“The Everywhere Bear” at Little Angel Theatre – 10/02/24

Posted on February 10, 2024 by katese11

Credit Steve Gregson

This is the second time I’ve been to see “The Everywhere Bear” so please forgive me if I repeat myself. I feel like I do that a lot anyway. The first time was during a particularly traumatic week in 2018 when Eva had just had some bad news the day before, so she and I sobbed through the whole thing pretty much. This time, Eva didn’t make it as she’s been a bit under the weather so I was missing my empathy buddy but also, I think I was a bit more stoic on the second viewing. Hey, even Toy Story 3 stopped making me cry after the 36th time of watching.

So by all of that you might discern that this is a bit of a heartwrenching tale. And it is – the themes of loss and reunion are particularly poignant if you are going through tricky times but it will pull on pretty much everyone’s heartstrings. I think I said in the 2018 version that smaller kids may not be quite so emotionally invested as the older ones and I stand by this….the show is aimed at 3-8-year-olds and I certainly didn’t see any preschoolers bawling about the fragility of life so I think it works on different levels. If you do happen to be the parent of kids who are no longer of Class 1 age and you’re feeling nostalgic, then you might find it hits differently to watching the same show with a 6-year-old. That might all be specific to me.

Credit Steve Gregson

Don’t let me trick you into thinking this is a dark or overly ponderous show tho – there is plenty of light and fun to be had, from the copious fish puns to the rhyming librarian. The songs are mostly upbeat and cheerful with a few more poignant numbers thrown in there too. The scene where the stage is transformed into an ocean is particularly moving, as the shimmering material across the front of the stage gives a lovely watery illusion and it’s accompanied by a song which I think is called “Lost!”. It is a strangely calm moment in the middle of a busy 45 minutes and there was a hush across the audience, even from the smallest members.

Credit Steve Gregson

If you’re not familiar with the story, it’s a very realistic one about a class bear who goes missing. I say realistic because I think that happens to a lot of class bears – we certainly dropped the class dog at the bus stop in Hackney Downs and had to go back from him. When I say “class dog”, I should clarify that it was a toy dog. Not even Eva could leave a real dog at a bus stop. But every parent knows that feeling of dread when a beloved toy goes missing (“Mater lost!”) and this play captures that feeling across a whole class who all love the same toy. Of course, the less realistic bit is that the toy returns of its own accord and isn’t just replaced with a lookalike from Amazon but that is the magic of the theatre.

Credit Steve Gregson

There is – naturally – a bit of peril that the kids have to deal with but it’s interspersed with all those lighter moments I mentioned earlier and it never gets overly scary. The actors –  Lottie Johnson and Calum Bruce – keep the show flowing with a lot of energy and are a reassuring presence any time the bear is in trouble. I think I mentioned last time as well that the two actors have a lot of work to do during those 45 minutes. As well as acting and advanced puppeteering (have you ever seen a puppet iceskate?), they also sing all the songs and act as stagehands, transforming the set from a classroom to a set of roadworks to the aforementioned ocean to a boat to a fish shop and…you get the idea. Like all Little Angel productions, the set design is impeccable and uses different sides of the same pieces to create all these scenes, which makes the best use of the small stage. It’s an intimate space but it’s incredible how much can be done with some Little Angel ingenuity.

Credit Steve Gregson

So the performers have a lot to juggle but never seem to miss a beat. They transition seamlessly from character to character, blending into the background when the puppets take centre stage. A small child behind me kept demanding to know “what’s that lady’s name?” but I couldn’t tell her. She was Mrs McAllister a moment ago but now she’s a fisherwoman.

Overall then, a sweet and poignant story with a lot of heart and plenty of comedy along the way. I’d say the age recommendation is about right – its short run time means that 3-year-olds will probably be able to stay engaged but the deeper themes have something to offer the older kids as well.

“The Everywhere Bear” runs until 14th April. For tickets and more info, click here.

Disclaimer: I received free tickets in exchange for a review. All opinions remain honest and my own. 

Credit Steve Gregson

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Natural History Museum and “My Neighbour Totoro” at the Barbican – 27/01/24

Posted on January 31, 2024 by katese11

If you think that title is long, then let me assure you that the day that went with it was every bit as long. I’m still recovering from it now…or not, as the case may be. The Yorkshire Folk were down to visit and, just like last time, they wanted to go to a Kensington museum on a Saturday. Those Yorkshire folk sure are crazy. There was a twist this time but we’ll get to that.

We’d booked entry for 2pm as some of the party are not exactly keen on mornings. Others in the party were up with 8 hours to spare but it takes all sorts, doesn’t it? The tube wasn’t too horrendously crowded and we didn’t even need to queue cause we’d booked so we got straight through and in just before 2.

One of the first things I noticed is that there is now an Andy’s Dinosaur Adventures clock in the entrance hall. Since I posted about attending the premiere almost a decade ago, I’ve had a steady trickle of questions asking where the clock is and my search terms and post views suggest that Andy is as popular as ever. Well now, I can stop disappointing people….there is a clock! To the left of the main stairs, almost exactly where it is in the TV show.

Our first main stop was Dinosaurs, which hasn’t changed much over the years although the walkway seemed to be closed and there was a slightly different route in the T Rex bit. Oh, and these furry new animatronics:

Things have changed since I was a nipper but Eva assures me these are more accurate than the older models…and cuter as well. There was also a greenscreen photo booth, which was newish. It was almost certainly a bit of a ripoff, as these things always are but Eva persuaded us to do it at the Sea Life Centre and she was equally persuasive again. In recognition of her efforts to get to West London by 2PM on a Saturday, I decided to yield and we gained a photobook of not quite the photos we asked for and a video of some of the better ones. So here’s one I screenshot earlier:

Coming out of Dinos, we headed towards the Darwin Centre which I don’t remember being there before but Google tells me it definitely was. The main attraction – Cocoon – was closed and I couldn’t see much else that was open to the public but it might well be that I’m missing something. Cocoon is impressive from the outside tho:

Plus there were toilets that are slightly bigger than the more vintage ones in the rest of the museum, and a milkshake bar that Eva clocked as a place to come back to. First though, we had some climbing to do. In fact we made it all the way to the top and this giant bit of tree:

From there, Roo was keen to visit the Red Zone where the earthquake room was but it was a bit of a maze to get there and we went down some stairs that didn’t feel like we should be going down them. Halfway down, there was a staff member standing guard over a spillage which reassured me that at least we weren’t totally lost but still, it was a relief to touch the ground again. We passed back through the Green Zone, which had a newish cafe in it (although again, Google tells me it’s been there since 2017) and more furry animatronics!

