We’re in that tricky period in between Christmas and New Year when the children are going stir crazy fuelled by too much chocolate and over-excitement. If you are wanting to find the perfect treat for them to keep busy this week then a trip to see The Snow Dragon at The Hippodrome’s Patrick Centre is just what you all need. This high energy dose of fun and whimsy is guaranteed to make the whole family laugh and come away singing.
The Patrick Centre is definitely the place to go for family entertainment. Tickets are reasonably priced. This show cost from £9.50 for a child, which is not much different from a ticket for the cinema. The shows are perfectly tailored to younger audiences and last about an hour, so just right for shorter attention spans. This show was 55 minutes with no interval. The Patrick Centre has a different entrance around the corner, although you may need to pick up your tickets from the main Box Office.
While we were waiting for the performance to start there were lots of lovely crafts in the foyer. We made super cute reindeer using clothes pegs for the legs and little tea light holders, which now look beautiful on my window ledge. This is such a good idea as it really enhances the performance and makes it more of an event.
The Snow Dragon is a delightful show that is perfect for this time of year. It set in a different world where there is not Christmas but the animals in the forest receive gifts on New Year’s Eve. It has a Christmassy, Wintery feel without being about Christmas. The show is put on by Tall Stories, so we knew we would love it. We have seen several performances by Tal Stories before and they have all been amazing. They know exactly how to keep young audiences entertained and I would heartily recommend going to see any of their shows.
The Snow Dragon has a cast of three and they are so lively and enthusiastic. The story focusses on Billy, a young goat who has been told by his parents that he is number one. In this story, he travels through the woods, meeting his friends and some hungry looking wolves along the way and learns a valuable lesson about what is really important in life. The physical comedy throughout is hilarious and the characters are brought to life with simple costume changes and effective characterisation. Billy is a lovable rogue who you can’t help rooting for.
It is the songs which really bring the story to life. They are incredibly catchy and you will find yourself singing along and even singing them days later. You can purchase the soundtrack and it would be a great one to listen to in the car. There are also lots of opportunities for audience participation. The ending of the show is really lovely. I wondered how they would bring the Snow Dragon to life and it did not disappoint. We can out of the show singing and determined to be a little kinder and more thoughtful in the coming year.
The Snow Dragon is on until the 7th January.
Disclaimer: We were given tickets for the purposes of this review
