Charlie and Lola’s Extremely New Play

Half term is a time for family fun, but with the weather being a bit unfavourable (great weather for ducks – ahem), the best entertainment and fun is to be found indoors, with a lovely afternoon in the Birmingham Repertory theatre offering excitement, enchantment and fun.  Charlie and Lola are in town, and Joe and I went along to see their newest show!

‘Charlie and Lola’s Extremely New Play’ is a magical trip through the four seasons through the eyes of two children. The Play starts in Autumn with the leaves falling from the trees and Lola learning about hibernation. She decides that she wants to ‘hidernate’ with her best friend Lotta until the sun comes again. But as the mini play progresses, Lola learns there is a lot to love about every season, not least the fun you can have in the snow.

This is a really lovely play that is perfect for the under sevens. The play is split into two halves, each lasting about 30 minutes, with an ice cream break in the middle (a toilet and treat break as we have christened it.) Charlie and Lola, along with other characters are worked by puppeteers, but voiced by Charlie and Lola (if that makes sense), so it is very real to the children watching, especially those who have watched the TV series, and therefore would recognise a different voice. Joe kept asking ‘Where are the voices coming from mommy?’ and was enthralled by the whole experience. The staging also creates wonderful memories. The set is the same world from the TV series, again instantly recognisable to Charlie and Lola fans. The seasons are also staged with surprising, magical touches. Autumn sees crepe paper leaves actually falling from the sky. Joe collected as many as he could grab and was super proud of his haul. Winter saw a glorious glitter ball send snowy reflections through the auditorium, a magical moment that almost saw me shed a tear. A lovely underwater moment saw the audience catching bubbles as they floated through the theatre. These moments are wonderfully interactive and perfect for the young audience.

Charlie and Lola’s Extremely new play is at the Birmingham Repertory theatre tomorrow and Saturday. I would highly recommend it if you have young children – they will just love it.

Listings Information:

Thursday 29, Friday 30 and Saturday 31 May

Performance Times: 10.30am, 1pm and 3.30pm
Tickets: £12.50, under 14s £10.50

Box Office: 0121 236 4455 Book online: birmingham-rep.co.uk

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