Polka Theatre

Musical adaptation of Maz Evans’ kids’ novel about Elliot Hooper, a young man with a sick mum, whose already difficult existance is complicated when the pantheon of Greek gods gate crash his life. Evans adapts and writes lyrics for the show herself, while music comes from Luke Bateman and it’s directed by Ria Parry. Aimed at ages eight to 13.

Running at the Polka over half-term, this cute show for ages three to seven follows Ruby, a young girl who discovers a worry and then can’t get rid of it, no matter how hard she tried. But a new friend – who also has a worry – might very well be the solution… Hannah Stone directs this adaptation of Tom Percival’s book. 

A show for the proper little ones here, toooB is a gentle sensory adventure for ages six months to two years that sees a performer in a giant tube wiggle and change shape as she explores the world around her. There’s 25 minutes of actual performance followed by 20 minutes of stay and play after.

In this fun riff on the Cinderella story for kids aged five to ten, it’s some time after the events of the beloved fairytale and Cinders has established herself as a massive girlboss head of ice cream empire. But how did this come to be? Her employees Talvi and Caldwell share her story in this new musical from Little Seeds Music.

This review is from 2025 Famous franchises aren’t just big business in Hollywood: they’re also the driving force behind much of London kids’ theatre. And source material doesn’t come much better known than We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, which is so ubiquitous that we got given at least three copies when my daughter was born. Written by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, the original book is a rhythmic, repetitive romp for babies and toddlers. The version by Little Angel Theatre is quite a different beast, for a slightly older crowd of three-to-eight-year-olds, though the audience at my Saturday-morning rendition definitely tended towards the lower end of that scale. Four spirited puppeteer-actor-musicians animate a pint-sized family of five and their dog, giving all of them – from the dad to baby Bertie – distinct personalities and moments to shine, with DIY sound effects and plenty of funny bits. The puppets are by Lyndie Wright, one of the couple who founded the Little Angel Theatre in 1961, and the naturalism of their movements and interactions is seriously impressive – almost cinematic. Imaginative sets conjure an idyllic summer meadow, a rippling river, a field of mud, a wild forest and (as reality blurs into fantasy) a swirling, whirling snowstorm. The changing landscape is dotted with beautifully lifelike puppet animals. There are foot-stomping songs by London cabaret mainstay Barb Jungr, performed live by the cast, along with harmonic vocals. It all...