Bob The Builder is back on the road entertaining children up and down the country, making sure he fixed a date at the St Helen's Theatre Royal on a sunny Sunday afternoon (September 18th).
Brought to us by HIT Entertainment, the brains behind the exceedingly popular Fireman Sam live show earlier this year, Bob’s new adventure sees him arrive at a job in the Fixham Theatre.
Set for a grand re-opening, local actor Dickie Olivier needs Bobs help to fix up the stage for his brand new musical.
Having recently discovered Bob The Builder's talents for "fixing" things, my 2-year-old nephew Isaac was captivated by his and Wendy's antics on stage. Particularly when "the yellow one!" Scoop and "the blue one!" Lofty appeared from behind curtains in a cleverly designed stage set. Given the challenges of including a static crane and digger in the action, it must be said the direction worked extremely well. However, having seen the vehicles once, Isaac was subsequently distracted, impatiently searching the curtain awaiting Scoop's next appearance.
Scarecrow Spud's hay-brained stupidity winds up in a DIY nightmare as the scenery tumbles down due to lack of glue and crumbling brickwork. With a few bursts of Bob's signature song (Can he fix it?) and a few fresh tunes thrown in to get the kids dancing, we learn than Bob can indeed fix anything with a little bit of teamwork.
Overall it's a fun, interactive show, but it demands a huge amount of concentration from its audience. I can't help but feel the inclusion of an interval in a lengthy 80 minute show aimed at the under 5s is a mistake. After such a break from feeling engrossed in the first half, the children understandably lose a grip on the plot and their patience is tested. An impatience to go home during the interval proved a difficult mood to draw Isaac back from and, looking around the auditorium, several other parents seemed to be fighting the same battle. Yet, when the final curtain fell and Bob had saved the day, we left the theatre with several rousing renditions of the songs Isaac had just learned, and it is without doubt a great way to introduce children to the theatre without waiting until Pantomime season.
6/10
Bob the Builder first aired on TV screens in the UK in 1999 and is now broadcast in over 240 territories and in 45 languages. It can be seen in the UK on BBC2, CBeebies and Nick Jr.
Remaining tour dates:
Tue 25th Oct 2011 Princess Theatre - Torquay
Sun 8th Jan 2012 Waterfront Hall - Belfast
Sun 29th Jan 2012 New Alexandra Theatre - Birmingham
Sun 25th Mar 2012 New Theatre - Oxford
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(Wed 23/05)
Pleasureland hosts Planet Circus
(Tue 22/05)
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