The St. Helens Theatre Royal played host to a sea of very excited toddlers this afternoon, cramming into the auditorium to covet each other's merchandise before being coaxed to their seats with the promise of Sam's imminent appearance in the flesh.
This prospect held great wonder for my two-and-a-half year old nephew Isaac. Since the moment he could formulate sentences he has regaled the family with stories of his number one HERO Fireman Sam, Station Officer Steele, Elvis, Penny, Norman Price, Mandy and a number of others who live in the fictional seaside town Pontypandy.
Fireman Sam, in both its new CGI form and the classic stop-motion animation, has the power to mesmerise our youngsters but there is nothing quite like a live show to truly engage with its audience.
At first unnerved by the larger-than-life costumes, Isaac soon settled into the format and stared open-mouthed at the antics played out before him. So keen a fan he later verbalised his disappointment that Penny had not been included in the story, to which we explained she must have been taking a well-deserved day off.
The theatre was alive with joyful shrieks and eager hand gestures all trying to win the attention of Fireman Sam himself. Bringing these much-loved characters realistically to life before the tots' eyes is the greatest strength of the production, it was as if all Isaac's Christmasses had arrived at once whenever Fireman Sam appeared on stage, and, in turn, the disappointment palpable whenever he was not.
Isaac constantly waving at Fireman Sam for attention whilst calling out Sam's name with delight were, for me, the highlights of the show. For it is not watching the action on stage that holds any entertainment for the adults, it is in curiously observing the contentment on the children's faces that make the visit and money spent worthwhile.
The plot (don't worry, no spoilers!) is easy to follow, and paper thin to say the least but it's not artistic merit that lures the toddler in to this production. Clapping along to the musical numbers, laughing at Naughty Norman Price's japes and a fine balance of audience participation all kept the children glued to their seats (or more often, in Isaac's case, standing on tip toes to gain the best view possible).
However, at a full one-and-a-half hours with a 20 minute interval, the adventure does feel needlessly long. Many parents were forced to leave the theatre before the final curtain as their little one had become restless, wriggling to visit the toilet or their concentration span had simply been tested to the limit. As had, I must say, most of the adults'.
It goes without saying that Fireman Sam Pontypandy Rocks is a show entirely for children, and, the excitable chatter from my nephew all the way home was perhaps the truest indication of how memorable and enjoyable the performance had been. A superb way to introduce young children to the theatre.
A must for any fan of The Hero Next Door!
7/10
For further information about upcoming shows at St Helens Theatre Royal visit www.sthelenstheatreroyal.com
Hard Days night hotel launches afternoon tea
(Wed 23/05)
Pleasureland hosts Planet Circus
(Tue 22/05)
Post a comment