In children’s theatre, little ideas can make a big impression. Take the opening announcement at the Polka, spoken by and directed at kids: “Please ask your grownups to be quiet!” It means my daughter Hilda, nine, is snorting with laughter before Crackers even begins. That’s also because its rodent star, Napoleon, is popping out of the cupboards and corners of Liz Cooke’s ramshackle kitchen set as we take our seats.
Amid the traditional blizzard of familiar pantos here’s an original new “festive farce” for children aged five-12, written by Charles Way. The Crackers – mum Sue, son Joe and daughter Maia – run a pet shop that’s losing customers faster than an akita sheds hair. Mum’s putting the house and shop on the market but Joe has a plan to save them. If only he could work out where great-grandma Cath’s beloved first husband stashed his diamonds during the second world war.
