Last night we ventured out to watch The Birmingham Stage Company’s adaptation of ‘George’s Marvellous Medicine’ at the Floral Pavilion in New Brighton.
If you don’t know the story (seriously, read the book), it’s a fabulous tale of a young boy who makes a marvellous new medicine to cure his grandmother of her nastiness. But when his grandmother drinks his special new potion, the most incredible things start to happen and the wickedness of Dahl delights.
The audience last night was packed full of lively children and the performance was more than I hoped it would be. This brand new adaptation by David Wood brings life to Roald Dahl’s words with a modern twist and clever props.
Children and adults interacted with the action on stage, as we rubbed our hands to warm the pot of medicine and shouted out the magic spell to help the medicine whizz and pop. The staging was simple, the cast perfectly small and energetic, yet the entire performance was flawless.
Children’s theatre with a wicked sense of humour, I can’t recommend this production enough.
Last night there was a genuine enthusiasm in the audience, something I’ve never experienced before in children’s theatre. In our current climate where we’re being told that children aren’t reading books, it was refreshing to hear a small boy behind me. He was possibly 6 or 7 and he quoted lines from the book in time with George. In the interval, the adults in front of us turned to Middlest and asked him what he liked best about the book, telling him how they’d read it when they were small. And as we walked out of the theatre George’s voice blasted out telling the children not to try the recipe at home! It was about then that I gave Littlest a little wink and suggested that we try blowing up grandma. Oh, I love Roald Dahl.
‘George’s Marvellous Medicine’ is showing at the Floral Pavilion with two shows a day until Saturday 16 April. Tickets are £12.00/£10.00 and can be booked online or by calling 0151 6660000. And, if you’re not near the Wirral and do get a chance to see this adaptation of’ George’s Marvellous Medicine’ (the tour information can be found here), then I’m very sure that you won’t be at all disappointed.
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I was at the same performance with my rabble. The under 10′s and the over 40′s joined in with gusto, but eldest child was sadly too “middle” aged, “I’m 12 years old mother, I’m NOT mixing the pot!”
It was a lot of fun wasn’t it? Very entertaining and played with great enthusiasm by the cast, especially the giant chicken whose unmasked bow at the end caused much confusion…
I had two 11 year olds with me who were happily stirring the pot. It could have been my ‘If you don’t stir, then the magic won’t work’ look that made them
AND, I am SO not over 40 yet (I say, stressing the ‘yet’). I felt sorry for the unmasked giant chicken last night. And yes, it was fun! Loved it.
We could have said hello last night!
Such a wonderful show, im sad i missed working on it.
I’ve heard rumours of the BFG going out on tour again so keep your eyes peeled! I can offer knowledge of a tour of Shaun the Sheep (17 choreographed sheep on stage) which i have not seen, and Science Museum Live, which we had in a few weeks ago, it was energetic and fun, the kids seemed to learn a lot and the guys putting it on were a nice bunch.
We get some great kids shows at the Mercury, although they tend to be smaller and in our studio space and often aimed at primary school kids and have gorgeous puppets
Theatre is important
for aaaaallll ages, like reading 
Xxxx
Would love to see the BFG, so do give me a shout if you hear of it on tour. Hope to make it to the Mercury one day
x