PINOCCHIO – December 2021

Who? Chichester Festival Youth Theatre

What? Pinocchio

Where? Chichester Festival Theatre

When? 18th December 2021 – 1st January 2022

What’s the show about? It’s the story of a wooden puppet called Pinocchio and the toymaker who made him. Pinocchio just wants to become a real boy but he can’t because he’s made out of wood. It’s not easy for him because people want to steal from him and he doesn’t always listen or make good choices. Every time he tells a lie his nose grows longer. He gets lost along the way but in the end he finds his way home with Geppetto who is his toymaker and father.

What’s really good about it? I really liked all of it but my little sister, who is 6, found some of it a little bit scary. The singing and harmonies were really interesting to listen to. The set was clever because it moved around and it was a shop, a school, a café and even a sea monster. All of the acting was great even though they were all children. The ones who were pretending to be puppets were very funny and clever. I really like maths and there was a good bit in it when Pinocchio does some really quick mental maths and I thought it was surprising and impressive.

What could be better? If there was an interval we could have had an ice cream, that would have been good. My sister thinks the sea monster was scary, so if that wasn’t there it would have been better.

What my dad thinks? “The ensemble singing was particularly impressive this year and overall I think it’s the best CFYT production I’ve seen.”

Star Rating – ❤❤❤❤

STICKMAN – December 2021

Who? Freckle Productions

What? Stickman

Where? Minerva Theatre – Chichester

When? 10th – 24th December 2021

What’s the show about? Stickman is a Julia Donaldson book about a stick who living in a family tree with his wife and 3 children. One day he goes for a jog and gets bitten by a dog. Then a girl spotted him and used him for a Pooh Stick race. After that a swan catches him in her beak and uses him to make her nest. Lots of other things happen to him and he gets further away from the family tree. In the end he was lucky to get rescued by Santa and taken home.

What’s really good about it? It’s a really funny show. I liked how only 3 people performed all of the roles. It must be such hard work. I loved how the tree stump was used in every scene and made into different places including the sea, the snow, a sandcastle, a swan’s nest and a fireplace as well as being the family tree. Stickman was my favourite character because it must have been really hard for him to go through all of those challenges and persevere like that. The mince pies I had before the show were really good and so was lunch at The Bell Inn afterwards.

What could be better? I think it could have been a bit longer but it was for little children so that was ok. I liked the music so it would have been good if there were more songs. We didn’t have an ice cream again – hopefully next time.

What my dad thinks? “The kids loved it and there were more than a few laughs for the adults as well. I chuckled more than I probably should at the fish saying ‘bubbly’. Also, the live music was a good touch and shows the versatility and skill of the cast.”

Star Rating – ❤❤❤❤

FANTASTICALLY GREAT WOMEN WHO CHANGED THE WORLD – January 2022

Who? Kenny Wax Family Entertainment & MAST Mayflower Studios co-production

What? Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World

Where? Chichester Festival Theatre

When? 12th – 16th January 2022

What’s the show about? It was all about a girl called Jade who is in a museum on a school trip. She leaves her group and goes to a closed area where she learns all about some fantastic women who changed the world when she meets them and they tell her about what their lives have been like. Jade wants to go on an adventure like they have been and they help her decide what she might want to do. In the end she is inspired to go on her own journey and be herself.

What’s really good about it? All of the songs were really fun. I especially liked Deeds Not Words and You Will Be Fantastically Great. I really liked that we learnt a lot as well as it being a good show. In other shows I have known the story before, but I didn’t know about all of these people and they were really interesting to hear about.

What could be better? No interval means no ice cream. Again. Other than that, it was really good.

What my dad thinks? “This one is ideal for children aged 6-12 years of age. Some of the songs were great and the empowering and uplifting message was wonderful for both of my children to hear. It was kind of a cross between Disney Descendants and Horrible Histories (but without the horrible bits). Parking was nightmare, but I won’t hold that against the show, and they did hold the curtain for 10 minutes, so fair play.”

Star Rating – ❤❤❤❤❤

THE HUG – February 2022

Who? A Long Nose Puppet Show

What? The Hug

Where? Minerva Theatre – Chichester

When? 25th – 27th February 2022

What’s the show about? This is a show based on a book by Eoin McLaughlin. Two animals, a hedgehog and a tortoise, are both wanting hugs but getting neglected because the tortoise is a hard animal and the hedgehog is a spiky animal. At the end the Wise Old Owl gives some good advice and introduces the hedgehog and tortoise to each other and they finally both get a hug.

What’s really good about it? At the end the magpie from the show was handing out little books, I thought that is quite clever as he wanted money. I also liked how much music there was in the show, the friendship theme was good as well. My favourite character was the Wise Old Owl because of his helpfulness and advice.

Before the show, we went to a Creation Station, we made frogs, bears and were aloud to make anything we wanted to out of clay. I decided to make a baby bunny tucked into a ball.

What could be better? I think the show could have been better if I did not get pins and needles, it was uncomfortable sitting on the floor but the floor had huge beanbags so it was OK. There were a couple of funny things near the start of the show but not many, so it could have been funnier. Lastly, there was no interval again, so no ice cream again – but it was OK as I had a cookie this time at the Creation Station.

What my dad thinks? “I didn’t know that a peanut isn’t a nut – they are considered legumes like soybeans, lentils and chickpeas. Also, cashew nuts aren’t nut, they are fruit. Well actually they are drupe seeds pulled from soft fruit packages. So, you know, I learnt something new.”

Star Rating – ❤❤❤