We squeezed through the birds gallery, which is always a mixture of fascinating and disturbing….if you’re a fan of owls, you might not enjoy seeing their heads pinned to a board. Then onto the Red Zone and the “From the Beginning” gallery, which was disturbing in its own way:

And this confusingly-orientated map of Britain:

I don’t remember how we got back up to the first floor…usually we’d take this escalator straight to volcanoes but it was closed:

But it meant that we walked through a gallery I don’t think I’ve seen before – Earth’s Treasury. It was full of super pretty rocks like this one:

And a glass display case of jewellery which made me wonder if someone there was planning a heist. Heist movies always start with someone leaning over a glass display case in a museum, don’t they? Reuben assures me it’s not him making any elaborate plans but I’m starting to think I shouldn’t have put the idea in his head.

Eva was flagging a bit at this point, so we took a quick seat on these entirely unergonomic benches, unless you’re one of those conebum people:

I got her moving again by promising a snack at the next pitstop and it did seem like the NHM had more cafes than ever before although the Red Zone one – the Coffee House – was closed. There was a bit of a pop up on the one of the mezzanines but there wasn’t much space to sit so we kept moving and visited the old favourites on the top floor – the earthquake room, the volcano models and this masterpiece of illusion where a bunch of rocks turns into a model of their habitat. Roo tells me it’s done with mirrors but I still don’t understand it:

We also found some obsidian on the way, which will bring joy to the hearts of your little Minecrafters:

And this model, which we visited in 2014, is still as shiny as it was in the 80s:

It was definitely time for a snack break, although some of us were keeping an eye on the time for reasons which will become apparent. There was some confusion over Eva’s milkshake but eventually we were all re-sugared. Which is kinda vital for some of us, so it’s probably good that there are so many pit stops nowadays.

We wanted to see one last gallery – Human Evolution, which was on the other side of the museum back in the Red Zone. I was keen to get us out of the museum by 5pm but couldn’t exactly tell my sister why. I mean, you’ll know why cause it’s in the title of this post but my brother-in-law had planned the Totoro bit as a surprise and I wasn’t sure when he was planning to spill the beans. I still feel like I should be keeping this secret now and it’s four days later.

So we rushed a bit through Human Evolution, which is a shame as Eva seemed to be enjoying it more than I’d expected. “Hey Mum” she’d say “Remember that time in evolution when we didn’t have a torso?” Oh how we laughed

I also spotted this bit of Found Art, which looks like someone deliberately left a piece of single use plastic there to highlight the plight of the rhino:

I then shuffled us all out and through Five Guys while honing the cover story that would somehow get us from South Kensington to the Barbican without my sister knowing what was happening and also without Nathan and Roo. We eventually left the boys in Five Guys while I garbled some excuse about having to retrieve a lost hat on the way home. I mean, you know Eva. She loses hats all the time so this was highly plausible. How I kept the fiction going through an excruciatingly slow ride on the Circle Line, I don’t know. We left Five Guys at 6 and the show started at 7 and there was the usual post-museum crush getting through the ticket barriers. By the time it was 6:30 and we were at Cannon Street, I was weighing up the benefits of making Eva do a half mile brisk walk through the City versus holding my nerve and staying on the Circle line round to Moorgate. I held my nerve and we arrived at the Barbican with 15 minutes to spare. I’m not sure how but I’m pretty sure I didn’t really breathe again until we were safely in our seats. The mastermind behind this whole plan seemed unperturbed throughout.

Of course, I do not have pictures of the show itself as security is tight around the actual staging details. Not even the official press pics seem to feature the eponymous hero. I also wasn’t there on a reviewing trip so this won’t be a proper review.

But it was fun! Studio Ghibli is always difficult to characterise because some aspects feel like it’s aimed and children and, in this case, the main characters are children. But I’ve seen a lot of children’s theatre in my time and this definitely wasn’t that – it is somehow all-age theatre despite being about kids and a big furry monster. I guess the themes are quite adult and there are some dark moments. There are also some terrible parenting decisions (take a day off Professor!) but in those days it was fine to leave a 4-year-old pretty much to her own devices.

The staging is amazing. Again, I won’t give away too many spoilers but it was so complex and detailed…like nothing I’ve really seen before. There were life size sets that came apart and became different settings and there were props that only appeared for one scene but were still intricate and, in some cases, movable. The plot is….minimal but there is a lot of joy in it and, at its heart, it’s all about the strength of family love which is a pretty universal theme. Even if that family makes some bad choices and one of them is a Jubilee-level liability.

Somehow it is like watching anime in real life. The character move like their animated counterparts and their exaggerated facial expressions are very Studio Ghibli. It takes some getting used to and could be jarring but after a while, you get sucked right into this weird world and just accept that that is how people move and talk and emote in this reality. And it’s a reality where a bus turns up when it’s meant to so anything could happen.

Talking of which:

Although top tip – this bit is outside the theatre so if you go at the right time, you could probably take the photo without paying for the show.

It’s recommended for ages 6 plus and it’s a substantial length – 2 hours 45 mins – so I definitely would say pay heed to that. Eva enjoyed it and I imagine Reuben will too when he goes with his school but younger kids might get a bit restless. There are some moments that children of all ages would love but they’re in between some longer stretches of dialogue that might be more challenging.

Still, we all enjoyed it and I’m relieved I no longer have to keep a secret. I think the rest of the run may be sold out but just in case it isn’t, here’s the ticket link. And you know where to find the Natural History Museum but if you don’t, just look here.

