Cinderella at the Nottingham Playhouse - Review

Last weekend we were invited to see the opening night of Cinderella at the Nottingham Playhouse.

If you grew up in Nottingham, then chances are you will have seen the panto at least once.  For me, it was a school trip that first took me to see it. I remember a few of the school years going to see it, sat on a steamed up bus trying to get through the traffic on a cold December night. Everyone super excited to have seen the play and hyped up on sweets.

The glitz of the costumes, the sounds, the singing and most of all the wonderfully adapted stories are what make this a great show. When I used to go the it starred Kenneth Alan Taylor, he has passed the baton on to the fabulous John Elkington but is still a huge part of the panto, writing and directing what was a spectacular show from start to finish.

I was as excited as the children to see the panto, having not been back since my younger days, it was a treat for us all including my mum who came with us.

As the curtains raised and the dancing animals appeared on the stage my daughters face lit up, she was in total awe at the spectacle before her, the costumes were amazing.

Buttons arrived on stage, he was enigmatic and got us all looking after his apple….a gift for Cinderella. 

We meet Cinderella, Dandini, Prince Charming, The Ugly Sisters, Duchess Dowager Devilla, lots of woodland creatures and of course the Fairy Godmother.

With so many special effects, bangs, flashes and the most wonderfully detailed costumes it had us on the edge of our seats.

There were lots of modern songs to keep it entertaining for all ages, they even got us dancing at one point. It really is the best way to get into the festive mood and with Christmas songs interspersed throughout, it was hard not to get excited.

I don’t want to spoil it by giving away the songs so I won’t, all I can say is that the show is well worth the money and I think this may very well be our new Christmas tradition.

There are several performances of the panto with seats to suit all budgets, I can also highly recommend the Town Mouse and the Country Mouse in the Nevill Studio next door. Aimed at children from 3-8, we have been the last few years and they are an absolutely amazing immersive experience for the children and a great way to get them into theatre.

We were given two complimentary tickets to the show for the purpose of this review, all words and opinions are my own. Photos by Robert Day. 

Stagecoach Drama Classes One Term On

My son has been attending the Stagecoach Drama School in Southwell for the past term, he has had a fabulous time and his teachers have had nothing but praise for his outgoing personality, eccentric voices and acting. So much so, that they gave him a special part in the end of term play.

The end of term play this time was their version of The Lion King, it's a well loved film and something most people know, all of the children had made or helped to make their own colourful masks and it was an absolutely amazing play that showed how much time and effort the children and teachers had put in over the 11 week term.

My son has really enjoyed his term at Stagecoach and he has developed some wonderful acting skills, as well as finding a love of dancing.  Stagecoach has definitely built some confidence in my son, to go on stage in front of a room full of people, standing out there with just two other actors is pretty good going.

Here is what Stagecoach have to say about the benefits of their classes, I wholeheartedly agree with what they say here and it has certainly has been the case with my son.

"Acting is a wonderful outlet for our emotions.  Whether it’s laughing together or acting out a tense and dramatic scene, Stagecoach drama classes are a great way to express your feelings.

Dance has always been a part of our culture as a great way to have fun and celebrate, but you may be surprised to learn just how important dancing is in shaping the bodies and minds of children and young adults.

Singing is a powerful tool!  There is evidence that participation in group singing can significantly improve your physical and mental health."

With a term costing a little over £300 I was worried about how much my son would get out of it for the cost, however, it has been great for him. So if you have a child that maybe needs a little more confidence, that little extra push with their abilities then these classes may very well be for them.

NB: We were given a term at Stagecoach in return for our view on the classes. All opinions and photos are my own 

Hoping to Build Confidence with Stagecoach Theatre Arts School

Last week my son started his first term at the Stagecoach Theatre Arts School in Southwell, I have high hopes for him to build his confidence by attending this. He loves singing, dancing and generally being silly. He was recently part of the Christmas in Concert at the Royal Concert Hall in Nottingham and is in the choir at school so I know he has something a little special going on, he just needs help with his confidence.

So with his t-shirt on and a belly full of butterflies, we headed to his first session. We arrived a little early, so we sat and chatted for a bit. Soon, another newbie arrived and since they looked to be the only two boys in the group, they were put together.

We'd read up on the website about what to expect however I was expecting a bit more info on the day as to what the layout would be, especially as it was our first time. Another of the new mums also mentioned they'd expected a little more, but I think thats just because we were a little apprehensive.

My son had a wonderful time and I needn't of worried, he explained all of what had happened with the different teachers and explained what they'd done. It sounded likes lots of fun though and when my husband went to pick him up the teacher asked if he'd done this sort of thing before because he was a natural #proudparent.

This was so exciting to hear and hopefully means good things for him, I can't wait to see how he progresses and what the next few months brings. I'll be documenting his journey so keep your eyes peeled for more in the coming months.

NB: My son has been invited to take part in a term at Stagecoach Theatre, all words and opinions are my own.