Spot's Birthday Party
Based on the popular and nostalgic children’s books written by Eric Hill, Spot’s Birthday Party is a fun interactive show for children two and over and a perfect introduction to theatre. Audiences are being wowed all over the country as Spot and his family and friends prepare for the party of the year, his birthday.
The backdrop for this children’s classic is white with pops of colour and just like the famous books, it opens out providing fun places for the characters to hide. Amber Kelly is bouncy in the title role ‘Spot’. She manages to win the audience over almost immediately and she is extremely likeable with a beautiful singing voice.
James Dodd plays Steve the Monkey, Tom the Crocodile and Spots Dad, Sam. His take on the characters are great and his energy is infectious, bringing cheeky, boisterous mischief to the table which the children love. Jessica Friend plays Helen the Hippo as well as Spots mum, Sally. She was ‘spot on!’, showing versatility as the mummy role, her voice was perfect for this contrasted with a loveable playful sweet Helen.
It was lovely hearing the children laughing and interacting with the characters. You can tell the cast are having so much fun in the show and have worked hard in rehearsals to get the piece tight.
The characters were so well thought out and Sam Bradshaw’s casting is perfect; I love the inclusivity of the Makaton signing and the diversity in accents to distinguish characters, this is very clever as it’s a regional tour and will be performed to little kids up and down the country.
The actors are very different and you can tell they have worked extensively on character exploration as each character is individual and with lots of multi rolling, you quickly forget that there are only three actors.
The words and songs are written by Guy Unsworth, he has done a terrific job with this. There is singing throughout which is great for keeping the target audience engaged, it’s upbeat and catchy paired with some simple but funky dance moves, simple enough for the audience to copy. You can’t have a party without some dress up and the costumes were great, I love that you can see the faces of the actors
Likened to a children’s party, the show is jam packed with dancing, singing and interactive games and the kids even get given a party hat to wear. Quick paced and to the point, running at around fifty minutes, the show is the perfect length for the children. And adults, you’ll be pleased to know you will enjoy it too. As an added bonus, you also get the opportunity to have a picture with Spot, which is the perfect end to a lovely family day out.
This show was reviewed on the 21st April 2024 at Blackheath Halls, London. For full tour details please visit: Spot's Birthday Party - Sam Bradshaw Productions
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Photo credit: Tim Dickeson
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