Aladdin at the Playhouse, Weston

On Wednesday night my 6 year old daughter and I were lucky enough to wrap up warm and join another Mummy and her 6 year old to walk through the Christmas lit streets to the 7pm showing of Aladdin at the Playhouse.

My 6 year old was very excited, in part because we saw Cinderella at the same venue last Christmas, and she was fondly recalling the silliness of the panto on our journey there. As the show started at 7pm meaning we didn't get home until 10.30pm, I would strongly recommend an earlier performance if you don't want tired and grumpy children the next day! Was it worth it though? Oh yes it was!

The show began with hissing and booing as Abanazar (John Challis) entered the stage. "We're only booing him because he's pretending aren't we Mummy? He's not really a bad man." The little wise one reassured, we were set up for the rest of the show. And how we very much enjoyed it! Aladdin (Craig Daniel Adams) in particular lit up the stage with his smile and energy. When he was dancing it really felt as if he - and the rest of the cast - were truly enjoying themselves, which helped us to do exactly the same.

Some of the singing was particularly enjoyable, especially the operatic wonders from the Emporer (Paul Arden-Griffith) What a voice! And such an unusual twist too. The litte ones enjoyed the versions of modern pop songs the cast belted out for us, and the cultured one in the group was impressed by the Gilbert and Sullivan number.

This was panto though - and the highlight for adults and children alike were the VERY silly moments! The policemen (brothers Keith and Ben Simmons who also directed the show) with their word play and disappearing box caused hilarity in the six year old reviewers. But my favourite, without a shadow of a doubt, was the perfectly camp Wishee Washee (Terry Gleed)... "SHOW US YOUR FISHY WISHY!" He did a fantastic job of really getting the audience involved and had my own silly smile spread right across my face as soon as he came back on stage.


The panto is a lovely festive treat, and a big thumbs up is deserved to everyone involved in the production. If you want to enjoy a few hours with your family this festive period and have a good old giggle, you could do a lot worse than this.

- by Holly

Aladdin is on at The Playhouse, Weston, till 8th January 2012

New Beginnings by Rebecca Emin

The book is amazing and descriptive. It should be sold for people over 11 because people over 11 will get it. The bit I liked most was when Sam finally settled into the school and made loads of new friends and when Sam was getting bullied, her friends stuck up for her. At the end of the book Sam and Molly became friends because Molly sent Sam a letter saying I'm sorry.

Also the book was amazing so if you want to read this book, go ahead because it is amazing!

- by Sasha, aged 11

I loved the book New Beginnings. When I read it, I feel like I'm Sam Hendry. The chapters always leave me on cliff hangers.

I would recommend this book to others.

- by Phoenix, aged 9

Order a copy of New Beginnings by Rebecca Emin here

Cinderella: A Fairytale at Tobacco Factory Theatre, Bristol

“I have chosen the Grimm version (of Cinderella) as our starting point because it is less syrupy and sentimental than the Perrault version … It feels more like a folk tale that has come from the oral tradition, earthy and simple. Neither does it shy away from the darker elements of the story which are intriguing.”

- Sally Cookson, Director of Travelling Light Theatre Company’s Cinderella: A Fairytale

This description of Cinderella at the Tobacco Factory Theatre is spot on. With the exception of the brash pink party dresses worn comically by three men and a woman at the ball, the costumes are mostly of neutral colour, while nature features heavily throughout the performance in the form of five birds, played by every member of the cast, who use skilful puppetry. “How did they change clothes so quickly?” asked my five year old. “I wish I could do that!”

And those darker elements are present from early on in the show, when I saddled up to my daughter, fearful that she might be a little frightened. Every now and then I put my arm around her for comfort, maybe my own, as she seemed hooked on every detail and not perturbed by the wickedness prevalent in Ella’s father’s widow.

“I think that, at the beginning, when Cinderella was a baby, her Daddy didn’t know that the Step Mother was so naughty. I liked it when the Step Mother went away,” she told me. Craig Edwards has an extraordinarily angular face, akin to a stereotypical witch, and he is convincingly menacing.

The Step Sister, played by Lucy Tuck, is a product of this wicked upbringing, jealous and self-seeking but maybe not beyond repair. Her brother (Saikat Ahamed), lets his softer nature slip, despite the overpowering presence of these two women. The step-sibling pairing is a winner: she is gawky and searching for maternal approval, he is elegant and comical, not at all happy to be used as a female proxy.

Cinderella (Lisa Kerr) and the Prince (Thomas Eccleshare) are made for each other. Her at-oneness with the ornithological creatures of the forest couldn’t fail to impress the bird-watching, geeky Prince. She impressed the audience too and the chatter with those birds of many species was greeted with laughter and wonderment. My little companion imitated the squaws and the twitter at every opportunity.

