Children's Shows Comedy Theatre ThisWeek In London

11-17 Apr: Family Shows, Funny Stuff, Theatre and More…

By | Published on Friday 7 April 2023

FAMILY SHOWS

The Flying Bath | Little Angel Theatre | 12-23 Apr
Let’s start with some stuff for families and small people this week, because most children are probably just over half way through their Easter holidays and you are probably looking for entertaining things to occupy a couple of hours here and there. You may well be familiar with the picture book by Julia Donaldson and David Roberts that forms the basis of this one, so you know the source material is good. You can also see this show (as well as the previously tipped ‘The Instrumentals’) online from 14-16 Apr. Click here for ‘The Flying Bath’ and here for the digital stuff.

The Lost Spells | Polka Theatre | 13 Apr-7 May (pictured)
“A girl with no name finds a magical book of spells that conjures up a wild world. Moths appear from nowhere; Owls light up the dark; a Red Fox leads the way down a rabbit hole to a brand-new wonderland”. That sounds lovely, doesn’t it? Another adaptation, based on the book by Robert MacFarlane and Jackie Morris, that promises a wild and boisterous adventure performed by actor-musicians, and which celebrates the power of nature and features a host of colourful characters. Find out more about the show on the venue website here.

Wizard Of Oz, The Panto | The Cockpit | 13-16 Apr
A pantomime? Is it Christmas again? Well, no, it’s kinda the opposite, but that doesn’t mean to say that it’s not welcome at Easter, I’m frankly just not used to it. Nothing daunted however: a panto of ‘The Wizard Of Oz’ seems like a very good idea at any time of the year. I’m not going to attempt to explain the premise to you because surely everyone who is reading this has heard of it / read the book / seen the film. This, as established, will be a jaunty panto version that promises to be all singing, all dancing and hilarious. For more info and to book tickets see this page here.

FUNNY STUFF

War Of The Worlds | ArtsDepot | 14 Apr
And now for some funny stuff to cheer you up after having to do things with the kids. Only kidding, I know you love it, especially given the high quality family entertainment we are recommending. But you’ll also love this: “Edy Hurst’s comedy version of Jeff Wayne’s musical version of HG Wells’ literary version (via Orson Welles’ radio version and Steven Spielberg’s film version) of ‘The War Of The Worlds’”. I think that description rather sums it up nicely, but if you need any further encouragement: you can expect this to be extremely daft and lots of fun. Click here.

Shewolves | Greenwich Theatre | 16 Apr (pictured)
Over we go now to Greenwich Theatre for ‘Shewolves’, a coming of age comedy that very much won our hearts at the old edfringe last summer, and is suitable for teens too, so might make another family outing option if your kids are older. “Armed with a backpack full of Pop-tarts and a hunger to tackle climate change, Priya and Lou embark on a covert expedition into the wild. But when the wilderness closes in around them, can they overcome their differences to make their voices heard?” For all the info and to book, head to this page here.

Snowflakes | Park Theatre | 12 Apr-6 May
“Marcus and Sarah work for a very special start-up. They don’t work in a shared office. They don’t sell locally sourced, gluten-free coconut water. They do the job that so many people call out for in the comments section. So, outsource your rage, disgust and vitriol and let’s get to the truth before the media storm blows over”. Another comedy for you, and this one is the rather dark kind, and it’s coming to you courtesy of Dissident Theatre and digital, interactive and immersive specialists Chronic Insanity. Expect something really good, in short. Click here.

SHORT STOPS

The Tempest For Autistic Individuals And Their Families | Riverside Studios | 12-14 Apr
Back in October, we ran a Q&A with Kelly Hunter from Flute Theatre about their production of ‘Pericles’ for autistic people and their families, so you might remember that. The same company returns to Riverside Studios this week with their staging of ‘The Tempest’, which is great news. Don’t think I need to tell you what ‘The Tempest’ is about, but if you’re interested in what Flute Theatre does, you should definitely have a look at that interview; and of course, if you want more details and booking information, head to the venue website here.