Phew, I told you it was a long day didn’t I? Almost as long as this post…

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“Christmas at Kew” – 06/01/24

Posted on January 7, 2024 by katese11

Happy New Year! I realise it’s in no way Christmas any more – although Eva tells me that “Fishmas” carries on until February – but yesterday we went for one last shot of Christmas joy before settling into dreary January. Truth is, I told Eva I’d take her to Christmas at Kew but then didn’t think it about it again until we were driving home from Winchester on 28th Dec. As we went past Kew Gardens, she piped up with a “hey, weren’t we going to go to that?” At which point I started looking for tickets on my phone. And that, my friend, is how you end up with a 19:20 entry at an unpopular gate on a day that’s so far after Christmas that it’s a whole separate holy day. But, for all that, it still worked well as a trip out for the most part so I wouldn’t be against the idea of doing Epiphany at Kew again. After all, what else is there to do?

If you live near us, you might observe that Kew Gardens is in no way near to North-East London. Just because we drive past it on the way home doesn’t mean that it’s close to the end of the journey. In fact, it’s probably about halfway between here and Winchester time-wise. So it was gonna be a bit of a trek and there were various ways Eva and I could tackle it. The decision was pretty made for me when Eva googled and found a Five Guys near Richmond station that we could go to for a quick dinner before we went in. Richmond requires the District Line, so we went for the Victoria Line to Victoria and a long walk through the corridors.

Gargh, I always forget what a pain the District Line is. I probably should have learnt from my last attempt at West London and just taken the first green train to anywhere…but there was a Richmond train coming in 14 minutes (!) so we just waited….and waited. The platform filled up as a Hamilton matinee kicked out but luckily a lot of the crowd took the Ealing Broadway train and we got onto the Richmond train with relative ease, even if there weren’t any seats.

But yes, the District Line is indeed a pain. Being right behind the Ealing train meant that we had to stop constantly to wait for a platform, including a lengthy pause outside Earls Court. Google Maps tells me it took 49 minutes from Victoria to Richmond but it felt longer, especially the bits around Kensington where we kept stopping at stations that I swear are close together in real life. We probably could have walked from South Ken to Barons Court quicker than we travelled but, on the upside, there was a tiny dachshund on the train that kept Eva amused by doing complex tricks like yawning or sniffing. I know all dachshunds are tiny but this one was even smaller than usual. Plus, there were some cool stone sculptures at Gloucester Road that looked like giant fossils but I didn’t get a picture but it’s tricky on a crowded train. Neither did I get a picture of the “heavenly ghost train” we saw around Gunnersbury-ish. It was probably just a different tube line (Piccadilly) that was on a track higher up the hill than us but in the dark it did look a bit like it was flying through the sky. Which caused Eva to reflect that we probably looked like some kind of “demonic hell train” to them.

She wasn’t far off, especially when we had yet another delay just outside Richmond. But eventually we were free and strolling through the streets of this very pretty bit of London:

By the way, other restaurants are available – I spotted a Wagamama and a fun-looking Hawaiian place with swings – but Eva only wanted one thing., We sped-ate our fries and made it back up the street to the bus stop just in time for our entry slot. It was going to be a substantial walk from Richmond but the 65 bus got us to the base of Kew Bridge very speedily. And the bus stop had this combination of “Omega” and “Flowey” that made Eva laugh a lot. I think it’s some kind of Undertale reference?

Our tickets were for the Elizabeth Gate, as the other gates had sold out. That’s why we went to the bus stop at Kew Bridge – it is a bit disconcerting going past all the other gates and what seems to be the whole of Kew Gardens but I held my nerve and it was only a few minutes’ walk once we got off the bus.

I feel like I know the area reasonably well from driving through but if you’re not familiar, look out for the bit of Kew that looks like the England of story books – a cricket green next to a church and a half-timbered pub. It’s what Americans would probably draw if they were asked to sketch “England”:

Walk alongside the green, past the Cricketers pub and the Elizabeth Gate is at the bottom of the road. Try not to troll your child too much about their fear of cricket bats as you go.

I suppose you want to hear about Kew Gardens itself now, right? Well, the Elizabeth Gate isn’t the ideal entry for the light trail as there’s a bit of a walk before you get to the start. If you want the razzle-dazzle and “Welcome to Kew” then the Victoria Gate is probably the best bet. But that’s for people who book before 28th Dec, I guess.

Still, it doesn’t take too long to get to the trail and there was a small photo opportunity right by the gate:

There were also toilets and a couple of food vendors but the trail proper started with this “Little Shop of Horrors” piece I think:

And these glasshouses:

And a path that led to a lake installation which was the first truly mesmerising point of our journey. We spent a while there before realising that the song (“Once Upon a December”) was both eerie and on loop. There was no actual lake but a smoke and light show created a very convincing illusion. It was only when you look really hard that you realise there’s a leaf-strewn concrete bottom rather than water. It was very beautiful though:

Beyond the was a spotlit road that I only got the blurriest photos of:

And then the light show on the actual water outside the greenhouses. I remember this being pretty awesome in the daylight a couple of years ago but it was much better at night. The lights were synched to songs – “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” (nb he isn’t….at least not for another 11 months) and something that Eva identified as “John Williamsy”. She’s learnt from last week. I think it was the theme from “Home Alone”, in which case she’s right. It was all very atmospheric and Eva was enjoying it so much that I could leave her watching while I went to join a substantial loo queue.

We were nearing the Victoria Gate and I was a bit confused by some signage that made me think that’s where we needed to exit at 9pm. I realise now that I misread it and it was just warning us that if we weren’t as far as the Victoria Gate by 9 then we wouldn’t have time to complete the trail before kick-out at 10. We were there at almost exactly 8 so we had time either way but it was reassuring to see other people heading off down the trail at the same time as us which mean we probably didn’t need to be back there at 9.

All of which meant we had time to stop for doughnuts at this place:

Hooray! They were hot and delicious, even if the sauce was a bit runny to eat well in the dark. I think we both probably have chocolate sauce all over out coats and scarves still and we just haven’t found it yet. Worth it tho.

