Poor William. He's misunderstood as being a little monster, when in fact all he wants to do is have some fun and use his imagination. And to cap it all, his parents plan a weekend away without him, and he has to go and stay with his scary grandfather, who makes him sleep in the attic where there are all sorts of funny noises and goings on...
I took Boy #2 to the theatre this week. He's not even three yet, but theatre is a treat he and his brother have been getting since they were tiny; I think the youngest that I took either of them was when they were about nine months. I know, I know. I can here you saying from here. A preschooler? To the theatre? What kind of a mug are you?
Well, I have to say, a pretty happy one, actually. There are a whole raft of theatre experiences out there for young children in London if you go the trouble of finding them, and usually - usually - they are pretty good. I've yet to have to take either of them out of the room for misbehaving at one of these events, and more to the point, have yet to witness any other parent having to do that with their child either. Some of these productions, I have to say, are a little 'experimental'. The sort of thing where, as an adult, you find yourself asking 'huh?' more than once, but the children always seem to get it, and that's the point, right?
'William's Monster' at the Chelsea Theater on The Kings Road was no exception to the rule in terms of quality, and gave me no 'huh?' moments at all. The theatre was perfectly sized for this type of production - small, low-key, with only 4 actors playing various parts - and suited the morning audience of nursery children and pre-schoolers perfectly. They all behaved like angels throughout, swept along in the story of a little boy who finds that everyone has their own monster playmate, and that these monsters 'are for ever'. The cast were clearly enjoying themselves, and the hour long play whizzed past in a blur of jumping, shouting, singing and generally having fun. My son was entranced.
And me? I didn't stop smiling from beginning to end.
William's Monster is playing at the Chelsea Theatre until Sunday 28th December and is billed as 'a play for children aged under 7 and their families'. All Tickets are £7. Check out http://www.chelseatheatre.org.uk/william.htm for details - and enjoy.
This post was written by Potty Mummy, who blogs at The Potty Diaries, where she chronicles the trials of potty training her boys and tries to keep from becoming potty.
I've never been that brave, even with a children's production, but now I am inspired.
Do you think Les Miz would be stretching it?
Posted by: Susanna (A Modern Mother) | 15 December 2008 at 10:51 AM
I've never been that brave, even with a children's production, but now I am inspired.
Do you think Les Miz would be stretching it?
Posted by: Susanna (A Modern Mother) | 15 December 2008 at 10:51 AM