The hugely popular children’s show There’s a Monster in Your Show is heading to Harrow Arts Centre this weekend as part of a major UK tour.
Based on the best-selling picture book by Tom Fletcher, the high-energy family show will be performed on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 May, with tickets available via the Harrow Arts Centre website.
The production is back on a third major UK theatre tour due to overwhelming demand, with 47 venues on the schedule until 1 June 2025. So far, it has been seen by more than 45,000 children and their families.
Originally adapted for the stage in October 2023, There’s a Monster in Your Show is a lively 50-minute adventure full of catchy original songs by Tom Fletcher and Barrie Bignold. It’s designed specifically for toddlers and young children, with plenty of interactive moments where the audience is encouraged to sing, shout, and dance along.
Tom Fletcher said, “It’s been an amazing experience to see ‘There’s a Monster In Your Book,’ come to life on stage and to meet the characters that I invented in my head! And it’s been incredible to be a part of developing the show and combining my love of writing books and stories with writing some of the songs for the production. When we began this journey at the beginning of 2023, I couldn’t have dreamed that we’d have toured the country for nearly a year, had a residency in London and be heading out on a third national tour this autumn! It’s testimony to the extraordinary puppeteers and the gorgeous puppets.
‘There’s a Monster In Your Show’ is the perfect first theatre trip for young families. Going to the theatre with kids can be stressful but this is a totally interactive show where children are actively encouraged to shout, sing, clap and dance!”
The story follows a group of performers who discover that Little Monster and his friends Dragon, Alien, and Unicorn have joined their stage. Chaos and comedy follow as they learn about books, friendship, and fun through music and play.
Writer and director Miranda Larson said, “The Who’s in Your Book series is so mischievous and cheeky, with a huge sense of humour, and we’ve brought that to the stage. There’s a fun chaos to it all, slapstick humour, and the puppets have such a wow factor.”
Larson, who also adapted The Christmasaurus and worked on children’s favourites like Fireman Sam and Thomas the Tank Engine, believes this kind of theatre is more important than ever: “There seems to be way more pressure on children these days, even really young kids are so much more aware of stresses than when I was a child. The great thing about theatre is they just get lost in this magical moment, the stage is a bubble where the audience of every age can escape their worries and have fun and smile.”
Tom Fletcher added, “I want kids to feel this is a show that they are a part of, not just coming to watch. This isn’t a ‘sit down and be quiet!’ kind of show. There’s a lot of mischief in the book, and the show is not to go according to plan either! Certain monsters will require the audience’s help getting the show back on track. This might be some children’s first trip to the theatre, and I want no other theatrical experience to ever live up to it!”
The show has been described as “The perfect toddler theatre show” by Mother & Baby magazine and has received praise for its family-friendly approach and musical charm.
For tickets and more details, visit: https://harrowarts.com/whats-on/event/theres-a-monster-in-your-show
More information is also available at www.monsterinyourshow.com.
Chris Mitchell is the founder and editor of Harrow Online, Harrow’s leading local news platform.
He launched Harrow Online in 2010 as a Facebook page sharing local news and information. Since then, it has grown into a trusted source for breaking news, crime, council decisions, planning, transport, business and community stories across the borough.
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