CabarADHD | The Space | 11-13 Apr (pictured)
So, this one kind of continues with a theme of neurodivergence, though this time it’s a show on the topic of ADHD, something I am quite familiar with, which therefore makes me quite interested in this production. “Rachael has recently been diagnosed with ADHD. Join her as she and her brain sing their way through the songs that describe her experience. Using mixed media, Rachael will take you on a journey through her thought patterns using familiar songs from ‘Oklahoma’, ‘Mean Girls’, ‘Aladdin’ and more”. So that all sounds fun, and there’s a promise of puns and chaos, so click here. Oh, and you can see it online too!

Quality Street | Richmond Theatre | 12-15 Apr
“Ten years since a tearful goodbye, an old flame returns from fighting Napoleon. But the look of disappointment on Captain Valentine’s face when he greets an older, less glamorous Phoebe, spurs our determined heroine to action. She becomes the wild and sparkling Miss Livvy, a younger alter-ego who soon beguiles the clueless Captain. As their romance is rekindled, can she juggle both personas?” JM Barrie’s hit regency comedy (yes, the chocolate brand is named after it), staged by Northern Broadsides and New Vic Theatre, and featuring a cast of familiar faces. More here.

LONGER RUNS

Fragments | The Playground Theatre | 14 Apr-6 May
Okay, on to some longer theatrical runs for your delectation, starting with ‘Fragments’ at The Playground Theatre, which is really intriguing to a history lover like me. “In the backroom of a library archive, three papyrologists pore over some tattered fragments of papyrus, 2000 years old. Could they be the remnants of a lost masterpiece by Euripides? The ancient text tells the story of Aeyptus, a boy determined to avenge his murdered father and brothers. But how can he succeed when almost all of the script is missing?” Find out more about it here.

Stars: An Afrofuturist Space Odyssey | Institute Of Contemporary Arts | 13 Apr-4 May (pictured)
The latest play from Alfred Fagon Award winner Mojisola Adebayo, performed by one woman and a DJ and featuring projected animation, presented as a “concept album on stage”. Developed with support from FORWARD (an African women-led organisation working to end violence against girls and women), as well as intersex activists, it’s about Mrs, an old lady who goes into outer space in search of her own orgasm following three encounters – with a young neighbour, an old friend and a would-be lesbian lover. Read more and book tickets here.

little scratch | New Diorama Theatre | 12 Apr-13 May
One you may already have heard of or even seen, given that this adaptation by Miriam Battye of Rebecca Watson’s acclaimed novel, directed by Katie Mitchell, had an acclaimed and sell out run at Hampstead Theatre in late 2021. That production now transfers to New Diorama Theatre though, so if you didn’t manage to get to see it then, you can now. Following the experiences of one woman over the course of one day in her life, the show addresses the aftermath of trauma, referencing sexual assault, rape and self harm. Read more here.

MORE GREAT STUFF

Generation Games | The White Bear Theatre | 11-22 Apr
I like this kind of double bill arrangement: ‘Generation Games’ consists of two one act comedy dramas focusing on differences of perspective and the misunderstandings that can exist between men of different generations who grew up with different values in different times. The plays are: ‘A Certain Term’ by Michael McManus, which explores how lost souls can find each other and how we can learn to let go; and ‘I F—–n Love You’, which is about “those perfect nights, when the world is put to rights, you look into the soul of the person closest to you and connect with their humanity”. Click here.

Family Tree | Brixton House | 12-23 Apr (pictured)
You might well have heard of Henrietta Lacks, because a book was written about her, but I’d imagine that not enough people know the remarkable story of how her HeLa cancer cells form the basis of the most important medical research and breakthroughs happening today. Of course, she would never have known this, as the cells were taken without her or her family’s knowledge or permission. This is the play that won Mojisola Adebayo (see ‘Stars’ tip above) that aforementioned Alfred Fagon Award, and celebrates the life of a black woman exploited by the medical establishment. More here.

Strike! | Southwark Playhouse | 13 Apr-6 May
“It’s a hot, hot summer and Frankie Goes To Hollywood are riding high in the charts. At Dunne’s Store, shop assistant Mary Manning refuses to ring up a grapefruit, sticking to her union instructions not to handle South African goods, in protest of the country’s apartheid policies. Mary is immediately suspended and it’s not long before she and eight other young women and one young man, all workers at Dunne’s, are out on strike. It’ll only last a few weeks…” A passionate and humorous play telling the story of Dunnes Stores Anti-Apartheid Strike which took place in Dublin from 1984 to 1987. Read more about it here.

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