We had a lovely treat this week and went to see The Tiger Who Came to Tea at the Town Hall Birmingham. The book by Judith Kerr is one of our favourite bed time stories and it has been delightfully recreated for the stage.
This production really feels like you are inside the book. The set and costumes look exactly like the charming illustrations from the book. The story includes lots of people knocking on the door, which really ramps up the tension for the little ones who can’t wait to see the Tiger. When he arrives it is not a disappointment. He is big and orange and looks incredibly cuddly. We all loved the elegant way he moved and showed what he wanted without talking.
This is a really funny performance for children. The jokes are all aimed at them. The girls particularly loved the tiger gymnastics. The tiger eats all the food in the house through clever props.
There are several songs throughout the performance. The cafe song at the end is one we will be singing whenever we have sausages and chips. This show is recommended for ages 3+. It is a lovely first theatre experience which brings the well loved book to life. The twins, aged 4, absolutely loved it. They laughed the whole way through and enjoyed joining in. They were a bit disappointed at the end as they would have liked to cuddle the Tiger. I wonder if the theatre could offer a meet and great next time.
The Town Hall Birmingham is our favourite venue for family performances. Set in the middle of Birmingham it makes a lovely day out. The staff are really friendly and helpful and we have always had a good view of the stage from wherever we sit.
The Tiger Who Came To Tea
Tuesday 23 December – Wednesday 14 January, Various times, Town Hall
The Tiger Who Came To Tea – Relaxed Performance
Sunday 11 January 2015, 3pm, Town Hall
We want to provide opportunities for as many people as possible to experience our performances. That’s why we’re pleased to offer a relaxed performance of our winter show, The Tiger Who Came To Tea. Open to everyone, but specifically designed for people with an Autistic Spectrum Condition, a learning disability or sensory and communication disorder, this is a great way for individuals, families, groups and schools to experience live performances together in an adapted environment.
www.thsh.co.uk/event/the-tiger-who-came-to-tea-relaxed-performance
The Town Hall Festive Program
The Town Hall & Symphony Hall has variety in abundance this Christmas. With 32 separate concerts, shows and performances in its festive season, surely no other Midlands venues can match the sheer range on offer at Birmingham’s two spectacular concert halls.
There’s celebrity sparkle, orchestral and choral classics, big band sounds, candlelit concerts, family entertainment and of course plenty of carol singing. Some of the many highlights include Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra, folk songstress Kate Rusby, uplifting music from the Town Hall Gospel Choir and a recreation of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol from Clive Francis. Brian Blessed gets the traditional Symphony Hall Festival underway with Christmas Classics and it wouldn’t be Christmas without Roy Wood. This year’s family show is an adaptation of the much-loved The Tiger Who Came To Tea playing at Town Hall for a run of over 30 performances including a specially-adapted relaxed performance.
A traditional seasonal fanfare is Lunchtime Christmas Music with Birmingham City Organist Thomas Trotter, joined this year by the angelic voices of the Choir of Winchester Cathedral. And there are plenty of other opportunities to give the vocal cords a work-out with Carols by Candlelight, Christmas Carol Singalong and Sing Carols with the City Organist.
Other events to look out for include Welsh choral phenomenon Only Men Aloud, a swinging celebration from the BBC Big Band, favourite filmscores by John Williams, West End hits in The Sound of Musicals and a New Year Johann Strauss gala complete with glorious dancers.
Full details at www.thsh.co.uk/christmas2014 or from the box office on 0121 780 3333
Disclaimer: We were given tickets for this performance for the purposes of this review. The views expressed are my own.
