Plays For Kids: A Guide To KidsFest 2015
I have always liked KidsFest because they expose us (kids and adults) to some plays that are not as well known in Asia. For example, The Tiger Who Came To Tea, which I had the good fortune to catch a couple of years ago was a story that my daughter and I had not read or seen before.
Not all their plays are palatable for our young kids, especially if they do not know the story, or the accent of the actors are too foreign for them to understand and enjoy the play. Still, I think it is a good practice to offer them as much exposure as possible to cultures and experiences that are different from us.
This year, into its fourth year, KidsFest 2015 offers 8 different productions over 5 weeks. Read on to see what they have to offer. We are excited about the Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo, The Snail and the Whale, Hugless Douglas and the Horrible Histories.
Here are the titles of the plays, the length of the play and the age recommendation for your child. All performances are held at SOTA – Drama Theatre (next to Cathay Cineplex).
1) The Gruffalo (22 -25 Jan)
Join Mouse on an adventurous journey through the deep dark wood in this magical musical adaptation of the award-winning book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler (described by The Observer newspaper in England as “a modern classic”). Mouse can scare hungry animals away with tall stories of the terrifying Gruffalo, but what happens when he comes face to face with the very creature he imagines?
For children aged 3 and above and their families.
Duration: 55 mins with no interval
2) Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo (29 Jan – 1 Feb)
Meet awesome prehistoric creatures, from cute baby dinos to some of the largest carnivores and herbivores that have ever walked the planet! Erth’s dinosaurs are unmistakably ‘alive’ and mostly friendly! In this fun, educational and unique performance that will delight all audiences from ages 5 years and up.
Get upclose and personal with an amazing array of creatures from bygone eras, connecting young audiences to the real science of palaeontology. Meet a menagerie of insects, mammals and dinosaurs that once roamed free around the world and are now in daily residence at Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo™.
Learn how to feed and interact with Erth’s dinosaurs in a once in a lifetime interactive experience. Children can watch wide-eyed from a safe distance or dare to get right up close to these prehistoric creatures.
For children aged 5 and above and their families
Duration: 60 minutes with no interval
3) The Snail and the Whale (30 Jan – 1 Feb)
The creators of The Gruffalo bring you an adaptation from the book by Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler. A tiny snail longs to see the world, so she hitches a lift on the tail of a huge humpback whale. Together they go on an amazing journey, experiencing sharks and penguins, icebergs and volcanoes. The little snail is amazed by it all, but starts feeling very small in the vastness of the world…
Then disaster strikes – the whale becomes beached in a bay… Can the tiny snail save the day?
The Snail and the Whale combines physical storytelling, live music and lots of laughs – for everyone aged 4 and up.
For children aged 4 and above and their families.
Duration: approximately 55 minutes with no interval
4) The Princess and The Pea (5 – 8 Feb)
Do you want an exciting story? Or do you want a happy story?
In this new fantastical adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Princess and the Pea, Mike Kenny and the inventive tutti frutti team create a funny, original, beautiful retelling of this familiar tale.
For children aged 3 and above and their families
Duration: approximately 55 minutes with no interval
5) Hugless Douglas (6 – 8 Feb)
Hugless Douglas is a huggable, lovable young brown bear who wakes up one morning in need of a hug. He tries to find the perfect one, but none of them seem quite right. After all, there are so many different hugs to choose from.
But Douglas soon discovers that there’s only one hug that will do – a big bear hug from his mum! Join Douglas in this happy new show, full of laughter, sing along songs and plenty of opportunities to join in!
Little Cubs aged 3 – 7 years old will love this heartwarming tale, but grown-up bears will have lots of fun, too.
Duration: 55 minutes with no interval
6) The Tiger Who Came To Tea (19 Feb – 1 Mar)
The doorbell rings just as Sophie and her mummy are sitting down to tea. Who could it possibly be? What they certainly don’t expect to see at the door is a big, stripy tiger!
Following on from his highly successful run in London’s West End, the tea-guzzling tiger makes his Asian debut in this delightful family show: packed with oodles of magic, sing-a-long songs and clumsy chaos! A stunning stage adaptation of this classic tale of teatime mayhem… expect to be surprised!
David Wood OBE is undisputedly the UK’s leading writer and director of plays and musicals for children. His many successes include Shaun the Sheep, Fantastic Mr Fox, The Gingerbread Man,The BFG, The Witches, Meg and Mog, Spot and Babe the Sheep Pig.
For children aged 3 and above and their families
The running time is approximately 55 minutes with no interval
7) Horrible Histories (20 – 28 February) – 5 performances only
We all want to meet people from history. The trouble is everyone is dead. So could you be a Victorian historian? What exactly did a baby farmer do? Can you escape the misery of the mines or the filth of the factories? Do your best to dodge the rotten railway and prepare for the Charge of the Light Brigade!
From the producers of AWFUL EGYPTIANS and TERRIBLE TUDORS comes the latest production of Horrible Histories! Join the terrible team as they take you on an awful adventure into vile Victorian England.
It’s History with the nasty bits left in!
For children aged 7 and above and their families
Running time 60 minutes with no interval
8) Horrible Histories – Barmy Britain (19 Feb – 1 Mar) 5 performances only
So it’s time to prepare yourselves for Horrible Histories live on stage with BARMY BRITAIN – PART TWO!
Could you beat battling Boudicca?
Has William Wallace met his match? Can evil Elizabeth entertain England?
Will King Charles keep his head?
Would you stand and deliver to dastardly Dick Turpin?
Escape the clutches of Burke and Hare and move to the groove with party Queen Victoria!
Don’t miss this horrible history of Britain with the nasty bits left in!
For children aged 7 and above and their families
Running time 60 minutes with no interval
SAVE WHEN YOU BOOK TWO FOR MORE SHOWS!
To receive a discount on tickets, simply book them at the same time at any SISTIC outlet or phone the hotline on 6348 5555. A 10% discount is applicable when you book two shows and a 15% discount when you book three or more! You can also show your purchased tickets or ticket stubs at any SISTIC outlet to receive a 10% discount on additional tickets.
To give your kids a more stimulating experience, download these fun activities from KidsFest 2015 website.
