Encouraging children to experience theatre at a young age can be difficult, as parents and grandparents know, asking a child to sit in a restrictive environment to watch a pantomime or similar, which can be two hours long, is not ideal. Polka Theatre in London offer the chance to combine theatre and play in their building which is especially dedicated to children. The theatre combines a café, playground, garden with access to books, colouring-in and dressing up.
Grandad, Me and Teddy Too has a target audience of 2–5-year-olds and is performed in the Adventure Theatre. This space allows children to sit on the floor or sit around the edge of the theatre in seats. The feeling is of informality and provides a less stressful environment for parents and children alike to enjoy the show.
Mia (Katie Carlton) loves talking to her Grandad in the digital world, as her Grandad lives in Argentina. When a trip to see Mia is planned, Mia and her toys are very excited. Grandad (Gordon Warneck) arrives and joins in the fun, playing with Mia and her toys, and treating her imagination to magical journeys. The interplay between Mia and her Grandad celebrates the relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren, and that their presence on their grandchildren’s lives adds another layer of love and experience to children’s development.
We see Grandad encouraging Mia’s own imagination, coming down to her level physically and joining in the games that Mia enjoys playing. Both the children and the adult audience members laughed out loud and were noticeably quiet at more tender moments. The show encouraged the young audience to feel empathy towards these two characters who laugh, love and feel sadness together.
Written and directed by Sarah Argent, this play is the perfect gentle introduction to theatre for children. Designer Katie Lias has created Mia’s playroom, where Grandad, Teddy Too and Mia can play and enjoy spending time together. The inclusion of a television so that Mia can talk to her Grandad when he is in Argentina, was a nice touch in today’s modern world of digital communication.
Children’s performers tend to be underrated, and these two actors did a tremendous job in holding the children’s attention and not flinching when children shouted out, talked, or walked about during the performance. The parents/teachers left the theatre feeling joyful and relaxed and I am sure interesting conversations would be had with the children following the performance.
Well done Polka Theatre, this is a marvellous production, well made and relaxing for everyone concerned.
To book Grandad, Me and Teddy Too follow this link – https://polkatheatre.com/event/grandad-me-and-teddy-too/. The show runs until the 29th January 2023.
Reviewer: Caroline Worswick
Reviewed: 9th December 2022
North West End UK Rating: ★★★★