Family Fun at Derby LIVE this October Half Term
Tue 8 Oct 2013
Derby LIVE are thrilled to part of UK’s first Family Arts Festival, taking place 18 Oct- 3 Nov 2013 which has been created to encourage families to enjoy the arts together. This is the first UK-wide festival of its kind and venues up and down the country have been programming specific family-friendly events to encourage more families to take part.
Derby LIVE have programmed 5 events as part of the Family Arts Festival – ranging from Ballet, Theatre, Comedy and Music, which will appeal to a wide range of ages.
Kicking off the festival is Ballet Theatre UK’s production of Tchaikovsky’s, The Nutcracker (Fri 25 Oct, 7:30pm). This perennial family favourite will delight and amaze children and adults, as the story of Clara and her magical nutcracker doll that turns into a prince on Christmas Eve, unfolds to Tchaikovsky’s magical and memorable score. This production has no live orchestra but has mesmerizing and beautiful dancing, perfect for that first visit to the ballet. Tickets are £20.50, family ticket £70 (2 adults 2 children) with concessions available.
There is a change of pace with our second event in the festival, Ha Ha Holmes! And the Hound of The Baskervilles (Tue 29 Oct, 7:30pm). This is a mad cap comic adventure starring comedy national treasure Joe Pasquale. Holmes and Watson have been charged with hunting down the Baskerville hound. It’s elementary! It’s also downright hilarious – but be warned this is Holmes and Watson as you have never seen them before. Tickets are £21.25 with concessions and group rates available.
Cuddlestown comes to Derby as B1 and B2 pay us a visit with their magical show Bananas in Pyjamas (Thu 31 Oct, 2pm). It’s a Banana emergency! It’s party time in Cuddlestown but the guest of honour is missing – B1 and B2 have to race to the rescue with some help from their friends. Perfect for the under 8s this charming adventure will have little ones beaming from ear to ear. Tickets are £13.75, family tickets £47 (2 adults and 2 children).
Sinfonia Viva present I Have to Leave My House (Fri 1 Nov, 2:30pm) where audiences are invited to listen to the story of a little mouse in search of the perfect house, whilst joining in with songs performed by members of the Sinfonia Viva Orchestra. This magical journey has been designed especially for the under 5s, their families and friends. Tickets are £6.25.
The final event in the festival is Comedy Club for Kids (Sat 2 Nov, 2pm) where top comedians from the UK and world circuit come together to provide a ‘proper’ comedy club atmosphere for kids and their families. It will be an afternoon of cracking comedy without the rude bits. Suitable for the over 6s, Comedy Club for Kids has been delighting audiences at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for nearly a decade and now embarks on a national tour. Tickets are £7.50.
As part of the festival the Arts Council England and the Theatrical Management Association have launched a campaign to help venues become more family friendly. Derby LIVE are delighted that they have been recognised as a family friendly venue and have been awarded The Family Arts Standard Award. This is a national accreditation that will instantly let families know that they are welcome and that they will be provided with excellent service and facilities to make their visit enjoyable and as stress-free as possible. For more information please visit www.familyartsstandards.com.