MY FIRST PANTO 2021: CINDERELLA ROCKS AT THE GARAGE, NORWICH!

MY FIRST PANTO 2021: CINDERELLA ROCKS AT THE GARAGE, NORWICH!

Posie’s first panto was part of the “My First” range – how perfect!

This morning we were invited to the press performance of Cinderella Rocks at the Garage in Norwich. Cinderella Rocks is the 2021 offering from My First Panto and as always, it’s flipping awesome. All the more awesome of course to be back after the Covid hiatus of 2020 with a massive hurrah that theatre is back in general but an even bigger cheer for children’s theatre to be up and running again. Earliest education is so important and these immersive experiences in the theatre are so wonderfully engaging for children (recommended for the under 7s) that it was a crying shame to have lost this recipe for fun last year. I think everyone who loves the curtain to be well and truly up, is just as happy as I am about this one. What’s more, it’s actually even better than before!

The set for Cinderella Rocks is a rock concert for a performance from Ella and The Uglies!

Traditional tales have always been beautifully re-told by All In Productions and their “My First” series be it panto or any of their other shows. They do it through music, dance and acting providing characters to fall in love with along with a little comedy at age appropriate level and an invite to join them on stage. This time a little more detail and attention has been added in the re-telling for they have really listened when it comes to changing the narrative around what is accepted behaviour which then becomes learned and added changes which are meaningful in the right direction to make that learned behaviour not just something because we always have but up to date so that it is acceptable in today’s language too.

Cinderella is not simply just looking for love from a Prince, she is looking for her own loves to flourish and romance is not the recipe for the day but her own self and where she is in the world. The ugly sisters aren’t ugly to look at when you first glance but just as Roald Dhal said, beauty shines from you when you are good and kind, quite the opposite when you are not. This is a journey of self discovery and acceptance as well as abolishing stereotypical roles proving that justbecause something has always been a certain it way it has to and must contiue. Not when the recipe is skewed it doesn’t.

Does that mean we lose? Absolutely not! We only gain and at the same time we do still keep traditions which are the wholesome and savoury ones. We cannot be perfect and we have to laugh at ourselves and with others too. Poking fun in a good way rather than an unkind is part and parcel of satire even at this primitive level but that’s the key – knowing which is right and which is wrong. This is so right, as right as it is all “It’s behind you” and the bones of a story to be told!

The Garage and All In Productions have an incredibly important role in this first foray, for lots, to theatre and they don’t let us down ever but especially not this year – they’ve gone above and beyond which is just what 2021 needs and demands!

Be a part of the show, don’t just watch it!

Posie and Raffie enjoyed the rock concert/panto very much and Raffie asked to go back again with his friends – if we can fit in another slice of the panto pie with All In we absolutely will for it was get up out of your seats dancing good and for little ones in a theatre, the most perfect welcome. We loved it!

A little taster!

Panto was ace, getting the tiny two to pose for a picture was much harder!

My First Panto 2021: Cinderella Rocks At The Garage, Norwich is on from the 26th of November to the 16th of January with most performances during the week taking place at 10.15 and 1.15. During the weekends there are three performances a day at 10.15, 1.15 and 3.15 (which will also be the case during the holidays. There are no performances in Norwich from Tuesday the 7th until Tuesday the 14th of December as the production will be temporarily moved to their Kings Lynn venue for those dates or on Christmas Day or Boxing Day. There are various special performances (relaxed, socially distanced and BSL interpreted) throughout the run. The running time is 50-60 minutes depending on how much the audience participates (with no interval) and they warn there will be flashing lights, loud noise and haze/smoke. Tickets cost £13.50 for adults and £8.50 for children.