British Theatre Guide

News, reviews, features and podcast on theatre across the UK

Children and young people's theatre

News

Climate Change Catastrophe

Climate Catastrophe collaboration

20 April 2021

A new film, Climate Change Catastrophe!, is from a collaboration between primary schoolchildren, Newcastle University scientists, NE singer-songwriter Katie Doherty and Cap-a-Pie theatre company.

Opera North Children's Chorus perform The Spiders' Revenge

Opera North new activities for young musicians

15 April 2021

Opera North’s £18m redevelopment project, the Howard Opera Centre, will offer over 300 places for young musicians and Opera North Youth Orchestra launched.

Peter Terson in 2020

Peter Terson (1932–2021)

14 April 2021

Playwright Peter Terson has died at the age of 89.

Opening in Northampton: Animal Farm

National Youth Theatre to stage summer tour

13 April 2021

The National Youth Theatre has announced plans for its REP Company’s first national tour which will feature two new shows co-produced by Northampton’s Royal and Derngate.

Chloe Keneally as Odette in My First Ballet: Swan Lake

My First Ballet: Swan Lake on ENB at Home

7 April 2021

An hour-long, specially adapted version of Swan Lake is now available English National Ballet’s digital platform.

Ben, Josiah (9), Talia (6) and Temitope Ajose-Cutting

New family activity on Sadler’s Wells Digital Stage

6 April 2021

Sadler’s Wells has commissioned an audio work designed for families from Charlotte Spencer Projects, All these things we can make, available as part of Sadler’s Wells Digital Stage.

The Storm Shepherd

The Storm Shepherd, weather or not

28 March 2021

The Storm Shepherd—a new interactive, audio experience for families—is the opening event in Unity’s Open Call Programme in Liverpool.

Writer Andrew Finnigan & director Abigail Lawson

The Takeover returns

16 March 2021

South Shields’ Customs House’s Takeover Festival for young people returns in June.

Mark Baldwin and Brandon Lawrence on Elmhurst board

10 March 2021

Elmhurst Ballet School has appointed to its board choreographer and director Mark Baldwin and BRB Principal dancer Brandon Lawrence.

Freya Bennet-Nielsen

Three new trustees for Z-arts

7 March 2021

Z-arts in Manchester has three new trustees on its board: Freya Bennett-Nielson, Linda Green and Nazma Noor.

The Wakey-Wake-Amatic

Winners get heard if not seen

7 March 2021

The winning entries of Theatr Iolo’s Young Playwright’s Competition are produced as audio plays whilst venues remain closed.

Leap of Dance Academy students in Nigeria

UK donates dance wear to Africa and Guatemala

5 March 2021

Elmhurst Ballet School and Dancing Boutique are sending more than 200 items of dancewear to The Leap of Dance Academy in Nigeria, Africa, and Transformación Ballet in Sololá, Guatemala.

Hope Mill Theatre Community Hub

Hope Mill Theatre expands horizons

1 March 2021

Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre is launching a community hub and small studio theatre.

Youngsters working on a Reimagine project at Derby Theatre

Derby Theatre celebrates young people’s work

27 February 2021

Derby Theatre is to showcase work created by young people in areas of low cultural engagement through Reimagine, an online project supported by £1.1 million from Arts Council England.

Open Space Project

NI dance company launches Open Space project

25 February 2021

Performing and creative arts centre Dance Associate in Newry, Northern Ireland has secured funding to launch a new project for young people.

Representing Muslim characters and communities: Jabala and the Jinn

Belgrade to première children’s show online

24 February 2021

Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre is to livestream Asif Khan’s new play for children Jabala and the Jinn.

Demystifying the industry: the Courtyard’s Forge masterclasses

Courtyard starts masterclasses for young people

4 February 2021

The Courtyard Hereford is to offer a series of masterclasses which are designed to help young people forge a career in the arts.

Honour: Alexia McIntosh

Alexia starts Birmingham theatre’s online workshops

22 January 2021

Birmingham’s Alexia McIntosh has kicked off a series of digital masterclasses at the Hippodrome in the city: 25 online workshops for young people aged between 7 and 25.

Alex Wheatle with the cover of his book Home Girl

Derby Theatre to stage Wheatle’s Home Girl

16 January 2021

A new stage adaptation of Alex Wheatle’s Home Girl is to be staged at Derby Theatre with Derby’s Cultural Education Partnership, professional writers, care-experienced young people and other young theatre-makers.

Snow Queen out of the shadows

15 January 2021

Lancaster-based theatre company Three Left Feet presents a shadow puppet theatrical retelling of The Snow Queen to watch online.

Creative sessions: The Courtyard goes online

Online courses at The Courtyard

7 January 2021

The Courtyard Hereford is to deliver a range of classes online, enabling participants to engage in creative sessions from the safety of their homes.

Home or away - at HOME!

19 December 2020

HOME’s Christmas shows are to go ahead despite the tiering announcement for Manchester.

Eilish Stout-Cairns (Bubblegum) & Nigel Collins (Santa)

Can Bubblegum save Santa?

18 December 2020

Northumberland Theatre Company has the answer.

Merry Christmas, Holly & Ivan

Merry Christmas, Holly & Ivan

16 December 2020

A sister, her brother and a theatre unite to tell a Christmas story with Newcastle’s Alphabetti Theatre.

The Lost Happy Endings

TV double bill for balletLORENT

15 December 2020

Two balletLORENT performances are to be release on Marquee TV and Sky Arts

William Steele and ZB

A puppet school for Newcastle

14 December 2020

Kids and teens in Newcastle are invited to join an online puppet school next spring.

Rising to the challenge: the Hippodrome Education Network

Birmingham theatre raises £26,000 to support young people

11 December 2020

Donors have raise more than £26,000 to help Birmingham Hippodrome to expand its work with 5,000 young people in Birmingham and the West Midlands in 2021.