The next bit of the trail was these very pretty icicles:

Eva said it looked like the kind of path where the Fey would appear and drag you into the forest but luckily that didn’t happen. I could still see the buildings on the main road so I knew we were safe but it did have an unsettling feeling. We saw a few other pretty things along the way:

And then got to this very popular tunnel:

As with all these ‘grammable things, the experience would be better if they weren’t overrun with influencers. I know I sound hypocritical because bloggers are the forerunners of influencers but there’s a distinct difference….bloggers like taking pictures of things whereas influencers like having pictures taken of themselves with things. Which makes for a lot of queuing while they’re posing. We’ve seen it at Delight and even in the park near Embankment but it can be a bit intrusive on everyone’s experience if there’s someone taking endless reshoots of that peace sign pose. Anyway, I managed to get a picture of the tunnel with the influencers cropped out so you get the idea. It would have been quite magical if we could just wander through it without queuing.

The next bit was more atmospheric, for sure – the field of fire was roped off so actually you could get the sense of the whole exhibit without any people in view. This was another eerie and unsettling one – there was a melancholy version of “Silent Night” playing and Eva suggested it was depicting Herod’s slaughter of the innocents. I mean, that is Christmassy in a way….but whatever it was depicting, it was impressive and moving to walk through.

Which made the jollity of Electric Avenue and the fairground slightly jarring. Again, I failed to get a good picture of the avenue because of the crowds but you get the idea. It was a stark contrast from the fire field but also effective in a jazzier way:

I was hoping we could bypass the fairground but Eva wanted a go on the carousel so we had to queue a bit for fairground tokens so she could get on. There was a blue chicken with “Eva” written on it but she eschewed that for some reason:

And ended up on a very similar-looking one called “Natalie”. Make of that what you will.

The food village was right next to the fairground and Eva wanted yet more fries so we had a quick food and loo break. There were lots of tasty-looking options (Lebanese, Caribbean, Indian) but I wasn’t hungry enough to get anything even tho I was very tempted. Also, I was still paranoid about running out of time so we pressed on.

Soon enough, we stumbled on what seemed to be a rock concert, with The Darkness blasting out over the treetop walk with more smoke and strobe lights. You really do get a variety of cultural influences on this walk.

Then through some arches that were one of the more explicitly-Christmassy parts of the walk. Oh, and there was a real live Santa but the fairground but it being Epiphany we didn’t pause to discuss what Eva might want in her stocking last year.

The next bit of the walk was so magical that Eva asked me how you say “Wow” in German. Think the Great Hall at Hogwarts:

We sped up a bit after that as it was getting very cold and I had an eye on the time all the time. There were some cool things along the way such as this very impressive oak:

And a tunnel of “heavenly trapeziums” as I think they were called:

Before the last big set piece of the walk (from our perspective of leaving where we started). This was built to look like a cathedral and had “Ave Maria” playing as you walked through. It was weirdly serene, even though it was also super crowded. Again, I pretty much failed to capture the majesty of it:

And again, a slight jarring sensation to go straight from that to these extremely sparkly birds with “Rockin’ Robin” blasting out. It felt a bit like being in a Hitchcock film:

Then a pause to take in the always impressive Hive:

And then we were back in the land of toilet breaks and looking for the exit. It was 9:40ish by the time we left so you’ll be pleased to know that we did not get locked in but I’m glad we didn’t linger too much longer at some of our favourites. An earlier timeslot would have been better I think but then that’s another perk for people who book in advance and not on impulse three days after Christmas. You live and learn.

Having said that, it was a perfectly jolly January thing to do and I didn’t regret it. It wasn’t so Christmassy that it was unworkable after the new year. We might even do the same again next time, albeit it with a better gate and time slot.

We left by the Elizabeth Gate and I was keen to avoid the District Line so we walked over the bridge to Kew Bridge station and were just in time for the Waterloo train. The signage is somewhat ambiguous as you walk in but you need to cross to the far platform for Central London – the nearer one is for Windsor. We almost got this very wrong.

But we got it right in the end and were in Vauxhall within 22 minutes. A quick snack stop at Sainsburys and then a hop on the Vic line saw us home 1 hr 30 after leaving Kew. Impressive, I think.

In case you hadn’t discerned so far, “Christmas at Kew” is now finished for the season so I won’t include a booking link but definitely look out for it next year!

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“Zimmer vs Williams” at the Barbican – 31/12/23

Posted on December 31, 2023 by katese11

Despite what I told my children, this was not a cage fight between two distinguished composers. So apologies – if that’s why you clicked on this post, you’ll be disappointed. Maybe get in touch with the makers of 90s classic “Celebrity Death Match” and see whether they take requests.

What it was though, was a fun afternoon out that justified us doing nothing more exciting on NYE night than eating spring rolls, knitting and watching “The Mitchells vs the Machines”. Yup, welcome to NYE live from Casa LWAT. It’s not going to be a classic one but we did gorge ourselves on the classics this afternoon so that’s OK.

The concert was at 2:30 and for some reason I thought church would be in some way shorter than usual today. It wasn’t, which made us a little tight on time to lunch and get to the Barbican. I went to My Favourite Cafe to order takeaway bacon sandwiches, chips and halloumi but we missed a couple of 56s while waiting for it all to be ready and so we ended up getting the secret train from Essex Road. Luckily, the secret train never lets us down and we made it to Moorgate with 20 minutes to spare. We didn’t even get lost around the Barbican complex for once so, even accounting for lengthy loo queues, we were still in our seats well in time. Granted, the kids ate lunch very much in transit  – either walking down Essex Road or sitting on the platform of what seems to be an abandoned station – but that’s standard LWAT stuff.

It’s also worth a quick reminder at this point that I no longer own anything resembling a toddler. I don’t think I’d attempt a two-hour classical concert with a tiny one. But with a teen who made his own meme about how much he likes John Williams’ music? Yeah, that sounded doable.

The orchestra were the London Concert Orchestra, conducted by Robert Emery, and included a small group of singers as well. The set was pretty simple but dressed for Christmas, with giant snowflakes along the back wall. There would be a few visual treats along the way but it was mainly all about the music.

And what awesome music! They started off strong with the theme from “ET”, which is always evocative for us 80s kids. The conductor told us a bit of the background to ET – how Harrison Ford’s wife wrote it with Steven Spielberg on the set of “Indiana Jones”. The Indy theme itself wouldn’t pop up until the end of the first half but it was interesting little tidbits like this that kept the concert flowing.  Apparently the role of Jack Sparrow almost went to Robert deNiro…who knew?

