Angus and I took a train today into Paisley to Paisley Arts Centre to see Jabuti Theatre's Moonbeam on a Cat's Ear. Obviously the highlight of the day was the train ride, including watching all the fast trains speed through our local station. We stopped for lunch beforehand at Blend Coffee Lounge first. My mini-review-in-a-review would be that it was very expensive for lunch for one grown-up and one nearly-three (£12) but tasty and they do have a toy area and children's library (there wasn't any bread with the child portion of soup - cue tears).
If you haven't visited Paisley Arts Centre, you should. It is a short walk from Gilmour Street station (we have only just stopped using the buggy and we managed it). There is a little cafe downstairs and the venue is very small and intimate. The staff are welcoming and friendly.
Image courtesy of Cumbernauld Theatre
I had chosen this show, which has been produced on this occasion as part of the Puppet Animation Festival, partly because it looked reasonably interesting but also date and venue suited (there is a lot of choice just now, see my picks here). The show has a simple premise of two children going out one night to play under a tree but one of them steals the moon and they ride it through space before returning home. With a samba section in the middle. The music is great, alternating between different styles and genres and livens things up when needed. The problem for me was that the story didn't develop beyond the synopsis and as the show was mostly non-verbal, Angus wasn't gripped. It was more like seeing visual art for him: he enjoyed seeing the rocket, the tree grow, the planets... but the performance side didn't deliver. Personally, I am growing tired of the "stylised-movement and smiling at each other" variety of children's theatre, but I'm not the audience. Angus could definitely identify his favourite parts afterwards but I think he prefers livelier, more storytelling theatre. The performance of the piece was tight with lots of lovely visual moments, although after lunch and in warm, dark space, Angus did nod off briefly. There was a (guessing) Primary 2 class in the audience and they were gripped and I could hear positive reviews from them. I think the show works well as a sensory experience for little ones (although it's billed as three plus) or older children who will enjoy piecing the elements of the story together. I see they have lots more dates on the tour, including Cumbernauld Theatre.
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