“My favourite bit was when Cinderella and the Prince danced.” Ah, a romantic at heart? The ball scenes are lit with skill (lighting by Matthew Graham) and the show would only be a story without the accompanying music, performed live by Will Bower. The Prince, not realising that he is in love, just can’t help bursting into song and we loved him for it.

We found ourselves positioned at the back at one of the four blocks of seats and, as the stage was bang in the middle of the theatre, we had a perfect view, everyone did.

Travelling Light’s take on Cinderella is a true treat. We had a ball!

Could I just ask our spirited, sweet heroine, “Where did you get those fabulous shoes?!”

Cinderella is playing at the Tobacco Factory Theatre, Bristol, until 15^th January.

For more information on Travelling Light Theatre Company, click here.

Review by Becky

Ping and Pong - Santa

Ping and Pong, through the eyes of a 6 year old:

I like the bit where Ping said, "What if we can't get back up to the clock if we are stuck down here forever?" I thought it was funny!

There's another favourite bit of mine which I really thought was funny and that bit was where they waited and waited and waited for Santa and Ping just fell asleep straight away when they sat down!

I think this story is good for people who are learning to read and a good book to listen to and good to follow along and look at the pictures.

Thank you for giving me the book to read, it was excellent

Written and Dictated by Emelia Parker-Evans, Aged 6 x

Visit the Ping and Pong Website here

I am Going to Save the World – Written and Illustrated by Gail Richardson

My daughter and I sat together and read this on the computer as an ebook. She wanted to take sole control of the mouse, so I read aloud while she listened and did the all-important page turning.

I am Going to Save the World is written in clear, accessible language for children, whether it’s read to younger ones by parents or read by older ones themselves. The illustrations are sweet and tell us everything we need to know, complementing the writing perfectly.

I quizzed my five year old on some of the ecological issues as they arose and was so impressed to find out that yes, she did know about composting, recycling and leaving only footprints! We finished the book, she asked a couple of questions and then we read it again. This time, before I read the words I thought I’d see what she remembered of the story. She’d been paying attention and the message had sunk in quickly: wear a jumper if you’re cold instead of turning on the heating; take bags with you to the supermarket to save plastic and when you leave the room, turn off the lights.

This book is fully engaging and not only did we both enjoy reading it but, afterwards, she sat at the computer with her pencils and paper to copy some of the illustrations and words.

She reckons her cousin, Joel, would like I am Going to Save the World for Christmas and she’s put in an order with me for a hard copy to call her own, which she’ll be probably reading to herself by then. It’s a done deal because Gail Richardson’s work is already saving me money in energy bills!

By Becky

Order a copy of I am Going to Save the World here.

Slightly Fat Features - Variety in the Tobacco Factory Theatre, Bristol

We got to the Tobacco Factory Theatre early to bagsy prime seats in the centre front row of the auditorium. And then, I couldn’t help but wonder whether this was an ill-advised move at a comedy variety show.

They were kind. Although, as we left the theatre, the Slightly Fat Feature’s drummer, Matt, did comment that my 5-year old looked a bit less scared now it was all over. She wasn’t scared but I did get my fair share of cuddles of unsurety throughout the performance, especially when said percussion man had offered her one of his knocked out Tic-Tac teeth (we’d just eaten a whole box between us, coincidentally).

As is her way, she sat opened mouthed through much of the utter silliness before her. I giggled throughout the majority of the evening. The show reminded me of being in a festival circus tent, such as Watchet has to offer: nothing too rude, definitely OK for young children, in all its pantoesque innuendo.

Initially, I cringed mirthfully when two of the performers put a row of toy dogs in a line to smash them with a hammer to play out “How much is that doggie in the window.” She got it. I got it. We were there.

50 magical tricks in 5 minutes, all completely awful and fun – congratulations. Evel Kenil on his unicycle jumping 4 double decker buses, so slapstick. A duel for the love of Anna, a female member of the audience, entertaining and a little jumpy up there at the front. Escapology, what a build-up. A Vegas Elvis harping on about healthy eating, spear that pepper! Miniature Cowboy, please sit on my lap next time.

Guest performer, Les Bubb, was excellent. Mime and comedy done well. “Balloons aren’t really that heavy, are they, Mummy. Is he pretending?” No flies on my daughter.

On our way back to the car, she gave thought to how a man could really be sawn in two. “Maybe there were two men. One on was on his knees and another one in the other box?” she said sleepily. You’d have to stay up all night to catch these kids out. Wayne Marvell, you were her absolute favourite, something about the eyes ...?

Slightly Fat Features in the Factory runs at the Tobacco Factory Theatre until Saturday 29^th October. And yes, it’s very much recommended if you like a laugh, whatever your age.

