Handa’s Surprise (age 0-6)
The Musicians of Bremen
The book: This book by Eileen Browne tells the story of Handa who puts seven
(age 4 +)
T ED
delicious pieces of fruit in her basket and sets out to take them to her friend.
The book: The story of the Town
CREA
As she walks with the basket on her head, several creatures steal her fruit.
Musicians of Bremen is an old German
A monkey takes the banana, an ostrich the guava, a zebra the orange, an
fairy tale that was recorded by the
elephant the mango, a giraffe the pineapple, an antelope the avocado and a
Brothers Grimm. It tells the story of a
parrot the passion fruit. Handa is unaware of the fruit being stolen but a goat
donkey, a dog, a cat and a rooster who
charges into a tangerine tree and fills the basket with tangerines much to
are all mistreated by their masters.
Handa’s surprise when she hands the basket to her friend. The story brings alive
They meet and decide that they would
both Africa and the fruit and animals at the
like to go to Bremen to be free of their
centre of the story.
masters as Bremen is known for its
The play: The Theatre Royal Bath’s award
freedom. On the way, they see a lighted
winning children’s theatre, “the egg”, brings
cottage and, standing on each other’s
this book to the stage in a blend of live
backs they look in and see four robbers
performance, puppetry, music and song. It is
inside. They decide to perform for the men in the hope that they will be fed. The
showing from the 16th to the 18th of October.
noise they make, however, scares the men and they run for their lives leaving the
Also showing at the Lyric in London and the
animals to move into the house and enjoy the food . . . I recommend the new flip
Albany in Deptford.
up version of the book by Barbara Vagmozzi.
www.theatreroyal.org.uk/theegg/shows
The play: The Rude Mechanical Theatre Company is staging an adaptation of this
story at The Nuffield Theatre in Southampton on 11 October. Also on at the
Tricycle Theatre, London. www.nuffieldtheatre.co.uk
SEE IT,
READ IT,
LIVE IT . . .
Ghosts in the Gallery Oxford bookshow And there’s more
The Polka Theatre in Wimbledon puts on “Ghosts in On Wednesday 1st October, Michael Rosen (the www.thealbany.org.uk - Deptford: How the Giraffe
the Gallery” where 500 years of British history comes current Children’s Laureate) will be holding the got its neck, Musicians of Bremen, Hoof, The Little
to life in 90 minutes in a fast-paced journey from the audience spellbound with his exhilarating and Red Hen, and Handa’s Surprise.
Tudor times to the 21st Century: humourous performance.
www.artsdepot.co.uk - London N12: Hoof, Old
“It’s Halloween and closing time in the gallery. He will be joined by Anushka Ravishankar (the author
Mother Hubbard, The Selfish Giant and The
A young girl is desperate to see her favourite portrait of Catch the Crocodile) who has become well known
Lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch.
of Anne Boleyn - when suddenly two hands reach for her books of nonsense verse. www.thebroadwaybarking.com - Barking, Essex:
out and grab her!” The Little Red Hen, The Marvellous Magical Coat,
The Oxford Playhouse: www.oxfordplayhouse.com
Handa’s Surprise, Tales from Old Japan.
www.polkatheatre.com
Michael Rosen’s “Pinocchio” also plays for an
www.tricycle.co.uk - London NW6. Carnival Child,
Join the Polka Theatre at the National Portrait Gallery extended period in late autumn at the Polka Theatre
Treasure Island, Beauty and the Beast,
for a special evening on Friday 31st October for in Wimbledon.
The Musicians of Bremen, Sinbad, The Dragon’s Tale.
some spooky fun surprises.
www.polkatheatre.com
www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk - Greenwich: The Sun
www.npg.org.uk
Dragon, Giraffes can’t Dance.
www.lyric.co.uk - Hammersmith W6: Teapot,
Little Red You Know Who, Hoof
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