The Tyne Theatre and Opera House has announced a series of family-friendly shows for 2018, from an Easter panto to Sooty and Sweep and other children’s favourites to the stage adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s award-winning novel Private Peaceful.
First up, on 31 March and 1 April, is the Easter pantomime Beauty and the Beast which stars Bobby Davro and Tracy Beaker and Strictly Come Dancing’s Dani Harmer and is produced by Enchanted Entertainment, which produced Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the venue over the Christmas period.
Then on 14 April, Sooty and Friends (that’s Sooty, Sweep, Soo and Richard Cadell) present their Magic Show, featuring Clivo & Jeani (the magical clowns) and Graeme Shaw.
On 20 and 21 April (for five performances; such was the demand an extra one has been added on the Saturday), Freckle Productions presents Tiddler and Other Terrific Tales from the stories by Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler: Tiddler, Monkey Puzzle, The Smartest Giant in Town and A Squash and a Squeeze.
There’s another story by Julia Donaldson, this time with Lydia Monks, on stage at the Tyne Theatre from 8 to 10 June. For age 3+, What the Ladybird Heard sees Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len hatch a cunning plan to steal the farmer's fine prize cow but the tiniest, quietest creature, The Ladybird has plans of her own…
From 21 to 24 June Cirque Berserk! arrives at the theatre, a show for all the family.
The national touring production of Michael Morpurgo’s Private Peaceful, adapted for the stage by Simon Reade, runs from 13 to 15 September. Suitable for age 8+, this classic World War I play by the author of War Horse shows us Private Thomas (Tommo) Peaceful as he looks back on his short life, awaiting dawn and the firing squad for cowardice.
Finally Guess How Much I Love You, adapted from the bestselling Guess How Much I Love You and I Love You All Year Round and aimed at age 3+, plays from 20 to 22 September.