You’ve got to love the summer holidays. Six weeks of ‘at home‘ time, kids buzzing with energy while you search for things for them to do. Now all of that is fine for a day or two, but times that by 42 (total days in the summer holidays) and you really do need some useful ideas.
Over the next few weeks we’ll bring you plenty of ideas for things to do to keep you and the kids entertained: Top of the list has to be a visit to the theatre and we have four absolutely cracking shows heading our way to keep us all at the New Theatre in Cardiff .
First up, a visit to everyone’s favourite Gran during the summer holidays. GANGSTA GRANNY is coming to Cardiff in the hit West End production of David Walliams’ bestselling book. David is undoubtedly the number one author for children right now with his books translated into 55 languages and sold over 44 million copies worldwide.
Gangsta Granny is produced by the Birmingham Stage Company, one of the world’s top theatre companies for families. As well as producing all the Horrible Histories shows for the last 16 years, the BSC has staged the smash hit productions of Roald Dahl’s George’s Marvellous Medicine and David Walliams’ Awful Auntie and Billionaire Boy.
Nominated for an Olivier Award, this fabulous family treat will entertain everyone aged 5 years or over. Don’t miss it!
When Friday night comes along, Ben knows it only means one thing – staying with Granny!
There will be cabbage soup, cabbage pie and cabbage cake and Ben knows one thing for sure – it’s going to be sooooooooo boring! But what Ben doesn’t know is that Granny has a secret – and Friday nights are about to get more exciting than he could ever imagine, as he embarks on the adventure of a lifetime with his very own Gangsta Granny!
GANGSTA GRANNY will be live on stage from Thursday 21st to Sunday 24th July. Performances are at 7pm Thursday to Saturday with matinees at 1:30pm on Thursday, 10:30am on Friday and 2:30pm on Saturday. Shows on Sunday are at 11am and 3pm.
Tickets range from £17 to £26 with a variety of concessions along the way. For more details and to get you tickets, go HERE. We can tell you that a lot of the performances are selling fast, particularly in the stalls.
Once Granny has packed her overnight bags and left, TIDDLER AND OTHER TERRIFIC TALES will be swimming into the New Theatre. The show may be here for a short time but it’ll make a big splash and be a huge hit with the kids.
Tiddler is adapted from the bestselling books by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, and has been enchanting audiences all over the world, and it’s easy to see why. It weaves together four stories from the multi award-winning picture book from the pair behind some of the world’s best loved children’s books, most notably the modern classic The Gruffalo which has been published in over 100 languages. Together their books have sold over 75 million copies.
Prepare to go under the sea, out on the farm and into the jungle, as four terrific tales are bought to life on stage with live music, puppetry and a whole host of colourful characters from the much-loved titles: Tiddler, Monkey Puzzle, The Smartest Giant in Town and A Squash and a Squeeze. Funky moves, toe tapping tunes and giggles are guaranteed.
Bursting at the seams with live music, puppetry, and laughs, help monkey find his mummy, check out George the Giant’s new clothes, see how many animals the little old lady can squash and squeeze into her tiny house and follow Tiddler’s tall tales and big imagination across the ocean.
Tiddler & Other Terrific Tales is brought to the stage by Freckle Productions who had a fantastic summer last year with their smash-hit run of Zog. Their other adaptations include Stick Man, Tabby McTat and Zog and the Flying Doctors which is on tour now.
The show is directed by Mark Kane with original direction by Sally Cookson, music and lyrics by Benji Bower, designs by Katie Sykes, lighting design by El Higgins and musical direction by Brian Hargreaves. The cast features Joanna Brown, T J Holmes and Delvene Pitt.
TIDDLER AND OTHER TERRIFIC TALES will play a limited engagement at New Theatre, Cardiff from Monday 25th to Wednesday 27th July.
There’s a 4:30pm show on the Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday it’s 10:30am and 1:30pm. Tickets range from £15 to £17, once again a lot of the stalls are selling fast so you’ll need to be quick. You can get more details HERE.
TIDDLER AND OTHER TERRIFIC TALES – TRAILER
From a little Tiddler to the dangers and delights of DINOSAUR WORLD LIVE, a roarsome interactive show for all the family.
Grab your compass and join the intrepid explorer across uncharted territories to discover a pre-historic world of astonishing (and remarkably life-like) dinosaurs. Meet a host of impressive creatures, including every child’s favourite flesh-eating giant, the Tyrannosaurus Rex, a Triceratops, Giraffatitan, Microraptor and Segnosaurus!
The show introduces Miranda, daughter of palaeontologists, who grew up surrounded by dinosaurs on a far-away island off the coast of South America. She has brought her pre- historic pals to our shores and would love you to meet them.
Just a little warning: some of these dinosaurs aren’t as docile as they seem!
Don’t miss this entertaining and mind-expanding jurassic adventure, live on stage. There’s also a special meet and greet after the show which offers all our brave explorers the chance to make a new dinosaur friend.
DINOSAUR WORLD LIVE gets to the capital from Friday 29th to Sunday 31st July. Performances are at 2pm each day with 11am shows on the Saturday and Sunday.
Tickets are £14 and £15 but if you want to be downstairs, once again you’ll need to be fast. All the details you need are HERE.
IN THE NIGHT GARDEN…LIVE is heading our way with Igglepiggle, Upsy Daisy, Makka Pakka and friends back in their fun-filled live show Igglepiggle’s Busy Day!
Join Igglepiggle as he looks for his friends in the Night Garden by following their funny sounds until he finds them all!
You’ll see all your favourite characters beautifully brought to life with full-size costumes, magical puppets, and enchanting music. The show lasts just under an hour and your little ones will be amazed when they see a very special visit from the amazing flying Pinky Ponk.
Now in its 13th year, In the Night Garden Live is one of the UK’s favourite family events. Over 1.2 million people have seen it so far and it gets 4.8 out of 5 stars based on 13,610 parents’ reviews.
There are other shows for young children, but as The Independent wrote, “there’s nothing quite like In the Night Garden Live.”
Pip-pip, onk-onk!
IN THE NIGHT GARDEN…LIVE is with us from Saturday 13th with shows at 10am, 1pm and 4pm. On Sunday 14th they are on stage at 10am and 1pm.
Tickets range from £16.50 to £23.50 and if you’re keen to be in the stalls, the best shot at that is the 10am on Saturday. For all the tickets and details, go HERE.