Review by Becky

School Feet: Mary Jane Shoes by Lands' End

Can school shoes ever last a full year? Even if the hardware survives, those little feet grow so quickly.

In term five, it was time to let those tootsies breath a little more and admit that a new pair would be the only answer. Studying Lands' End's online catalogue, I decided on a pair Mary Jane shoes. They look good and are practical. Although they're available in a range of colours and I was tempted towards the 'Light Merlot', I ordered a black 100% suede pair (they also come in patent), which arrived during the holidays.

My daughter loved them and wanted to wear them straight away. The rip-grip strap is perfect for one so young, making them easy to put on/pull off whenever necessary. She said they were comfortable and never once complained of any rubbing over the coming months. We were onto a winner.

My sole niggle is that, during all that wet weather, the colour did at first transfer to her school socks whenever her feet got a little too wet in some puddle or other, but, overall, these are a solid, reliable pair of shoes. They have scuffed a little but I'd be worried about my daughter's activity levels had she kept them anywhere near pristine.

And unless her feet grow rapidly in the next three weeks, she'll be wearing her Mary Jane's back to school in September.

Lands' End have a wide range of children's wear at http://www.landsend.co.uk/

-by Becky

Little Chill

We've just spent four days of pure, exhausting fun at Big Chill Festival at Eastnor Castle Deer Park.

This was a very well organised event: entry to and exit from the Festival was effortless, the Crew helped us lug our bags from the car to a camping pitch in the Family Area and two of them even lent a hand in putting up our tent, a feat that is always difficult alone on a (slightly) windy day. The weather was generally OK, with some heavy downpours of rain that didn't spoil the fun as there were so many undercover activities to enjoy.

The crowd was friendly and we met some new friends, the acts were excellent and the Little Chill Kids' Area offered a range of exciting things to do - painting, circus acts, bands, sandpit, model and costume making, storytellers, yoga, Baby Chill, dance ....

And we completed most of the challenges set by you. Thank you to all who took part in our Festival:

On Facebook, Laura said, "Challenge Lestie to skip on stage, and you to host a dinner party!" Sorry Laura, this is the closest we got to this one #fail:

Sweet Meal with Lynette and Tom

Swinging Poi at Deer Park Stage

@CocoBrownsCafe tweeted, "I want to know what your favourite food & drink was or just the best you see @BigChillFest. Inspiration for me!"

Lebanese Mezze of Fool Madamas, Batata Harrah, bulgar and salsa

On the original Weston-super-Mum blogpost, Keith Ramsey said, "Just go with the flow, relax and do whatever feels right"

Home sweet Home

Wheelbarrow Girl, Asleep

On twitter, @KarenBlakeArt said, 'Id like to see a phot of BOTH of you in the circus area of Little Chill, trying something new":

Spinning plates at the Big Top

Unicycle
Proud on our stilts Look! I can do it!

Thank you so much for these challenges, they made the experience all the more enjoyable at a Festival to be 100% recommended!

I've posted more photos on my Weston-super-Mum profile

The Big Chill Festival Website





- by Becky Condron

Springboard Art Exhibition

An exhibition launch evening might not appear to be the ideal place to take an almost five year old. But this was no ordinary view night.

The paintings were vibrant and the drawings thought-provoking. In 'Play Days', the artist(s) had personalised a swirling explosion of colour by sticking blades of grass to the mix. Another, 'Ladybirds are Bugs, Aren't They?' was a pen drawing that looked suspiciously like plagiarism to me - one I'd seen maybe dozens of times when this almost five year old by my side was a little younger.

I gave her the camera and she began the task of creating her own art, documenting the various hangings by a group of pre-schoolers from Springboard Opportunities Group, a local charity that supports children with additional needs. The exhibition, housed at the independent, contemporary Fizz Gallery, which nestles among the delicatessens and boutiques of Clevedon's Hill Road, is a stroke of genius: a fundraiser that illustrates Springboard's dedication to each child's personal development, displayed in a setting where any artist would be proud to show her work.

And the crowds came. It was a well attended launch night, with the only difference from any other being the age of the artists. Not once did I hear, 'My three-year old could have done that.'

When we got home, she grabbed her pens and sheets of A4 paper to unleash at least a dozen drawings, many inspired by the huge rainbow, revealed to us on our journey back to Weston, that had appeared among the dark grey clouds of July. In the morning she went in search of a half forgotten photo album and asked me to help her make a display of her new artwork. I have no doubt that the experience of seeing pieces so similar to her own, hung in such a fine manner at Fizz Gallery, prompted her to be curator of her own drawings in felt-tip pen on 80 gsm.

Every child deserves to have their work recognised in this way. I raise a glass of orange juice to the parents, the staff and, of course, the children of Springboard Opportunity Group - a very big well done, all round!