The NYT’s Rep company coming together for the first week of rehearsals for its 2021 productions

Northampton and National Youth Theatre unite for training

9 December 2020

Northampton’s Royal and Derngate and the National Youth Theatre's partnership will provide training for young people and has led to the commissioning of three new productions.

Christmas with the Hobbs

An animated Christmas from Northumberland

4 December 2020

Three Northumberland venues, a producer, a writer from Gateshead, a Newcastle songwriter and a South Shields animator combine to produce an animated Christmas show.

Online underwater adventure: The Little Mermaid

Derby Theatre moves Little Mermaid online

3 December 2020

All in-person performances of Mike Kenny’s The Little Mermaid at Derby Theatre have been cancelled as the city has entered tier three COVID restrictions.

Pay what you can: Hansel and Gretel

Hereford Christmas show to have live stream

27 November 2020

The Courtyard Hereford’s annual children’s Christmas show is to go ahead with a difference, with a live stream of Hansel and Gretel from its main stage.

“Festive fun”: Santa’s Christmas Rescue

Santa to the rescue at Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre

26 November 2020

Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre is to host live performances of Santa’s Christmas Rescue, the latest in an interactive series by Imagine Theatre aimed at children aged 2–7.

Hippodrome Education Network students perform a piece inspired by the show Circus 1903 which played the Hippodrome in October 2019

Hippodrome’s aim to raise £20,000 in a week

24 November 2020

Birmingham Hippodrome is to start a fundraising campaign to raise £20,000 in a week to bring confidence and creativity back to young people to combat the effects of COVID-19.

Hansel and Gretel

Hansel and Gretel go on tour

18 November 2020

Theatre Space North East is touring a performance in a tent throughout the region this Christmas.

A “mini magical experience”: ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas

Festive show to be performed on Derby doorsteps

17 November 2020

People living within 10 kilometres of Derby Theatre can book a 15-minute performance of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas to experience from their own doorstep.

Another NE live show announced for Christmas

13 November 2020

Newcastle’s Gosforth Civic Theatre announces twelve performances of a Christmas show specially for children

The Emperor's New Clothes

Northern Stage reveals 2020 Christmas show

9 November 2020

An altogether revealing announcement from Northern Stage: its Christmas show will be The Emperor’s New Clothes.

Alphabetti Theatre

A Christmas show for just one family

28 October 2020

Newcastle’s Alphabetti Theatre presents an immersive theatre experience for just one family or bubble at a time.

A Christmas Story

A children’s Christmas show in South Shields

28 October 2020

Walton-Gunn Productions presents A Christmas Story for the under-7s.

Leading a dance workshop at the community day: Arlene Phillips

Community day and Christmas show at Curve

28 October 2020

Leicester's Curve has revealed the line-up for a community day as well as a Christmas show for families.

Danielle Bird (Mildred) and (Rachel Heaton) as Miss Hardbroom in The Worst Witch

Worst Witch wins Olivier for Northampton theatre

26 October 2020

Royal and Derngate’s Made in Northampton co-production of The Worst Witch scooped the award for best family show at the 2020 Olivier Awards.

Ideas wanted: a new opportunity for young care-experienced people to have their say about creativity in Mansfield

Ideas wanted for Mansfield project for looked-after children

23 October 2020

Mansfield Palace Theatre is keen to hear ideas for a project to provide opportunities specifically for looked-after children.

Live Tales moves online

23 October 2020

Winter Tales, an online version of Live Theatre’s Live Tales, will be available to KS2 teachers in November and December.

Reviews

Le Gateau Chocolat as Duckie

Duckie

Le Gateau Chocolat and Tommy Bradson

HOME Manchester

Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre

16 December 2020–3 January 2021

Company in Pinocchio

Pinocchio

Anna Ledwich, adapted from The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, musi...

Chichester Youth Theatre

Chichester Festival Theatre

16 December 2020–2 January 2021

Bob Nicolson, Jeremy Bradfield, Simmie Kaur and Hannah Goudie-Hunter

The Emperor’s New Clothes

Devised by Mark Calvert, Hannah Goudie-Hunter, Laura Lindow and Bob Nicholson...

Kitchen Zoo and Northern Stage, video by Meerkat Films

12–31 December 2020

Christmas with the Hobs

Christmas with the Hobs

Becci Sharrock, music by Bridie Jackson and animation by Sheila Graber

Alnwick Playhouse, Maltings (Berwick) and Queen’s Hall Arts (Hexham) with Car...

12–31 December 2020

Dame Bella and Arbuthnot

Arbuthnot and Dame Bella’s Christmas Adventure

Davey Hopper and Jen Stevens, with additional material by Ray Spencer, music ...

The Customs House, South Shields

Released 10 December 2020

Ali Watt as Lari, Clare Grogan as Mrs Claus, Colin McCredie as Santa and Barbara Hockaday as Hari

The Magic of Christmas

Russell Beard and Elizabeth Newman, based on a short play by Elizabeth Newman...

Pitlochry Festival Theatre

Pitlochry Festival Theatre Garden

9–23 December 2020

The Elf Who Was Scared Of Christmas

The Elf Who Was Scared Of Christmas

Neil McDermott and Gina Beck

Danielle Tarento

Charing Cross Theatre

8–23 December 2020

The Aftermath

Anna Holmes and Sam Ford

The Piece Hall Trust, Northern Rascals and Northern Broadsides

The Piece Hall, Halifax

18 November–31 December 2020

Sean Kearns as Professor Bamberg in The University of Wonder and Imagination

The University of Wonder and Imagination

Paul Bosco McEneaney and Hugh W Brown

Cahoots NI

22 October–1 November 2020