[Ad-gifted] The bestselling children’s author David Walliams and the award-winning Birmingham Stage Company have teamed up for a brand-new production of the family adventure Awful Auntie at The Regent Theatre. Libby Dallimore reviews.
David Walliams, known for questionable TV shows like Little Britain, Come Fly with Me, and his judging role on Britain’s Got Talent, has made a remarkable mark as a children’s author since his first book, The Boy in the Dress, hit shelves in 2008. Since then, he’s written more than 30 titles and sold over 50 million copies of his books worldwide.
His unique and quirky creations seem to captivate readers and have become a big hit with young readers, with many of his best-selling books adapted into TV shows for BBC.
One of his best-loved books, Awful Auntie has been adapted for the stage, produced by The Birmingham Stage Company (famed for their Horrible Histories productions), which brings Walliams’ eccentric characters to life.
While I was familiar with Walliams’ rise in the literary world, I hadn’t delved too deeply into his children’s books. They’re not the kind of bedtime story I was too fond of – far too much mention of toilets, bums and bodily functions for my liking. But of course this is the very reason why his books are enjoyed by so many kids. My own included.
Out of the 34 published works by Walliams, Awful Auntie, his seventh book, is one that my daughter has read and so she was extremely excited to see how it could be brought to life on stage. Admittedly, I was less enthused and to everyone’s surprise, not least my own, I was completely engrossed throughout and really enjoyed the show.
The story centres around a young girl called Stella, played with childish energy by Annie Cordoni, who awakes from a coma to be told her parents were in a car accident. Her nasty Aunt, played by Zain Abrahams for this evening’s performance, has vowed to take care of her but Stella will soon discover that not everything is as it seems and she finds herself in the fight of her life.
As the wickedly evil Auntie, Zain Abrahams was hilarious. His performance was very League of Gentlemen for children which thankfully made the show just as entertaining for us grown ups. Usually, Neal Foster would play the aunt and Zain, the dithering old butler Gibbon but Frankie Oldham’s depiction of the dizzy old man was highly amusing, bringing lots of hilarity to break up the mild peril.
Matthew Allen’s depiction as the chimney sweep ghost Soot was also a credible childish sidekick to our heroine Stella and together the two were very convincing as a pair of 12-year-olds trying to outwit Stella’s nasty Aunt Alberta and her owl chum Wagner.
In all honesty, I’m not a big fan of Walliams’ work and so I didn’t expect to enjoy the show as much as I did. Yes, there’s lots of flatulence and toilet gags but the giggles from the children was infectious and I too was laughing the whole way through. As children’s theatre goes, this was a well-polished, well staged, and well, just a very fun family show. If you have the same reservations as me, prepare to be thoroughly entertained!
Cast
Stella – Annie Cordoni
Soot – Matthew Allen
Aunt Alberta – Zain Abrahams
Gibbon – Frankie Oldham
Wagner / Pupper Captain – Emily Essery
Detective Staws – Elan Retsof
Understudy – Emily Prosser-Davies
Creative Team
Adapter and Director – Neal Foster
Co-Director – Richard J Hinds
Set and Costume Designer – Jackie Trousdale
Lighting Designer – Jason Taylor
Composer – Jak Poore
Sound Designer – Nick Sagar
Puppet Designer and Puppet Direction – Yvonne Stone
Video Designer – Simon Wainwright
Costume Supervisor – Nia Evans
Casting – Anne Voser
Production Manager – Adrian Littlejohns
How much are the tickets?
Tickets are priced from £15 to £42. For Groups (10 or more), call their dedicated Groups team on 020 7206 1174 or email groupsales@atgtickets.com. A transaction charge applies to online/phone bookings.
How do I book tickets to watch Awful Auntie?
Tickets are now on sale and available from the Box Office, by calling 0844 871 7615 or by visiting ATG’s website here.
How long is the show for and what are the timings?
The show will be running until Saturday , 5 October 2024. Act 1 runs for 45 minutes while Act 2 runs for 55 minutes. There is also a 20 minute interval. There is an age guidance of 5+
Where is The Regent Theatre in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent?
Piccadilly
Stoke-on-Trent
ST1 1AP
Tel: 08448717649
About Regent Theatre
The Regent Theatre is a theatre in Stoke-on-Trent, England. Constructed in 1929 as a cinema, it is one of several theatres in the city centre and one of two owned by the Ambassador Theatre Group. The building was converted for full-time use as a theatre in 1999, and since then has hosted a number of shows and musicals. The theatre is also the northern base for the Glyndebourne Touring Opera.
About David Walliams
David Walliams is one of Britain’s best-loved comedians. Little Britain, his creation with Matt Lucas, won numerous international awards including three BAFTAs, and played in over 100 countries. It was followed by one of the most watched comedies of all time, Come Fly With Me. David was a judge on Britain’s Got Talent for ten years and won numerous National TV Awards for Best TV Judge. A best-selling children’s author, David began writing books in 2008. His books have been
translated into 55 languages, selling over 53 million copies worldwide.
Tips / Information
- Masks and Covid passes are not mandatory in the Theatre at the moment
- Ample public car park spaces are available near to the Regent Theatre. The nearby John Street car park is the closest and it closes at 11.30pm while the Pottery Centre carpark charges a fixed rate of £1.50 (after 6pm) and this carpark closes at 11pm
- Accessibility: On arrival at the theatre there are nine steps leading from the front doors to the foyer. There is a small lift suitable for wheelchairs and buggies
- There is lift access to all levels from the foyer (with an audible announcer)
- There is an infra-red sound enhancement system in the auditorium
- Guide, hearing and other working dogs are welcome in all parts of the theatre, and water is provided for them on request
- Accessible toilets are available
Review by: Libby Dallimore
You may also want to read this:
Review: An Inspector Calls at The Regent Theatre in Hanley
Review: Madagascar The Musical at The Regent Theatre
Review: Annie with Lesley Joseph playing Miss Hannigan at The Regent Theatre
Photo Credit: Regent Theatre/Mark Douet
* We were provided with press tickets in exchange for a review. All opinions are our own.
12 comments
This is so so cool! I would love to watch this one, it seems amazing. They have the best plays…This one is a must see.
Yes a must see indeed, especially for families
This looks like a super fun show! I love the use of puppets and the vibe. So amazing.
It certainly was, we all enjoyed it
Wow this sounds like it was a big hit with all age groups.
It sure was and even the adults loved it
Awful Auntie sounds like a pretty good book to read for kids. I’d like to pick it up! I’d love to read it for them first before taking them to a show that projects the adapted version of it.
It is such a good play to head to especially when kids have read the book as well
Another stunning use of puppets! I absolutely love plays that have some sort of puppet element to them. This one sounds fantastic.
Thank you and can’t agree with you more
Beautiful theatrical performance and amazing costumes! You’re lucky to be able to enjoy your theater’s plays regularly.
Absolutely, we are so lucky to have so many theatres locally