9 – 13 February, 2010

Specialists in productions for the very young, Oily Cart, present their new production Drum, the successor to Baby Balloon. Drum is to premier at the TARA Studioo, Earlsfield in February and the production will then tour to children’s centres and nursery groups in the Greater London area until 12 March 2010. For each 55 minute show up to 30 babies and toddlers and their parents and carers will join a playful performer and an accomplished musician in a multi-sensory exploration of drums and rhythm.

Drum is a highly interactive piece, which can readily adapt to the specific requirements of audience members and like all Oily Cart’s work, it will be multi-sensory, aiming to delight each and every one of the senses.

Tim Webb, Oily Cart’s Artistic Director, who created the show tells us, “Everything rolls into the performance space inside a very big bass drum. Within this drum are nested a whole family of smaller drums, Russian doll style. The big bass drum can be set down and, with a light underneath used as a huge, circular light box. Patterns of gels or lentils can be made on this light box surface. Raised up on its side, with a light source behind, the drum will become a shadow screen, to show the strong, uncluttered images that young babies prefer. The smaller drums within the base drum have a wide range of functions. There is an ocean drum to evoke the sound of the sea, monkey drums for the young children to handle themselves, African, Indian, Irish and other drums from around the world. There are up-turned drums containing perfumed petals to be smelled, and others containing rice grains through which you can run your fingers.”

Booking: 020 8333 4457 / www.tara-arts.com
Venue: TARA Studio, 356 Garratt Lane, London SW18 4ES

24 – 28 February 2010

This February the critically acclaimed Imperial Ice Stars, the world’s leading theatrical ice skating company, are bringing their spectacular new production of Cinderella on Ice to the Royal Albert Hall. In a novel twist on the timeless tale, set in a Siberian town, The Imperial Ice Stars tell the story of Cinderella, a humble chorus dancer who is thrust into the spotlight as a prima ballerina and captivates the handsome Lord Mayor’s son, the most eligible bachelor in town, with her graceful performance. Despite rival attempts by her ballerina stepsisters to steal his heart, engineered with true villainy by her stepmother, the local ballet mistress, true love triumphs thanks to the magical powers of the Gypsy Fortune Teller and Cinderella’s kindly father, the town’s Watchmaker.

Cinderella on Ice is set to be one of the most ambitious challenging ice shows ever created, and has been gathering fantastic reviews during its tours of Australia, New Zealand and the UK and has travelled to Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Japan and South Africa as part of an extensive two year world tour.

This specially redesigned production will run for only eight performances and will be only the second time in history when the floor of the Royal Albert Hall has been frozen with ice, and the first since the John Curry Symphony on Ice featuring the Olympic gold medallist was staged 25 years ago. Performed on a specially-created stage, frozen at -15 degrees Celsius, Cinderella on Ice boasts stunning special effects including fire and rain, flying, magnificent projected scenery depicting a Siberian town square and a black and silver art deco theatre, and glorious costumes from Albina Gabueva, head designer at Moscow’s famed Stanislavsky Theatre.

This dramatic new interpretation of the classic fairytale is conceived and choreographed by the award-winning ice director Tony Mercer, together with three of the world’s most respected ice coaches: Evgeny Platov, dual Olympic gold medallist and four-time World Champion; and the 2006 & 2007 ice dancing World Champions Albena Denkova and Maxim Staviski.

An exhilarating combination of theatre and sport, Cinderella on Ice breaks new ground in the world of ice dancing. Renowned for their daring on the ice and unique style of story-telling, the 25-strong cast of World, European and National Championship skaters will perform breathtaking skating feats, some never before attempted in competition or on an icy theatre stage and playing the lead role of Cinderella is Olga Sharutenko, who partnered John Barrowman in the first series of ITV’s Dancing on Ice in 2006.

Address: Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, London, SW7, United Kingdom?
Website: www.royalalberthall.com
Box office: 020 7838 3100 (09:00-21:00 daily)

Until 17 January 2010

This weekend is the last chance to catch The Gruffalo at the Apollo Theatre. Be a brave little mouse and make your way through the concrete jungle to see everyone’s favourite bedtime story live on stage at the Apollo on Shaftesbury Avenue. The book by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler has sold over 4 million copies in 38 languages and was even adapted for television which aired on BBC1 on Christmas Day.

Since its 2006 premiere, this exuberant smash-hit production has been performed over 3000 times to the delight of 700,000 children aged 3 and above, across the UK, Eastern Europe, the Americas and even the Far East.

Tall Stories have created an inventive and clever show about the mouse on her quest for food who narrowly avoids being gobbled up by a wily fox, guileful owl and slithering snake by telling them of the terrible Gruffalo with who she is meeting for lunch. The show is full of fun and has bounds of energy, catch it while you can.

Read our review here.

Address: Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1D 7EZ
Website: http://www.nimaxtheatres.com/
Phone: 0844 579 1971