These photos are a child's eye view of the exhibition:

Links:

Springboard Opportunity Group

Fizz Gallery

- by Becky

The Light Garden at Tobacco Factory Theatre

As my daughter has only just turned 2, I thought it would be a few years yet before she was old enough to experience going to the theatre. After all, what 2 year old could sit still enough to enjoy any kind of performance? Well, today at The Tobacco Factory Theatre in Bristol, we experienced a unique performance that was perfect for my active and inquisitive toddler, and mostly because sitting still was definitely not on the agenda!

As part of the World Stage Festival, Rachel Davies Film Ltd presented ‘The Light Garden’, an interactive light and video installation for children aged 18 months to 5 years old. As we were ushered into the theatre space, each little person present was handed a mini torch, and we were met by a grown woman with antennae, spotty ladybird pattern shorts and t-shirt, and stripy knee high socks. And I knew this was going to be no ordinary show…..

Our guide led us into the semi-darkness with the torches to light our way, and the first stop was a makeshift hillside (well, cushions, but after a few minutes of being part of this interactive world, you soon stopped seeing things for what they were!) where a series of light-projected ladybirds scurried around. Through a series of gestures and mime, our guide encouraged the toddlers to ‘catch’ them as made an appearance. Slowly but surely, our guide made sure that no area was left undiscovered, as she skipped and danced around the floor, enticing the children to follow her and explore this strange yet safe feeling new environment. There were pools of water projected onto the floor with fish to catch, illuminated switches that controlled the sound of the weather, lights that projected your shadow hugely onto the wall, tents and a ‘campfire’ to play in and with, and a magical cave where we were encouraged to make light drawings with our torches. These glowing images that remained visible long after the torch had been taken away brought a look of amazement to my daughters face, and I stopped trying to figure out how it was done and just tried to immerse myself in the experience as you could clearly see all the little people were doing so easily.

My only criticism of ‘The Light Garden’ was that is felt too short at only 20 minutes long. Although it was quite gentle, it took a while for most of the children to warm up. For the first ten minutes, my daughter was fine, but was a little anxious if she couldn’t see me right by her. By the end, she had forgotten I was there as she climbed in and out of tents with lights projected in them, chased our guide and her shadow around the room and threw herself at piles of cushions to catch the bugs. She was just warmed up nicely, and then it was over. However, overall this was a brilliant introduction to theatre for the very young, and we will be sure to be back at The Tobacco Factory soon to see what else is on offer.

Tobacco Factory Theatre Website

- by Karen Blake

'A Corner of the Ocean' at Tobacco Factory Theatre, Bristol

‘Thank God!’ was the first statement I made, after the four actors had taken their final bow, ‘I’m normal.’

Because we all have moments of confusion, frustration, despair and clarity – states of mind so imaginatively and comically highlighted by Jammy Voo’s A Corner of the Ocean, a tale of four women’s lives in the aftermath of the disappearance of a diver we never meet.

This hour long piece of theatre is an intense and dark experience that holds your attention throughout. There’s so much going on that it’s impossible to take your eyes off the stage for even a moment: so many cultural references, so much of life given to the audience that, as soon as I finished watching, I wanted to see it all over again.

The use of puppetry is sublime, the writing excellent and the acting first-rate. Although there are four actors on stage, all of whom could easily stand alone, this is a 6-person show – as my theatre companion and friend, Viv, pointed out, the man with the guitar and voice {so much more than a sound guy} is the glue of the piece and it couldn’t have worked without him. And the lighting technician really comes into his own with the spinning, illuminated hand puppetry.

A papier maché newspaper figure that reaches out from the memo board is delightfully threatening and the faux-fur creature who throttles the neck of our Norwegian actor is sinister yet hilarious – this woman is a skilled puppeteer, to be sure.

Dance, song and thought provoking words make for a collective work of art that is deserved of a Tobacco Factory Theatre audience, a venue that continues to attract must-see, inspirational theatre.

Brilliant.

Watch a little of A Corner of the Ocean here.

Tobacco Factory Theatre website

- by Becky

Pitch-a-Tent at Puxton Park

We erected our tent at Puxton Park to overcast skies on a thankfully dry evening. We hadn’t brought very much with us: you learn to camp light when you need to and, anyway, we’d only be here for 18 hours – the doors opened at 4pm on Saturday and all tents were packed away by 10 the next morning, plus the burger bar complimented the fruit and biscuits we’d bought from the Farm Shop there, which took the whole cool box and stove carrying out of the equation, though some people did light their own barbeques.

In all, 17 tents were pitched at the circumference of the ‘Main Arena,’ leaving plenty of space for the kids to run and play, if needed. But really, with so much to do here, we only went to the camping area to sleep.

