Yesterday the kids and I kicked off half term with a trip to Norwich Theatre Royal to see the brilliant Chris and Pui Live which is on tour and was in Norwich for one day only! I can’t do too much at the moment due to my C-Section with Raffie and our usual holiday jaunts to London are not to be this October half term so it’s absolutely wonderful to have great theatre here in Norfolk meaning we don’t need to do more than catch a bus!

I’ve seen some absolutely wonderful theatre in Norwich recently and both Beautiful AND Blood Brothers were highlights in the few weeks before Raffie came along. I adore that Norwich Theatre Royal has such amazing shows and when it comes to the kids they are equally as generous! Chris and Pui was wonderful! Funny, enjoyable for adults (LOVE Chris’s humour – makes me wonder if that Fluttering ‘Kite’ business on YouTube was totally engineered by him you know) and the kids, though perhaps a little old for CBeebies and ‘Show Me, Show Me’ loved every second of the live experience joining in with every song and grinning like Cheshire cats. They even made friends with a little boy sat next to them who, at the same age as Jimmy, was also probably no longer a CBeebies avid watcher, but also enjoyed the show greatly!

I think seeing something live is always exciting and this show is just the ticket really, the perfect length for kids (2 half hour performances wrapped around a 20 minute interval) with just enough excitement and fun to capture their attention throughout. Of course for kiddos seeing the likes of Chris and Pui it’s rather like me seeing Michael Jackson or something – both of my older ones have LOVED Chris and Pui since they were tiny and they met them at the Lollibop Festival and to them, they are massive stars so of course theatre experiences like this are something very much to remember!

We loved the show – which is still on tour, catch more venues and dates by visiting http://www.chrisandpui.com/. We think Norwich Theatre Royal are utterly brilliant for having such excellent line ups for both grown ups and little ones and something else we are very much looking forward to is the panto which we also have a family ticket to give away exclusively on the blog!

This year’s offering from the Theatre Royal in Norwich is Sleeping Beauty and it will run from December 13th 2017 – January 14th 2018 and we cannot wait for thigh slapping, dame loving ‘It’s behind you’ season to start in our home city! Starring Gillian Wright, Richard Gauntlett and Ben Langley it looks set to be an absolute stonker of a panto and like I said, you can win a family ticket right here!

All you have to do is complete the Rafflecopter widget at the bottom of this post to be in with a chance of winning and watch the trailer to get a feel for the show!

Two television favourites are heading up the cast for this year’s Norwich Theatre Royal panto Sleeping Beauty – plus some regular faces also make a return and all are guaranteed to provide plenty of festive fun for families.

The panto will step back in time to the turn of the last century in a grand country house where Coronation Street actor and children’s television legend Derek Griffiths will be using his magical powers as Chortwood the butler to ward off the evil Dowager Aunt Vipera, played by EastEnders ‘Jean Slater’ Gillian Wright.

Derek Griffiths is best-known to a generation of TV viewers for hosting classic children’s programmes Play School and Play Away, and more recently became a familiar face on small screen again for his portrayal of motor-bike loving and mild-mannered mechanic Freddie Smith on the Weatherfield ‘cobbles’. He first won the hearts of Norwich panto-goers 12 years ago when he appeared in the 2005-2006 Theatre Royal production of Peter Pan, playing Captain Hook.

EastEnders actor Gillian Wright will be leaving the soap’s Albert Square and heading to Norfolk for her role as the panto baddie.

They both join seasoned Theatre Royal panto comedy double-act Richard Gauntlett and Ben Langley. Richard is returning to Norwich once again as director, writer and panto dame and ‘housekeeper’ Mrs Midges for his 17^th festive production in the city, teaming up for the fourth consecutive year with comedian and variety star Ben Langley as Muddles Midges, the ‘under-gardener’.

The cast is completed by Elizabeth Carter (recently seen at the Theatre Royal as the lead Laura in Dreamboats & Petticoats) as Sleeping Beauty/Patience Midges, while Glenn Adamson, (who has spent the last two Christmases in panto at Colchester’s Mercury Theatre) will play her Prince/The Honourable Timothy Norbridge. Professional opera singer Stephen Godward (who performed recently in Norwich with The National Gilbert & Sullivan Company) will be bringing his rich vocals to the role of Lord Teddy Norbridge of Norbridge Abbey.

Richard Gauntlett has promised Sleeping Beauty will deliver lots of traditional panto fun with all the usual Norwich Theatre Royal special twists including lots of water. “We will be getting very wet this year. We will be getting very, very wet!” he said.

And on to the prize – one lucky family will win a family ticket (for two adults and two children) to see Sleeping Beauty on Friday, December 15, at 7.30pm.

Here’s the widget!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

So… Best of luck everyone and thanks to Norwich Theatre Royal for our Chris and Pui tickets – we think you’re the perfect family theatre!