tried & tested

This weekend, we were gifted tickets and invited along to see and review ‘By the Light of the Moon’ at The Hat Factory Arts Centre in Luton, which is run by the Culture Trust and part of the Winter with The Culture Trust programme of events. 

The production is a family Christmas show, put on by Full House Theatre, showcasing a beautiful story about bravery and wonder, and a friendship formed in the face of difference. The tender and uplifting show looks at the world through eyes that can see beauty in the dark, helping a little cat to overcome his fear of the dark.

The Hat Factory Arts Centre is located on Bute Street in Luton and was really easy to get to as it’s the Hitchin-side of Luton and also has the Bute Street Shoppers Car Park right on its doorstep. Just bear in mind the car park is cash only, as I hadn’t checked this which caused a bit of pre-show stress- the Theatre Duty Manager was hugely helpful with this situation though (thank you!).

 

When we entered the theatre, the two actors were out on stage welcoming the children and getting them involved right from the start, which was great. The seats were raised on rows so it was a lovely intimate theatre experience, which was perfect for children to see everything and be involved. It was reassuring to see a note on the event page about the relaxed atmosphere of the show and not to worry about little ones getting up and about or having to pop out during the show. It was the first time we’d taken our 2 year old to a proper show, so we were a bit unsure about how he’d be, but he was transfixed by the animal characters in the show and was commenting and pointing at things throughout, even staying in his seat the majority of the show!

The show was about 45-50 minutes, which was a good length for keeping children engaged. Throughout the performance, the actors sang songs (with very impressive voices!), told the story with props, and even came in to the audience to interact with the children a number of times. Any children who wanted to were also invited to go on to the stage and place an item they’d been given in to a little scene, which they all loved.

The show is aimed at age 3+ but our 2 year old really enjoyed it, so don’t be afraid to take younger ones, as we really were made to feel relaxed and let children move about.

The show is running until Friday December 23rd and there will be a BSL performance on Thursday 22nd December at 11:30am.

You can find more information and ticket availability on the Culture Trust website here.



The Culture Trust has other Christmas events running, so do check out their 'Winter with The Culture Trust' page.  

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