Our first stop {and one we returned to often over the hours that followed} was the jumping pillow and, with so few people at Puxton, I was able to bounce as hard and as high as I could, delighting my daughter. This may have been the best part of spending an evening as a camper – we felt as though we had the place to ourselves. The Play Barn was open till 9:30pm, which is also when the toilets closed. Throughout the evening, three keen young lads strummed their guitars and sang barely audible numbers at the entrance to the building, next to the burger van on the other side of the doors. We slid, bounced, crawled, swung and squealed our way through a couple of hours.

At 8:30pm we passed the cows, goats, sheep, ponies, chickens and alpacas and all trotted down to the Twilight Zone for a highly entertaining owl display, where we learned a few things about these creatures’ habits. Children and adults got to be hand perches for a range of birds and the Owl Guy, who clearly loves his job, had us all taking part in some way, even if only through our laughter and listening.

Then we went back outside for a sheep race. We were giving betting slips, so C decided on Sheep Number 6, who didn’t win but that was fine because everyone got a lollipop prize. Next we were treated to a slightly wild trip around the Park on a cart, pulled along by a big red tractor, The Wurzels playing loudly in our ears. Completely bizarre and very Somerset. We absolutely loved it.

I barely had time to catch my breath when she pulled me over to the wooden fort as the sun went down. Finally it was time for bed with no resistance from a happily exhausted almost 5-year old.

We awoke to full sunshine, had a touch of breakfast in The Meadows restaurant and then made our way to The Barn for some more sliding and twisting – all by 8:30am. We found our way once more to the jumping pillow, where she perfected her gambol, and then we went to say ‘Hello’ to the adorable new-born piglets, snuggled up with Mummy Pig. A quick look in the Falconry Centre and time for one more swing before collapsing the tent and packing the car. Another stop at the Farm Shop for Sunday’s bread and milk to take to our home, just 10 minutes away.

My only problem with this £10 a night Pitch a Tent at Puxton Park is that they don’t do it more often. We would go at every available opportunity. It’s the most relaxed camping trip that we have ever been on. And that’s saying something.

A big thank you to all the staff, who were so friendly and very helpful. And to Clover the Cow :-}

Puxton Park website

- by Becky

Sunrise Celebration Festival 2011

It’s fair to say that we were both super-excited about our first festival together, though it’s fairer to say that I was the more excited of the two, being the only one who actually knew what a festival entailed. She just thought she was going camping and the experience would be something akin to sitting in a field with a theatre – how do you explain the British weekend festival to a four-year old?

Best to just take her there.

We had everything on our side really: it was half term week, the weather was astoundingly good and Sunrise Celebration is only a short car journey across the beautiful Mendip Hills to Bruton, just this side of Frome. And we’d managed to borrow a wheelbarrow from our neighbour – thanks Tim.

We arrived, got our pass and put everything bar the rucksack into the barrow. I was loathe to traipse miles with our load and a little girl who just wanted to get into the still bagged-up tent, but all the marshalls I asked {about a dozen of them} couldn’t tell me where to camp. They said it was mad-busy, most of the revellers having already arrived and set up.

So, I panicked a bit and found a space wherever I could, squeezed between two tents, thus becoming a guy-rope hazard. It didn’t matter too much, we spent so little time in the tent anyway and I don’t really think we annoyed anyone else. Someone lent me a mallet and another neighbour held the tent up in the wind while I pegged it securely to the dry ground. The friendliness began.

I’ve never been to a festival with a young child before and, in this respect, there’s nowhere else I can compare it to. But I can’t imagine that any festival could be as family friendly as this one. Throughout we felt safe, secure, welcome and at ease.

The Ladybird Tent was awesome, full of helping hands, happy kids and loads of activities. Here, we heard stories about Irish giants, made dreamcatchers and masks, drew pictures and relaxed. Then, in the Forest Area, we listened to an hour’s worth of stories, without a sigh of boredom, whilst enjoying leek and root vegetable soup and stone-baked bread.

Bug catching in the rolling green field that was overlooked by Sunset Boulevard was a highlight, kids everywhere, exploring, running, learning. We caught aphids, parasitic wasps and beetles with a big, white net. In the Tin Village, we sat with a family of travellers and made books and did a little sewing. In the main arena, we sat on the ‘Practise Random Kindness and Senseless Acts of Beauty’ bus, where she played very happily in the ball pit upstairs and a very nice woman brought me a free coffee first thing on a Saturday morning.

We rolled on birthing balls in the Green Dome Tent, courtesy of the Holistic Birthing team. We listened to some kind of chanting therapy, Celeste with her mouth wide open again, taking it all in. She was still singing the ‘Red River Roll’ chant ten hours later. On Sunday morning, she played the drum in Floating Lotus Free Jam Tent, as kids on stage performed parts of Smoke on the Water and Cocaine {without lyrics} in a music workshop, over and again.