I can’t remember all the pieces that were played but I think there was music from “The DaVinci Code”, “Inception” and “Saving Private Ryan” in the first half, along with the aforementioned Indiana Jones. There were lovely effects with the lights so that the theme from “Pirates of the Caribbean” had the orchestra members drenched in a sinister green light whereas the more superhero-themed tunes had bright reds and blues. The “Imperial March” was a clear highlight of the first half, with the audience attempting to conduct (cmon guys, it’s a simple 4/4…why can’t you do this?) and special guests turning up to patrol the audience. I was worried about whether Eva would be able to sit still for such a long stretch but the interval came round before we knew it (around 1 hour 10 in) and, although there had been some wriggling, both kids had nothing but good things to say.

Was Eva quite so positive about the interval queue at Benugo? Let’s not speculate. But she did get a can of Coke a slice of lemon drizzle cake out of it so we survived. She looks like she’s enjoying the queuing experience, doesn’t she??

Of course, the can of Coke would have some side effects later, causing us to miss a chunk of the second half and hear the Star Wars theme and “Duel of the Fates” from the loos but you have to expect these things from days out with kids. Also, you really can hear well from the gender-neutral loos next to door 10 so don’t worry too much if you too have to make a swift exit.

I thought that the second half might be weaker than the first, seeing as there was so much good stuff packed into the first. But we still had “Jurassic Park” to go (red and green lights and I managed to not sing the Nick Mohammed lyrics, so that’s good) Plus “Gladiator” and a quirky, clarinet-led piece from “The Terminal”. Then the loo trip for me and Eva and we made it back to our seats, stumbling in the dark during the applause and sat down just as the house lights went up. Yup, that could have been useful a few moments earlier. The conductor was inviting kids to join the orchestra on stage for the very last piece. As we were in the balcony, it didn’t seem possible for any kids sitting near us even though some seemed desperate to go. My own were unbothered so that’s OK. Eventually, the kids from the lower levels and the stalls made it on to the stage, settled themselves in using any space they could find and order was resumed. I felt for the conductor, trying to not to whack any nearby children as he waved his baton. I was in a similar situation at the Chingford Mount tree lighting a few weeks back. No children were harmed in either case.

It was a big success with the kids and a really nice way to finish the year. Some of the very little kids in the audience were a bit restless at times but it was on target for mine, especially Reuben who is the massive Star Wars fan and is well versed in the soundtrack. We bought the tickets as part of their Christmas present and, if you’re wondering how to present such a gift on Christmas morning I’d suggest skipping the easy option of just printing the tickets off. Why do that when you can puzzle them with a box containing Star Wars lego, a pirate-themed beer, some Caribbean spices, a Barbie surprise egg and a number 2 candle? Well, it kept them busy for a bit anyway….

Happy New Year everyone! See you in 2024 🙂

 

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Christmassy Things to See

Posted on December 17, 2023 by katese11

As you may know if you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, one of my favourite things to do at this time of year is to wander around London and just look at all the pretty things there are to see. Some of them I just stumble across because I’m singing there, like the lights at Watham Forest Town Hall but other things we go in search. Like the teddy bear house and giant bells of Covent Garden:

And the neon tree and move quotes of Angel Central, Islington:

Along the way, we stopped at Ink84, a bookshop in Highbury, to get a couple of copies of a book authored and signed by this extremely good girl:

Meanwhile, last weekend I happened to be passing the famous booktree of St Pancras and took a rubbish photo as we went by:

As well as the giant Harry Potter tree and lit-up birdcage of Kings Cross:

So those are just a handful of pretty Christmassy things you can see on your travels. Of course, Epping Forest just looks like a Christmas card without even trying and that’s on our daily commute. Happy Advent everyone!

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“The Toymaker’s Child” at Chickenshed – 29/11/23

Posted on November 29, 2023 by katese11

artwork for 2022 christmas show The Toymakers Child, ft a silhouette of a child and fairground

I know you’re always interested in a handy travel hack so let me share with you my route to Chickenshed today. I was in the office so decided to hop on the secret train from Moorgate to Welwyn Garden City, which Google assured me would drop by somewhere nearby. And sure enough, I found a station I’d never heard of before let alone been to:

But from there I hopped on a 307 bus, which is unusual because it has the same flooring as our lounge:
Barnet has all the home comforts.
Anyway, it was all very efficient and got me from desk to theatre in just over an hour. Time to relax with a coffee and wait for the show to start.
In case you’re wondering, yes I was flying solo. Eva’s seeing the show with school next week and Roo is busy with his GCSE homework (sob!) so it was just me. Most peculiar to be at the Shed childless.
Childless is not a word you’d use to describe this production tho. There are a lot of kids in the cast…. around 200 of then, in fact and that’s only one cast of a rotation of four. I have often marvelled at Chickenshed’s ability to wrangle huge casts and this was no exception. From the first crowd scene, where the townspeople sing about the new toy in town, the spectacle is incredible. Every time we visit, the production values seem to be better and better. This modern retelling of Pinocchio has neon artwork, TV news screens and a human size 3D printer. And that’s only in the first few minutes.
The story starts in a traditional fairytale style with a toymaker who decides to make something new to keep his isolated child company. And as in all fairytales, the child’s mother is dead before the story begins. Of course! This sets the scene for a distinctly untraditional twist as the something new comes equipped with Artificial Intelligence and a desire to explore the world. Off she sets and so the adventure begins.
If this is reminding you of that other Pinocchio tale about AI, then you’re not alone. But don’t worry – it isn’t nearly quite so harrowing as that one.

Copyright Chickenshed

It is emotional though – I fear a little for Eva watching it without me next week as there might not be anyone to give her a hug when she wells up. And Chickenshed, as ever, manages to evoke all the feelings as their trademark inclusive cast sing and dance to tell the story of someone trying to work out just what these things called feelings are. Courtney Dayes was superb as PIN:0cch10 and really nailed the movements and tone of a robot, which gradually becoming more humanlike. Beatrice Afhim as Katy – the titular child –  kept pace throughout, which is impressive for a young performer. Her singing voice was a little more fragile than Courtney’s but it really suited the character well and she was beautifully expressive.

