Q: Where can you get a whole lot of laughs, a lesson in prehistory, a selection of entertaining puppets, a spot of magic and a sing along, all for £6 a ticket?
A: At Squashbox Theatre’s Stones and Bones at the Bristol Old Vic.
Funnyman Craig Johnson delivers everything and more that his website promises in his 45-minute slot at one of Bristol’s favourite theatres, a show perfectly pitched to children of 5+ years.
The audience is invited to use the power of imagination to travel back millions of years to a time when dinosaurs ruled the earth and volcanos raged in Cornwall. From the moment we are introduced to the first of Craig’s alter-egos, Archaeologist Dr Winifred Jones, it becomes clear that his set will be full of delightful little surprises.
The young audience remains fully engaged and their chaperones belly laugh as we meet a catalogue of characters, either in the form of Craig himself, one of his puppets or a model. Prehistoric facts are shared with us: did you know that dinosaurs didn’t eat grass? Or that the word Dinosaur means terrible lizard?
We learn about stone circles, the earth’s make-up, Arthurian legend, fossilisation, Druidry and … rock music. As the accordion-accompanied rock song prompts rows and rows of little people to bang their heads in rhythm to the music, we know that the content of this production has laid foundations that we, as parents, can build upon.
Bristol Dinosaur Project also make a good job of providing free activities for the kids to do before or after the show - fossil making, puzzle solving, book reading, face-painting or simply drawing dinosaur footprints on the canvas-covered tables.
Yep! History is Fun!
Stones and Bones runs at Bristol Old Vic until Wednesday February 15th
By Becky