Musically, we enjoyed funk, reggae and folk in the excellent Chai Wallahs’ Tent – thank you Leigh Coleman, Mankala, Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin. At the Spit and Sawdust we danced to the Ten O’Clock Horses as the sun went down and, at Floating Lotus, we had great fun with the Red Hot Frilly Knickers burlesque dancers, followed by a spot of English folk. We stared into a fire and gave ourselves ice-cream mouths.

As Celeste tried to get to sleep in her pink and yellow blanketed wheelbarrow, we listening to a poet rant on about lucid dreaming at Rag Tongue, their generator powered by bicycles. I wonder what she imagined that night?

Sunrise Celebration Festival is a true treat, with plenty of places to sit inside and out, hardly any queues and many happy faces. Please, allow me to say a word about the compost toilets, which were, undoubtedly,the best I have ever seen at any festival – clean and well stocked. My daughter was conscientious about pouring wood chippings down the hole everytime she had even a wee.

Oh and I managed most of the challenges – not to get drunk, to chill and go with the flow and to sit in the tortoise and eat grapes with bunny ears on. I didn’t make a penpal but I did have plenty of chats with some very friendly people.

Congratulations, Sunrise, all round. Even when it rained on the Sunday, we loved it and there was plenty to do. And for the first time in my life, I returned home feeling refreshed and ready to face real life.

See you when the sun comes up next year.

http://www.sunrisecelebration.com/

Rip Fold Scrunch

A big cheer! We've been to the Tobacco Factory Theatre again today and you know how much we love that place. Not just for its community feel, the market, the cafe and the chance to peep in at the classes going on there but, mainly, because it brings us innovative and fresh theatre productions at an affordable price.

This morning our treat was Rip Fold Scrunch, a three-person performance that uses paper to inspire children at play. Half Moon Young People's Theatre taught us a thing or two. Like, just what is it possible to do with a sheet (or several dozen) of paper?

Well, to start you can rip it, fold it, scrunch it and the show, aimed at 2 to 5 year olds, used a movement based mantra to illustrate this - even a toddler with limited vocabulary would have grasped the meaning of those three words - Rip. Fold. Scrunch.

Once you have your raw material, you can make rain or you can dance, maybe fish for creatures, throw and catch it, swim in and through it or fight with it. Butterflies, kites, umbrellas, masks, spirals - all of these things are possible with a bit of paper. Set to the cello, played live on stage, we watched our hosts fashion all sorts of wonderful shapes. The dance was fun and the dancer's ankles were adorned with bells, making her tinkle everywhere she moved.

Little voices laughed as the cast teased each other, using facial expression and emotion that was so relevant to its audience.

We went with friends and our three reception year girls sat on the front row, giggling, whispering and nudging each other.

"Are you thinking about the end?" Emelia asked her pals. Yes, they were thinking of exactly that because they understood that, then, they too would get to go on the stage and play with the paper, letting loose their own imaginations.

My highlight was the Wizard of Oz moment when the white paper used throughout became paper of colour. Every colour. And then ....

The performance was over but, for the kids, the fun was about to reach its heights. It was so interesting to see the girls express their own individuality, those personalities unique to each of them bursting through. Emelia, the thinker, could be found sitting on the floor of the stage, ripping a small piece of paper incredibly slowly and noting the result as it made a tiny noise, the jagged edges being guided this way and that by her steady little hands. Celeste, the artist, found the biggest piece of white paper she could and arranged small, coloured squares upon it. Ada, the communicator, couldn't wait to talk the performers, she played the cello, she asked questions of the cast and interacted with the awe-inspiring confidence.

After the show, we sat down for a cuppa or an ice-cream and I had to ask my own question, though I knew the answer.

"What was your favourite bit?"

"When we got to play with the paper," it came in unison. Paper. These children use it everyday but now they might just think a little more whenever they put a pencil to it.

Upcoming Tobacco Factory Theatre shows can be found on their website.

For more information about Half Moon Young People's Theatre, see www.halfmoon.org.uk

Written by Becky Condron

Murders and Ghosts of Olde Weston with Weston Walks

We met under the granite arch on Weston's sea front on an evening well suited to tales of mysterious deaths and long-forgotten murders. The wind was high and so was the tide as it lashed over the sea wall, the spray from it wetting our faces just enough to taste our seaside town, the grey sky accentuating its many colours of brown and grey.

Those of us on tonight's tour of Weston's murky past had our own local ghost stories to tell - mine of a woman who used to visit me in South Road while I tried to sleep, a woman who nobody had told me about, although they all knew. Mike, our guide, invited conversation as we pushed along the front to Knightstone Island.

And so the stories begin. Tales of dead brides in baths, Jack the Ripper suspects, sororicide, butchered butchers, love turned sour, policemen who perished. Accounts of bigamists, cads, thugs, the mentality unstable, the infuriating and the innocents. The perpetrators hung, transported, locked up, acquitted and disappeared.