Copyright Chickenshed

Lots of familiar Chickenshed faces popped up – some in more supporting roles, such as Ashley Driver as news anchor Mike in a series of hairpieces and Lucy-Mae Beacock as an “Augmenter”, signing along with the dialogue and sometimes busting out a few dance moves as well. Special mentions go to Bethany Hamlin, for making us love a singing alligator and the wonderfully creepy villains played by Cara McInanny, Demar Lambert and Will Laurence (on rollerskates!). The three of them were clearly living their best lives being terrible people and their Fagin energy really gave the show a bit of edge.

Copyright Chickenshed

But Chickenshed is, at heart, about the ensemble and there’s a kind of magic that happens when the stage is flooded with people of all ages and abilities working together in choreographed madness. It’s hard to take it all in as everywhere you look, there’s something new going on. The dances were sharp, the group songs were on point and the sound balance was good, which might seem like an odd thing to comment on but it’s a hard thing to achieve with so many people singing at once.  Some of the songs are more simple and poignant – like “I Forget to Breathe”, sung by the Toymaker and others are joyous and uplifting, like “Dance in the Rain”.

Copyright Chickenshed

I mentioned the production values briefly before but they really were another level throughout the show. There was a brick alleyway that projected out onto the stage and acted as a conduit between scenes in a really effective way. The  main space transformed itself into a funfair, a harbour and a school seamlessly and there was detail everywhere. I have no idea how the stage management pull it off, wrangling so many cast members and sets that are getting more complex by the year…but somehow they do. It worked incredibly smoothly.

Copyright Chickenshed

It’s not a Christmas show, as such but it has everything you’d want in a Christmas story – heart, friendship, family and a fair bit of peril. The audience around me were made up of many different ages and all seemed to enjoy it, from the very vocally appreciative Scout pack to the couple next to me who’d come to support a friend of their daughter’s. It’s recommended for Age 5+ and I’d say it was good for all kids of that age and up. You never know, I may even report back on Eva’s thoughts once she’s seen it next week.
I know I said that this was an ensemble show but I just wanted to single out one last person for a mention. Unfortunately, I don’t know the young man’s name but he was at the front for the Unschool scenes and gave such an energetic performance that I couldn’t help but watch him. I think he had “No 1 Loser” on his back (it makes sense when you watch the scene). Anyway, he was full of joy in his dance moves and really brought a smile to my face.
“The Toymaker’s Child” is on until 13th January and is booking now. Click here for tickets and more info.
Disclaimer: I received a free ticket in exchange for a review. All opinions remain honest and my own.
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“Delight” – 24/11/23

Posted on November 24, 2023 by katese11

As is becoming traditional in November, I’ve taken a week off to celebrate being so bad at managing my annual leave that I have to take it in November. Coincidentally, Eva had an inset day today so it seemed like a good time to go adventuring. And the obvious adventure was an immersive Korean light show. Why not?

First though, brunch and the usually-reliable Crosse Keys let us down as it was out of hash browns. Maybe it’s time for me to do that Wetherspoons boycott I’m always thinking about. The app would only let us order from the breakfast menu so there was no chance of getting a substitute but my selectively-observant child pointed out that everyone around us was eating chips. So I went to the bar and asked if I could order there, was told they didn’t do chips at breakfast even though the guy before me had ordered a bowl and so I made the same observation as Eva had. Eventually they capitulated….carbs were had. Which is just as well because the halloumi I’d ordered through the app for Eva came *with* my breakfast i.e. dumped in the middle of the baked beans. So she still had a couple of the less beany bits but it would have been a far grouchier morning if we hadn’t managed to score at least a few bits of potatoey goodness.

Once we’d been fed, we wandered across London Bridge, which is always a pleasure and down the steps and through the tunnel to Clink Street. We were a little early but the very genial guy on the door welcomed us in out of the cold and gave us detailed instructions on how to use the app and the augmented reality-type signs you could scan. The app didn’t work on my phone so we missed out on that bit but I saw others using it. It didn’t detract from the experience but it’s worth downloading the “Delight Experience” app in advance if you’re planning a visit.

I won’t give you too many spoilers but you’ve probably seen pictures of some of the rooms on social media already. It’s one of those exhibitions that is perfect for the influencer age as pretty much everything is highly ‘grammable. There were a few people trying to get the perfect shot so we had to wait a couple of times but as it was a school day, it wasn’t too crowded at all so we had plenty of space to enjoy the different zones. There are 12 in all and you’re guided along a path which seems illogical at times  – up and down stairs, in and out of what look like fire escapes – but have faith…it’ll get you where you need to go, don’t worry.

As well as being aesthetically pleasing, it’s also informative as there are insights on Korean culture written up in every room. It’s well worth stopping to have a read as you go.

So, here are some of the highlights. You know I love a sunrise and a sunset, so this skyscape room was one of my favourites. Ypou may recognise it from the publicity pictures:

This Matrix room hurt my brain slightly but Eva enjoyed the reunion of the “Eva choir”…..a group made up of infinite versions of herself. Luckily I was there in time for choir rehearsal but hey, aren’t I at just about every choir rehearsal going this time of year?:

I really liked the seascape in this room, which had seats so that you could just stop and be part of the art for a while:

We spent a long time looking at the Zodiac animals and deciding which ones we were most like. We concluded that Nathan was correctly allocated as a goat but that Eva was also a goat. I identified most as a monkey and we reckoned Reuben was a rat. So years of birth aside, we are now a primate-rodent-dual caprine family. Which probably means we’ll eat anything you leave lying around. Approach with caution.

Eva, master of the veiled insult, looked at this wheel and said “It’s depressing that your year is so close to the bottom”. Thanks kid – depressing for who, exactly?

We were both a little weirded out by the “Household Goblins” room:

And later on, Eva enjoyed the signs room and spent a while jumping from sign to sign:

And right next to that was the moon, which involved walking down a gangplank surrounded by water to get the full effect. I didn’t have confidence in either of our co-ordination so we stepped back off as quickly as possibly to avoid either falling in the water or dropping our phones.

Overall, we probably spent about 45 minutes in the experience but probably could have spent longer. The lovely guy in the gift shop offered us a free postcard each, even though we hadn’t completed the challenge on the app. It’s relatively pricey but now that the kids are older, this is the kind of thing they enjoy. Eva took 96 photos as we walked through. I guess that means she had a good time.

