What’s it all about?
A witch whose mode of transport buckles under the combined pressure of too many passengers and inclement weather conditions. (Any parallels with my morning commute are purely coincidental!)
Following an Olivier Award nomination last year, Tall Stories’ adaptation of Julia Donaldson’s hit picture book has whooshed back to the West End to cast its spell once more.
How do they tell the story?
The witch, cat, dog, bird, frog and dragon – if you’ve not read the picture book, these are the main protagonists – are all played in puppet or personified form by a terrific cast of four who are more charming than a chap with a recorder and a serpent-filled basket.
The quartet brings the perfect casual ease to a performance that requires them to swap puppets and voices, and play with the audience, under Olivia Jacobs’ direction finding the perfect tone for playing to both children and parents without alienating either.
What did the kids like best?
The puppets and their very distinct characters, which are very different from the picture book. The over-excited dog, East End bird and princess-dodging bayou frog are an absolute treat. Also, there’s nothing like spontaneously joining in with a howling hound to amuse an auditorium of infants.
It’s worth mentioning that for the parents there’s a cauldron-full of clever asides and references that will fly over the head of your little one and smack you square on the funny bone. Also keep an eye out for the cunning use of props from the show’s camping set-up during the rest of the show.
In a nutshell?
A perfect kids’ show as good as can be. This Christmastime, Room On The Broom you must see.
Will my little one like it?
This really is an ideal family treat. A classic story inventively reimagined for the stage that casts a spell of enjoyment over kids and their parents alike. So yes.
Trip tip
Get in early otherwise you’ll miss the build-up to the show, and that’s half the fun.
If you’re making a Christmas trip to London to see Room On The Broom, the Lyric Theatre is only a short walk from the Regent’s Street Christmas lights. Or, in the other direction, Covent Garden boasts, for my money, a far more festive and impressive Christmas tree than the Trafalgar Square offering.
Room On The Broom is playing at the Lyric Theatre until 11 January. You can book tickets through us here. Or, from 9 December, you can book your tickets for January performances of Room On The Broom through discount ticket promotion Get Into London Theatre.