager to get a little shut eye. Eventually, the only person asleep is Dad – who manages to read himself to sleep with the bedtime story that is meant to send baby to sleep (come on parents, we have all done this at least once, haven’t we?). Once asleep, baby shows his mischievous side with “some magic, a pinch of circus and a large dollop of silliness”.
The show had Jemima (and me) laughing lots in parts. Jemima loved the stinky nappies, bubbles for children to pop and the arrival of Babys friend Rabbit.
Nicholas Anscombe and David Burchardt work magic on the stage together as the puppeteers. With smooth movements of realism with the puppets and great expressions on the puppeteers faces to show what the expressions would be on the puppets faces, you easily just accepted that the two were one (puppeteer and puppet) and it didn’t feel awkward or weird. Michael Fowkes who wrote, directed and designed this for Little Angel Theatres has done an absolutely amazing job and although it is recommended for ages 2-5, I think older children would find it just as funny as us adults and younger children did. It is a great family performance.
Highly recommended and definitely worth watching.
Disclaimer: We were invited along by MAC to review the show and share our thoughts with the Smallhousebigtrips readers. All views are our own and not influenced in any way.