It is always a bit of a gamble to take a two year old for their first visit to see live theatre. Will they sit still or want to run around? Will they be frightened, cry and disturb everyone? Will they last five minutes and then grizzle to leave?

Emboldened by the success of taking his sister, (now a seasoned theatre-goer, aged four) we, the proud grandparents (plus parents this time), decided it was time to include Oscar in the treat.

The venue, the New Wolsey Studio in Ipswich, is perfect; friendly and small enough so everyone is close to the action, although this time we were surprised to see that the audience would be sitting on the floor around the performance area rather than on the tiered seats.

The play, based on the book by Eileen Brown, was performed by two actresses who sang African songs, played traditional instruments and passed around fruit for everyone to smell and touch, (and amazingly no-one tried to taste, although Oscar wasn’t alone at looking at the banana longingly), and they also acted as puppeteers.  With a colourful set, costumes and props, movement, sound and a strong story-line, the half-hour play held even the youngest children’s attention. Would Handa realise that the basket of fruit on her head, a present for her friend Aleko, was gradually emptying as the animals helped themselves as she walks to the Kenyan village where Aleko lives? In the end the goat saves the day when he butts a tangerine tree and fills the empty basket with what turns out to be Aleko’s favourite fruit…and all the children got to eat a segment of tangerine too. 

We bought a copy of the book at the theatre and Oscar spent all weekend asking for “Surprise” to be read to him, again and again. Ciara agreed that her little brother had behaved well, doing as she had told him by “sitting down and being quiet”. Ciara would like him to come to the theatre with her again, and we were reminded that, when it came to the very little ones, a short play especially devised for 2-6 year olds, was a much safer bet than the traditional introduction to theatre – a pantomime.

Rachel Sloane
November 2008