Mike is a natural story teller, who elicits sympathy for some of his subjects and mistrust of others. He puts the points across and asks tricky questions, "Do you think she killed him?" He describes vividly the characters and the setting (many of the stories are, understandably, from the Victorian era, Weston being a town of little over 100 people at the turn of the Nineteenth Century).

The Weston Walks' Murders and Ghosts tour takes the party up to higher ground, so be prepared to hill-walk a little. I know this town very well but walking around the Shubbery and the areas above Grove Park with a knowledgeable and entertaining guide made me see my home in a different light. I communicated with the topography of Weston and with people I shall never know.

Future visits to some of these crime scenes will get me thinking of Weston's long departed over and again. And I will always wonder whether that stolen cheese was really worth it? But that's a story that Mike should tell you ...

Murders and Ghosts of Olde Weston takes place at 7:30pm every Tuesday and Thursday evening and cost £4 for adults and £3 for children. Booking is essential. Weston Walks also does daily Seaside Strolls, where history and entertainment combine. For more details, see www.westonwalks.co.uk

Written by Becky Condron

Ping and Pong - Grow

My Book review of Ping and Pong, Grow by Amy Trevaskus, Illustrated by Alison Heath

by Aidan Bishop, aged 11

Ping and Pong are Lucy's imaginary friends who live in a clock ... a Grandfather clock.

What Happened:

Ping and Pong go on a trip with lucy and her grandfather to the allotments (where people can grow food like Mr Bloom's Nursery) and find out how to grow food and Vegetables.

Then Ping and Pong go on a trip with the bees who have fun.

My little brother who is 3 years old pointed to the bees and said "Buzzzzz." So happy he enjoyed that part.

After that they helped Lucy to plant some seeds, Then Ping and Pong went home to bed in there clock house after a long day of fun.

Illustrations:

The pictures in the book were colourful and child friendly and it followed the story.

Aidan's opinion:

I think this book is a very good book for young children and they will want it to be read again and again, I also enjoyed reading it with my Brothers and sister on a rainy Saturday morning.

Professor Paradox and the Pirates of Green Bogie

We got to Princes Hall as the doors opened, to take full advantage of the “Coffee and Crayons” before the show proper. She found herself one of the many pots of crayons and a pirate colouring in sheet and I grabbed a cup of tea, while other children, some dressed as pirates or fairies, piled into the venue with parents and grandparents in tow.

Princes Hall is part of Clevedon Community Centre, which adjoins Sunhill House. It’s a large area that is well-placed to hold theatre goers: it seats 300 people. It's a comfortable place for parents because the children can run around without danger or frowns from others - there's space enough for everyone.

I counted about 30 kids here today, many of whom sat on the padded mats to watch the star of the show, Professor Paradox, a clown/magician/Master of Silliness, who has a way of warming children (and adults) to him.

The first glimpse we got of the Professor was his bottom, always a good start when you’ve got a crowd of excited little people, who just love anything that is a tinsy bit naughty. He sneezed into a spotty hanky, he talked about poo and smelly socks and he was mildly slapstick, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of pantomime. He has an air of Gene Wilder’s Willy Wonker about him, not just the unkempt hair that he is “very proud of,” but also that nonchalant attitude of “I told you so but you didn’t listen, did you? So be it.”

The Pirates of Green Bogie were coming to steal our sweets and we had to make a magic smell to keep the stinky, naughty crew at bay. The spells went wrong because Professor Paradox kept losing things even though the audience squealed and shouted that “There! There’s your hat! On your head!” His magic wasn’t working, mostly because we had failed to shout loudly enough. We remedied that.

Helpers were sought to come onto stage. The young assistants came willingly, the older ones had to be hand-picked, though they got into the spirit of the play immediately and one Dad was a great sport, dressed by our host as a big fairy.

This was a fun and easy-going event, organised by Event Architects of Clevedon, who hope to raise the profile of Princes Hall. For us, it worked: I’ll be checking out future events held there, of that I have no doubt.

Written by Becky Condron

Malina's Dream by Angel Heart at The Tobacco Factory Theatre, Bristol

Being a Sunday, the journey to was effortless along the A370, so we arrived at The Tobacco Factory Theatre with an hour to spare, which was very lucky because a market of books, food, home-made craft wear and even bicycles was in full swing in their outside area. We sat in the courtyard amongst the lovely smells and hustle and bustle and ate a little of our mammoth sized picnic, enough, it turns out, to last the whole day.

