REVIEW: Wholesome fun at There's A Monster In Your Show
'Tom Fletcher’s interactive adventures for big imaginations are leaping from page to stage'
We are big fans of the best selling 'Who's in Your Book' series in our house and have the Monster, Dragon, Elf and Bunny version of the paperback which our boys have both loved.
So when we saw it was making its stage debut as a brand-new musical show we jumped at the chance of seeing it at the Royal and Derngate in Northampton.
On a rainy bank holiday Monday, we settled down in a packed auditorium full of families with young children.
A cheery group of performers began whipping up the crowd before taking to the stage for 'Charlie's Show'.
As they chaotically start preparing for the show, the group soon realise a cheeky little Monster has escaped from the book and wants to join in the fun!
Colour, song and dance erupt onto the stage as they battle to get Monster back into the book.
I love looking at the little ones faces during any performance and my three-year-old was spellbound, occasionally clapping and dancing in his seat when required during the audience participation.
As always with this kind of production, the cast were full of fun, smiles and energy. Navigating their way through the plot with precision with a gaggle of puppets including Dragon, Unicorn and Alien who all join Monster on the stage for plenty of chaos and giggles.
The skillful cast member who seamlessly made changes to the set throughout also deserves a mention. I doubt the little ones noticed what she was doing but she was here there everywhere during the action packed show.
The 55 minute show ended with a challenge to finally get all four characters back into their books where they belong.
One by one the Monster, Dragon, Unicorn and Alien were all caught and put back into their respective books.
I won't spoil the ending but it was very clever and magical, even leaving my eight year old wondering how they did it.
The hugely talented Tom Fletcher - of McFly fame - is a genius.
Not only is he an amazing musician and songwriter but also a fun-loving family man and this shines through in his heartwarming show that leaves you grinning from ear to ear.
There’s A Monster In Your Show debuted in October 2023 at the Watford Palace Theatre and is currently on its third UK theatre tour.
There are plenty of dates still to grab tickets for with the tour coming to a close in June this year.
Visit the website for more information, dates and tickets at monsterinyourshow.com
As always a big shout out to our wonderful local theatre, the Royal and Derngate and the super staff there who always make our trips here with young and old a seamless one.
We're lucky to have such a wonderful venue on our doorstep.
There's a packed schedule out for the rest of the year. Visit royalandderngate.co.uk for listings and tickets.