Tiddler & Other Terrific Tales

Leicester Square Theatre

Reviewed – 11th July 2017

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“The show was so captivating that no one wanted to miss a moment – I don’t think I have ever witnessed such a quiet room of small children!”

What do you get when you combine live saxophone and accordion with catchy songs AND an extremely impressive array of props? The answer – a production that brings such joy to children and adults alike.

Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler’s beloved characters such as Tiddler The Fish, Monkey and of course The Smartest Giant all have their moment in this weird and wonderful display of artistic excellence.

The music and lyrics play a key role, with Benji Bowers (2 times Olivier Award nominee and Winner of Global independent film awards for Best original soundtrack for Weekend Retreat) at the helm.

Combining jazz rhythms, three part vocal harmony and various instrumental interludes, the audience feel as though this is part theatre show and part concert. It is ideal for parents who want to introduce their children to live music at an early age, as it isn’t too intrusive but fits perfectly into the story lines.

I loved how the costumes were wacky and yet even they had some significance to the story, when their stripy socks represented the characters of the caterpillars.

The set was made up of various ladders, crates and baskets, perfect for hiding objects and characters. This gave the actors plenty of space to improvise and come up with new ideas, should the opportunity arise.

The quality of acting and performing was astounding, as a trio of trained actors/musicians (Leonie Spilsbury, Lauren Silver and Brian Hargreaves), they shared character roles between them and were often juggling a prop, instrument and character all at once.

You might expect disruptions from such a young audience, however the show was so captivating that no one wanted to miss a moment – I don’t think I have ever witnessed such a quiet room of small children!

Reviewed by Stephanie Legg

Photography by Robin Savage

TIDDLER & OTHER TERRIFIC TALES

is at the Leicester Square Theatre until 3rd September

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