A few practical things – the steps mean it isn’t wheelchair accessible throughout (parts of it are but not all) and it would be tricky with a pushchair as well…but then the age restriction is 4+ so it isn’t aimed at the very littlies. There are no toilets as far as I could see and no cafe but Pret is right next door and has a toilet. I mean, we would have ended up there anyway I’m sure as I do like to flex that Club Pret membership but it was handy that the exit came out almost directly by their door.

I think it’s only on temporarily so book while you can! Click here for tickets and more info.

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12 Days in Highams Park

Posted on November 22, 2023 by katese11

Today, I was on a train to Chingford and I was pondering a version of the 12 Days of Christmas that also acted as a handy, hyper-local events calendar for a very specific time period.

Anyway, most people would let that thought go.

Anyway, I didn’t.

 

But I did remember that at one point this blog used to be informative about things like local events, so why not share it on here too? And as a bonus, I’m going to add all the images below as well so you don’t have to pause the video. I’m too good to you.

Also, I hear that Chickenshed are putting on a panto this year – check out this link for more information:
Cinderella in Boots

And here you go – everything you could possibly need to know about early Advent, LBWF-based activities:

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I Just Want to Tell You How I’m Feeling…..

Posted on October 29, 2023 by katese11

Tired. But that’s not the main point of this post. In fact, there are a few things I want to tell you about but don’t worry, we’ll come back to the post title eventually.

First though, let me tell you about our Friday night trip to see “Noises Off” at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. It was a leisure trip rather than a reviewing trip so I won’t tell you everything about it but it was lots of fun. If you’re not familiar with the idea, it’s a play-within-a-play so there are a group of dysfunctional actors playing a group of dysfunctional characters in an intricate farce. The first act is quite gentle humour but the second act is where it really escalates and the mainly-mimed chaos behind the scenes in Ashton-Under-Lyme had all three kids howling with laughter. It’s recommended for ages 12+  – probably because there are a few F-bombs – but the 10- and 11-year-olds thought it was great and the 14-year-old also enjoyed it, as well as treating it like GCSE Drama homework (he is studying Brecht, apparently). It always helps to have a bona fide National Treasure in the cast – in this case Felicity Kendal – alongside other famous faces like James Fleet, Matthew Horne and Tamzin Outhwaite, who the girls didn’t quite remember from “The Masked Dancer” but they were impressed by her moves anyway. CousinZ described her as “iconic”. I was pleased to add another 70s sitcom star to my list, after catching Wolfie Smith live earlier in the year. And yes, I might have reminded Nathan not to channel Norman Lovett and get overly distracted.

It was SO well done and cleverly written – the foreshadowing in Act 1 more than paid off by the end and the actors gave marvellously physical performances, especially Matthew Horne. The slapstick made it accessible for the younger end of the party who might not get all of the jokes and double entendres. The theatre itself is also gorgeous and not too big, so easy enough to find the loos and the bar. Just watch out for the one-way system in the ladies’, which flummoxed me for a while, and the step coming out of it which caused a little tumble. Definitely worth a trip though, and the tickets were very affordable for a West End show on a Friday night. On the way back, we bought fries – you know where from – and wandered up Carnaby Street to see the latest glittery things. I think it’s a universe of some kind:

The next morning we were bleary and overslept but we needed to get CousinZ to Reading for a handover so we rushed to get out of the house. We had an important stop to make on the way, just by Latimer Road tube so we needed to be dressed in black t-shirts and on the train as soon as possible. We made a quick Pret stop at Liverpool Street and then jumped on the Hammersmith & City line.

One thing I hadn’t considered at Latimer Road was the enormity of the Grenfell shadow as soon as you get off the tube. I don’t think the girls clocked it but we turned the wrong way out of the tube first off and seeing the sign pointing towards the tower like nothing had happened made me catch my breath. I’ve seen the tower in real life a few times – the first time was from the Westway not long after the fire and it was a horrific sight. Now, it’s a bit less visually jarring but it’s still a sobering reminder of what happened there.

There’s no easy way to segue from that thought to the frivolousness of the next section without saying something trite so I’ll just leave the picture here and a small gap before I get on to the main aim of our trip.

 

 

So, I just happened to see a Londonist article a week or so back, which contained the answer to a question I hadn’t asked but maybe I should have. When Reuben was a few months old, we’d taken him to various music-related sites in London to get some photos – we stopped on the Abbey Road zebra crossing and squeezed his buggy into the Ziggy Stardust telephone box just off Regent Street. But we didn’t think to seek out the tunnels where Rick Astley had filmed the “Never Gonna Give You Up” video. Until now. So all credit to Londonist as their intel was spot on. You just need to cross the road outside Latimer Road tube, and take the cobbled street next to the Co-op:

And there it is! I think Rick himself was probably standing in the road as he grooved but I wasn’t prepared to take too many risks with a child that wasn’t mine, so we did the photoshoot from the opposite pavement instead.

Londonist were also correct in that the interior scenes in the video were shot at the Harrow Club, which is on the same road as the bridge. We didn’t go inside but we did get some photos of this unmistakeable window:

From there, it was full-speed ahead to Reading for the handover. Although bits of Reading are very similar to how it was when I lived there, the station is almost completely different. And they now have a Wendy’s, which Eva was very excited about as she didn’t think they existed outside the US:

There weren’t huge amounts of vegetarian options so Eva just had chips and a drink. I had a burger which was nice enough but pretty much like most other fast food chain burgers. It was worth it for the novelty factor though. Eva insisted on taking her paper cup home as a souvenir.

There was also a new candyfloss making machine in the Oracle, which she very much enjoyed:

It’s quite mesmerising to watch this stuff being spun out of basically nothing….and you end up with something the size of a child’s head.

I liked the idea of getting the Elizabeth Line all the way back from Reading to Liverpool Street but it seems like it takes an hour to get as far as Paddington, whereas the fast train takes 23 minutes. And with a Disco 2000 to get to, time was of the essence. We still got the Elizabeth Line from Paddington to Liverpool Street though, and it was much swifter than the H&C version we’d done that morning. So Crossrail was worth it after all.

