We love a bit of children’s theatre, you may have guessed from my many, many blog post reviews about the wonderful things we are so lucky to go and see.

In London we have our favourite theatres for this genre, there’s not many but one or two we just want to go back and visit time and time again because they just get it. They do it so well.

The Lyric Hammersmith is one of these venues, it has a lovely studio theatre just perfect for children with benches and a sit where you fancy arrangement. Everybody sits close to the performance area on the floor and because there is no stage as such, it makes it ideal for a first timer. The plan makes it very inviting, intimate and friendly.

We have in fact, on all three times we have visited, sat in the same three seats right at the very front. We love this as it makes us feel like we’re almost a part of the show. This is something that actually, the audience very much are in the production we saw today!

Getting ready for the show in ‘our’ seats!

The Little Red Hen!

“Who will help me plant these grains of wheat?” 

“Not I said the Pig.”
“Not I said the Rat.”
“Not I said the Cow.”

“Fair enough,” said the Little Red Hen, “I’ll do it myself!”

The Little Red Hen is a production with just two actors playing all the parts and we were really pleased to recognise the actress playing the hen as one we have previously seen perform in Stick Man (where she was brilliant)! She was also most excellent in this role which sees her play the clucking corn growing hen beautifully to much hilarity!

Her partner in crime plays the music, sets the scenes, plays all her animal friends and provides her with someone to bounce off!

It is really beautifully done and I know i find myself saying this so often these days but the production is so cleverly performed. Florence was hooting with laughter when the little red hen chain saws down her grown corn and Jimmy was eyes fixed to the stage throughout!

I loved the way the actors really involved the audience, I can imagine this is a show you could see again and again because of this fact and that it would be ever changing!

Clever, funny, brilliant songs and performed spectacularly! We LOVED this show and we can’t wait to see more at the Lyric Hammersmith which is in the middle of a make-over at the moment and I can only imagine will be even more fabulous when finished!

Parents and children were beaming at the end and we were no exception! A thoroughly enjoyable performance using puppets and actors! Suitable for the whole family!

We LOVE this theatre!

The Little Red Hen!

The Little Red Hen, performed by the Stuff and Nonsense Theatre Company, is on at the Lyric Hammersmith until 22nd February to be followed by a national tour. Please see the theatre company website for tour dates and more information. The Lyric Hammersmith has a wonderful line up for children so please do check their site for news and information on all upcoming productions.

I was given tickets to the show in return for an honest review.