We've been to see The Sooty Show

I still vividly remember watching The Sooty Show as a child and have seen all five of my children enjoy the mischief, magic and mayhem of the little bear and his friends over the years.

This weekend, we were lucky enough to review The Sooty Show live tour, straight from CITV, at the Shrewsbury Severn Theatre.  Starring Richard Cadell, Sooty, Sweep and Soo along with appearances from Ramsbottom the snake and Butch the bulldog, the show invites the audience to join in with Sooty's birthday party celebrations.  From baking the cake, picking the music, decorating the house and finding the perfect dress for Soo, there is so much to do, and things are getting messy!

The format of the show is very true to the original style I remember from my childhood.  There is a lot of  mischief, lots of visual comedy, some magic and plenty of times when Sweep got bonked on the head for being a 'sausage brain'.  I liked the fact that they hadn't pandered to political correctness or tried to make it more modern, by giving Sooty and Sweep voices or articulating them beyond hand puppetry.  It was exactly as I remembered it.  The old fashioned simplicity, carried by madcap comedy and a plethora of mishaps for Richard to deal with worked really well. 

The show included some audience participation including an audience rendition of 'Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes' every time the doorbell rang.  It was a very interactive show and if you went along with it, it was very entertaining and a lot of fun.  Freddy loved jumping out of his seat to dance, and was shouting at the characters on stage at every opportunity!  I loved seeing him so happy and engaged with what was happening on stage.

Richard's delivery of the show was frantic, manic and fast paced.  His engagement with the kids in the audience was very good and the whole crowd was cheering, clapping, dancing and laughing throughout.  

Highlights for me were Sweep doing Gangnam Style, which was a stroke of comedy genius and Sooty's big magic trick finale, which left me amazed!  I am still not a fan of Soo (she is just so self-important and bossy) but she did look spectacular in her final party frock! 

The show is definitely a fun filled treat for little ones and a nostalgic pleasure for parents who still remember the magic spell "Izzy Wizzy let's get busy!"

After the show, you can meet Richard and Sooty.  This was well managed and the children were efficiently processed as they were quickly filtered through to the front of the queue, posed ready to be photographed and then moved on ready for the next family.  No time for a chat or a cuddle, but a very streamlined process to get everyone the chance for a snap with Sooty in the quickest time possible without too much waiting around.  My children were happy to get their picture taken, although Freddy cottoned on to the fact that Richard's hand was inside the box and therefore inside Sooty.  The magic and wonder of childhood may have diminished slightly right there!!

The Sooty Show is great theatre for little ones (and Sooty fans of all ages).  It's noisy, fun, in your face and chaotic, bringing the mischief and mayhem of Sooty to life in an entertaining and laugh-out-loud format for all the family to enjoy.

The tour is continuing across the country at these venues:

Sat 18 Oct            Chesterfield Winding Wheel                      

Sun 19 Oct           Lichfield Garrick                               

Sat 25 Oct            Camberley Theatre                        

Sun 26 Oct           Swindon Wyvern                            

Mon 27 Oct         Peterborough Key Theatre                         

Tue 28 Oct           Cromer Pier                       

Wed 29 Oct         Southport Theatre                         

Thu 30 Oct           Redditch Palace                               

Fri 31 Oct             Newtown Hafren                            

Sat 1 Nov             Boston Arts       

Sun 21 Nov         Stevenage Gordon Craig                              

Sat 8 Nov             Wimborne Tivoli                              

Sat 15 Nov           Llanelli, the Lyric Theatre                             

Sun 16 Nov         Chesham Elgiva                 

Find out more at www.thesootyshow.com.

Matt Hatter - Defending The Universe

There is a great comic for kids out this month based on the CITV animated series Matt Hatter, which airs at 7.40am on CITV and ITV1 every Saturday and Sunday.  The series tells the adventures of a 13 year old boy, Matt Hatter, whose life changes forever when he discovers his family are guardians of a secret dimension called the Multiverse.  The gateway to the Multiverse is accessed through The Coronet movie theatre, which is Matt’s home.  Famous villains from movies screened at The Coronet have escaped into the Multiverse and are now under the control of evil Lord Tenoroc.  In a quest to protect the Multiverse and save his Grandpa, Matt must become the new Hatter hero and together with his best friends Roxie and Gomez, defeat and capture the villains using their ultra-cool gadgetry.  Matt hatter will appeal to 5-10 years old, especially those who enjoy TV shows such as Ben 10.

I've been sent a copy of the comic Totally Matt Hatter for the kids to take a look at.  They are not familiar with the Matt Hatter brand but were happy to give it a read and play with the freebies that came with the comic. (That is always Freddy's favourite part of any comic!)

The comic itself is big and glossy and includes comic strips, a quiz, fun facts, puzzles, a poster and a section on how to draw Matt.  The free gift was a 3D Crossbow Blaster which can be used to shoot the cut out Spatter Trap creatures from the back cover.  The blaster shoots plastic discs and is quite lethal in the hands of a 3 and a half year old so beware!!  Much of the mag is in 3D and the funky Matt Hatter 3D multivision visor was quite a hit!  Kizzy enjoyed reading the comic strip with the added bonus of it being in 3D.

Totally Matt Hatter is aimed at gadget-loving boys aged 5-10 and is priced at £3.99.

Poppy Cat Comes to CITV and ITV1

Joanna Page's Purr-Fect Role As The Voice Of Poppy Cat in New ITV1 and CITV Series

Gavin and Stacey star Joanna Page has taken on an animation role to win the hearts and minds of pre-schoolers across the UK, voicing Poppy Cat in the new CITV and ITV1 pre-school series.  Poppy Cat will air every Saturday and Sunday on both channels from 5th May at 7am.

Poppy Cat is based on the award-winning book series created by Lara Jones that has sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide since first being published in 2003.  The series features 26 eleven minute episodes involving stories of friendship and fantasy play as seen through the eyes of Poppy's owner, a little girl called Lara.  Each story is a celebration of adventure as Poppy Cat and her friends embark on fanciful journeys through fantastical lands.

Joanna Page says:

"... everybody loves Poppy Cat; the books have been such a success. So to actually play Poppy Cat is such an honour – I’m over the moon.  I love Poppy Cat because she's strong, she's determined, she's not scared of anything, she's very brave, she's lovely and kind, she looks after her friends and she doesn't back down from anything - and I think I have some of those qualities!  It's just really exciting to play a cat who is so strong and really up for it."

Freddy is almost three and loves Poppy Cat.  He  is totally engaged with the colourful characters and the gentle animation.  The adventures are very imaginative and he loves the way Poppy and her friends work together to sort things out.  The attention to detail makes it visually appealing and Freddy giggles at the funny antics of Poppy, Alma, Zuzu and the gang. The episodes are just the right length of time to hold a toddler's attention.  The focus on friendship, social and emotional themes are familiar and relevant to pre-schoolers who are encouraged to use their imaginations to solve problems and pursue their goals.

So be sure to tune in at weekend mornings from May 5th and share the joy of Poppy Cat with your little ones.  The first episode to air is "Tricky Cricket", a hot air ballooning adventure that sees Poppy and her friends trying to find a place where Zuzu's new cricket will like to sing! 

Visit poppycat.com for more information.