A bit of a whistlestop tour of our weekend but at least you can see now why I’m so tired. I considered not blogging any of this but hey, I’m never gonna let you down….

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Epping to Ongar Ghost Train – 26/10/23

Posted on October 26, 2023 by katese11

It’s been another busy day. I only had one day off work over half term so needed to max it out with something that was fun, autumnal and Halloweeny. I’ve never been particularly into Halloween but my pagan children are, so nowadays we just kinda roll with it.

First though, brunch! This is something I very much *am* into and I decided to visit a cafe in Woodford as our fuelling stop. The 275 is on a massive diversion at the moment so the trip to Woodford took longer than usual and involved the North Circular, which is terrifying on a bus cause it just feels so unnatural. I definitely needed a cup of tea before tackling the Central Line and Cafe Royale provided that, along with a bacon roll. We had CousinZ with us, so she and Roo both went with pancakey options that looked mighty impressive. Eva had her usual hash browns, chips and milkshake. She really rated the cafe….so much so that I jotted down what she said and I’ll let her write the review.

“This place is really good….the food is delicious, the hash browns are crispy, it’s really clean, the toilets are fancy and there’s a giant fish constantly giving you side eye and it’s hard to argue with that”

I mean, would you argue with this guy?

It’s nice to be in Woodford for leisure reasons, rather than running through the station cursing about the Chingford branch being down. Still, it was only a stop on the way to our eventual destination and so we got on the Central Line all the way across the M25 and to Epping.

I’ve heard so much about the Epping-Ongar railway over the years as friends have been on the Santa train or other seasonal adventures. I’ve never been clear on the logistics, so let me unpack them for you today.

The experience starts at Epping tube. You get off the Central Line and there’s a vintage routemaster outside which takes you to North Weald. The bus is included in the price and the time you book for  – 12:20 in our case – is the time the bus departs from Epping, not the time the train departs from North Weald. I think there is an option to board at North Weald but there’s no parking, so you’d have to park nearby and walk or get a cab…at which point you might as well park in the massive car park at Epping and take the free bus. Plus, you’ve gotta love a Routemaster, even if they’re smaller than I remember. Roo’s head was touching the ceiling of the upper deck when he was standing.

Once we got to North Weald, there was a bit of time for us to faff around and go to the loo before the train departed. I think it was about 25 mins and we managed to check in at the ticket office, meet the mad surgeon and collect our goody bags as well as loo trips.

There was a long queue for the snack van in the car park but there was a smaller cafe on the platform, where we managed to get bakewell tarts and chocolate fudge cakes for the journey. Yes, we had only just had brunch but the kids growing. Right out of the roof of a Routemaster, in Reuben’s case.

The idea of the ghost train is that you’re constantly jump-scared by the spooky creatures on board. Maybe because the kids are quite old and cynical or maybe because it was bright sunlight when we were travelling, but the creatures were a bit more comical than scary. I mean, a few years back Eva would have been screaming at the sight of a grim reaper gliding through the train but she’s been watching back-to-back FNAF Game Theory videos this week so her horror tolerance is at an all-time high.

We had great fun though. The actors were really good sports and the werewolf didn’t object to being petted and called adorable. The surgeon was more than willing to take a look at Reuben’s toe problem and even Death himself briefly took part in recreating the Spiderman pointing meme on the platform at Ongar.

The carriages were decorated with cobwebs and severed limbs and there was a mostly spooky soundtrack, which would probably be terrifying at night. Apart from the bit where they were playing the Scooby Doo theme tune or a rap version of “The Timewarp”. But the “X-Files” theme and “Toccata and Fugue” certainly set the scene.

I think we might have been a bit hyper and just finding everything hysterical….other carriages were certainly screaming with actual terror a lot more than we were. I loved the vintage train and there was something so nostalgic about seeing these kind of windows which my school train in the 90s still had. The kids were impressed by my skills in pushing the bar in, pulling the window and opening from the outside. Still got it!

When we got to Ongar, a lot of people seemed to stay on the train so we weren’t entirely sure that we were meant to disembark. But eventually everyone else joined us and the manic magician performed his show in a white marquee on the platform. When I heard there would be a dark magician, I was genuinely scared in case it was someone I used to work for…but luckily it was just the jovial surgeon again. There is one thing that really would make me scream at Halloween and that came dangerously close.

Just as CousinZ came dangerously close to having her hand cut off by aforementioned magician. But it was fine. She lived to tell the tale.

There were also craft materials out, which we didn’t use to their full extent but Reuben did do this:

While we were at Ongar, we also visited the spooky graveyard, where spooky ‘slebs like Dracula and Captain Hook were buried. Dracula’s tombstone had multiple dates of death on it, which was a nice touch.

The return journey was possibly even more lighthearted – I think they dial down the spookiness a bit in case any kids are properly freaked out by that point. That’s when the Scooby Doo theme got played, along with “Wizard of Oz” and “Monster”. We stopped for a while at North Weald to hook up to a steam engine before going through the forest and back for the final leg of the journey. This is where the autumnal theme came in, as Epping Forest is gorgeous this time of year and there’s no better way to travel through it than on steam train, right?

When we got back to North Weald for the final time, we had just enough time for another loo trip before the bus departed back to Epping.

All the timings are quite carefully thought out so you don’t feel rushed but you aren’t hanging around too long either. Do leave plenty of time for the first bit getting to Epping though – especially if your bus is on diversion – because the Routemaster left bang on time.

On the way back, we alighted at Epping Church because Eva was hungry. I deployed yet another of my lost skills – hanging onto the open platform of a Routemaster without falling into the traffic – and we wandered down the High Street to find a chip shop called so Eva could keep her potato levels topped up. It was around 3PM by then so I was glad we’d brunched. Also, the time given on the tickets – 2.5 hours – is pretty much spot on.

From there, it was back on the Central Line pausing only to take in the views:

And then home along the North Circular on the bus again. Still not used to that….

All three kids had a great day and are still giggling themselves to sleep (?) thinking about making one-way conversation with serial killers. It might be genuinely scary for smaller kids but the tween/teen audience loved it. And this 90s relic loved the transport. And I’m not even ashamed to admit it.

The Ghost Train is on until 28th Oct. For tickets and more info, click here.

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