Inside, after queueing with all the other excited families, we took our chosen seats at the very back of the theatre, with a great view: this theatre is small and well-planned enough to ensure that everyone can see the stage. My Girl worked out that there was an igloo on set plus a lake and possibilities of fishing. We guessed as to the animals that might live here: fish, seals, penguins, polar bears. Polar bears! Without realising (I think), she had opted to bring her Mummy Polar Bear, a bag that unzips to reveal Baby Polar Bear nestling inside, so they got to sit on our laps and watch the entire show about their "home."

Angel Heart Theatre presented Malina's Dream, the story of a little girl and her Grandpa and all the creatures Malina counts as her friends - Yes! Penguins, seals, a polar bear and a very smelly Walrus, who kept blowing off, to the delight of everyone in the arena. The two actors used the puppets with great skill and it was enlightening to see the expressions on their faces as they played their parts. I have never seen this done before and it really worked.

We were treated to some lovely pieces of live music, including the flute, the concertina and a sweet lullaby. The music punctuated the sometimes intense scenes and at one point we all got to clap along. The two scenes that could have proved a bit scary were well handled, though she did reach for my hand when Samuel, the yellow haired sailor man, went down with his ship, surrounded by Whales: "How did that get there?" she asked.

The yellow haired man, his spirit lost in the Land of Dreams, was saved by the metamorphosis of Grandpa into an eagle and went on to play a part in young Malina's life. "But where is the land of Dreams?" asked my spellbound companion. "Wherever you want it to be," my reply.

The show lasted for about an hour and, two minutes before it finished, she asked, "Has it finished yet?" I guess you could say then that it was the perfect length.

After the show, we were all invited by the actors to come and meet the puppets, so we took Mummy and Baby Polar Bear to meet the huge ice-bear, quite possibly, for us, the star of the show.

The Tobacco Factory Theatre is an excellent venue, with so much to look at in the building. And the tickets to Malina's Dream cost just £5 each. Once more, an absolute bargain.

We stayed for an ice-cream and a cup of tea and then headed up to Greville Smyth Park to burn off some energy on the very impressive play areas on offer here - an absolute must if you have the time!

A very successful and fun-packed day for both of us.

Weston-super-Dad, Nutty Noah, continues his "Magic, Music and Mayhem" tour at the Tobacco Factory Theatre on April 10th, 11am and 1pm, £5.

Review by Becky Condron

Love Food Spring Festival from a Food Lover's Perspective

So finally we got around to getting out of Weston to check out The Love Food Spring Festival. Easy to get to it was in Brunel's Old Station - for those of you who may remember it used to house the Science Museum many years ago.

As we get there its early and relatively quiet still, a couple of stalls are outside selling sausages and plants, so we sneak a quick peak then go in. Slightly smaller than I had expected but lots crammed in and, as we wonder around, the aroma of all the different stalls starts to soften my somewhat fragile state this morning. The stalls range from Jamaican food, pies, wine, locally sourced fruit & vegetables and even Greenpeace showed up so it was certainly eclectic. My interest lies in the food and to be more specific the cakes and wow I was not disappointed: the Beach House Bakery cup cakes were so beautiful you didn't dare touch. However, Crumpet Cakes were so simply irresistible, it was all I could do not to scoff my way through the entire selection.

Cakes aside, we did peruse Smokey Joes, the delicious B-B-Q Sauce stall, Kernow Kreperie, Franks & I enjoyed a tomato cheese & spinach sensation and finally we tried the drip filter coffee. Lovely way to while away a couple of hours this morning and great to have possibly found a new supplier of cakes that is relatively local and definitely independent.

Review by Weston-super-Mum, Clare Morris, Owner of Coco Browns in Regent Street, Weston-super-Mare

Time Out From Anger - Lighthouse.

On 10th March I began a parenting course at St. Paul's church on Walliscote road. The course is led by Julie Lanham, who works for an organisation called Lighthouse. I saw the course advertised on the Weston-super-Mum website and I would like to tell other Mums and Dads about how helpful I am finding it.

The title of the course is "Time out from anger". I think that some people may be put off by this title. It can be really difficult for people to accept that they get angry sometimes. The course is aimed at parents but the issues are ones that we face in all aspects of life. As a parent of over 5 years I understand that some parents feel they need to hide their feelings and pride can stop themselves seeking help. There is no instruction manual for this important role and we are all trying to cope in our own way.

The course is 4 sessions long. The first 2 deal with our own anger (as parents) The last 2 help us to cope with anger in our children. Each week there is discussion about why we feel so upset and ways we can deal with situations (for example, how to explain things to our children) There is also advice about having a break from your children, doing exercise or other relaxation etc.

Many of us who are attending the course have felt a lot better just by talking things through with other parents. We have been very open about our feelings. For instance, It can be reassuring to know that someone else has felt very hurt when their child refuses to eat the meal they have cooked.

For more information on this and other courses available see the web site.

www.lighthouse-weston.org.uk

Review by Weston-super-Mum, Emma Hartley