The best bestest play

(a backdated post)

After weeks of eager anticipation, we brought Cheeks for her first play (not to be confused with musical. No animated artists gesticulating wildly, belting out songs using their diaphragm - don't play play!) at Polka Theatre in South Wimbledon. It was a deliberate choice - Cheeks hadn't yet been to a play so I thought what better way to introduce her to that aspect of the Arts than through... Charlie and Lola!!!! Whoop whoop whoop! (seriously, I sometimes wonder who the real fan is here!)

Even Papa tagged along, quite chuffed to be part of the event.

We bought tickets for the 10:30am show. The play, lasting just over an hour, left us ample time to send Cheeks to nursery after. Super!

The theatre was all I expected a childrens' theatre to be - an inviting facade, a friendly cafe for one to grab a quick nosh before a performance, an 'exhibition area' with displays of props and puppets from past productions, a selection of rocking horses for children to climb onto, a crafty corner stocked with picture printouts and colour pencils to do colouring in, rows of shelves packed with popular childrens' literature. There was also a Toyshop, which sold toys (du-uh!), books, show programmes, and a panoply of C&L merchandise, which, after the show, I felt impelled to buy. Dang!

Despite arriving early, the theatre lobby was already teeming with schoolchildren. I muttered a prayer hoping they wouldn't cause a ruckus during the show and ruin it for everybody. Thankfully, they behaved beautifully. Phew.

--spoilers ahead--

The play was done 'puppet-style', i.e people holding up cardboard cutouts (?) of the characters. Because of this, I felt the characters' expressions were limited, although not entirely compromised. The 'puppets' were able to display different expressions - happy, sad, shocked - which weren't great, but all in all, they sufficed.

It was a thrill for me to observe the kids. The moment the lights dimmed and the oh-so-familiar themesong resonated through the speakers, the young audience leapt up and let out claps, squeals, screams, and cheers of rapture.

It was a mini rock concert.

Favourite bits
When coloured, paper butterflies were released. They flitted gently from the ceiling into the eager, outstretched arms of the children below. Truly a wonderful, magical moment.

The discoball that lighted up and spun from the ceiling, throwing tiny orbs of white light onto the walls of the little theatre, transforming it into a sparkly, dazzling wonderland.

Not so favourite bits
The puppeteering took away some of the 'magic'. I suppose they couldn't have done it any other way - 2 live size dolls on stage would've made certain scene changes a logistical nightmare. Not to mention, cumbersome.

And finally.

Did Cheeks enjoy it? I certainly hope so! But I really can't say. I surmise she did although she was a tad quiet towards the end. I snuck glances at her throughout the play and caught a smile here, a chuckle there, but she was rather reticent for most of the 2nd half. Certainly not the reaction we'd expected especially after successful outings to see Mary Poppins and Mama Mia, both of which she enjoyed.

Perhaps she's more a song and dance girl. Perhaps she was disappointed she didn't get to catch one of the paper butterflies during the performance. Perhaps she was tuckered out.

Regardless, I'm still glad we were able to bring her and I hope, in years to come, we can relive these memories through our library of photos.