In The Night Garden

An enchanting circus fable that will mesmerise audiences of all ages.

Enter the forest, get lost in the tree tops and discover a whole new world.

Freely inspired from Italo Calvino’s novel “The Baron in the Trees”, this thrilling circus show will enchant you and amaze you, taking you somewhere between the ground and the sky, reverie and reality.

Above is a playful, romantic fable, following the life of Cosimo who at 12 years old rebels against his family and climbs a tree in protest at being forced to eat snails, vowing that his feet will never touch the ground again. He spends the rest of his life in the trees, has adventures with bandits and pirates, explores the forest, falls in love, and watches the revolutionary ideas of The Age of Enlightenment unfold beneath him. With high flying aerial stunts, amazing acrobatics, stunning visuals, and fun physical comedy, Above is a rich theatrical experience for the whole family.

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SQUASHBOX THEATRE
Presents:
STONES AND BONES
Come on a journey to Ancient Cornwall...
A land of fiery volcanoes and strange prehistoric creatures...
A land of myth and legend, giants and druids...
A land of ancient stone circles and mysterious monuments...
A land of Stones and Bones...
Squashbox Theatre’s new show is a marvellous mix of history and mystery!
Find out all about archaeology and fossils, say hello to one of your stone-age ancestors,
hear stories of giants and wizards, see a volcano erupting before your very eyes, and maybe
even glimpse a dinosaur or two...

There will be thrills and spills galore, but also lots of laughs, plenty of puppets, songs,
slapstick, tall tales and crazy characters – all presented in that unique Squashbox style!

Stones And Bones is 50 mins long and suitable for children aged 5+.

“Slick, original and funny, Stones and Bones is a one man whirlwind tour of prehistoric
Cornwall, and is a must see for all Dinosaur lovers, young and old alike.”
Sophia Richards, guide2bristol.com

"Craig's success lies in the fact that he talks to, rather than at, his young audience, and he
does it all with a huge sense of joy and fun that is as inspiring as it is infectious. An engaging
entertainer to be treasured."
Frank Ruhrmund, The Cornishman

“Craig Johnson is totally at ease with his audience, adult and child alike, and combines an
innate understanding and delight in storytelling with fantastic comic and musical skill.
Mike Shepherd, Founder and Artistic Director, Kneehigh Theatre

In 1932 The Plaza Super Cinema and Variety Theatre opened her doors with Laurel & Hardy on the giant silver screen so join us for our annual family homage to these undisputed Kings of Comedy!

Featuring a mix of Laurel & Hardy features, a few surprises along the way and a FREE interval gift for everyone who dresses to impress as either Stan, Ollie or any of their hilarious co-stars!

Dress up if you wish and come along with all the family for an afternoon of laughter in Stockport's home of family big screen entertainment!....

DOUBLE TROUBLE BUNDLE: Get access to the 11am 'Another fine Mess' Screening and also to the 6.00pm 'Laurel & Hardy Secret Screening' event for only £10!

Since 2005, the Comedy Club 4 Kids has been getting the best stand-ups and sketch acts from the international circuit to do their thing for an audience of children (aged 6+) and their families… but without the rude bits! A decade later, the company has expanded from one London residency to being countrywide, running shows and workshops all over the UK from Peebles to Portsmouth, even producing a book on how to write and perform stand-up. The show is family friendly, but without any patronising idiocy. In fact, it's just like a normal comedy club, but it's on in the day, kids are allowed in, and thus there is a higher than usual chance of heckles like "why is that your face!?"

"A highlight for children in recent years, giving them a taste of some of the biggest names in comedy... with the fun, rowdy feel of a real comedy club" - The Guardian
"The ethos is just right" - The Daily Telegraph
"The perfect way to entertain the whole family." - Three Weeks
"All in all this show was great." - The Scotsman
"Comedy Club 4 Kids has stand-up sets from grown-up, high-quality acts who perform their usual sets, just without the swearing or rude bits." - The Independent

On a day of celebration for the Kings of Big Screen Comedy Laurel & Hardy join us for a very special 'Secret Screening'!

For only £5 per person, admission grants you access to enjoy specially chosen and host introduced Laurel and Hardy Features where you find out some insights into the films that you then can enjoy on the giant silver screen but shhhhh the titles are secret and will only be found out on the evening.....

So join us and we shall let you into our secret!

DOUBLE TROUBLE BUNDLE: Get access to the 11am 'Another fine Mess' Screening and also to the 6.00pm 'Laurel & Hardy Secret Screening' event for only £10!

Horrible Histories: Gorgeous Georgians & Vile Victorians

We all want to meet people from history! The trouble is everyone is dead!
So it’s time to prepare for Horrible Histories live on stage with the acclaimed production of Gorgeous Georgians and Vile Victorians!
Are you ready to swing with a Georgian king? Can you see eye to eye with Admiral Nelson? Does the Duke the Wellington get the boot? Dare you dance the Tyburn jig? Will you be saved by Florence Nightingale? Find out what a baby farmer did and move to the groove with party Queen Victoria!
Don’t miss this horrible history of Britain with the nasty bits left in!

The Horrible Histories stage shows have become a bit of a British institution. Sparky, cheeky and covered in poo!
The Guardian

Hilariously vulgar, brilliantly grisly – it has the young audience in stitches!
Daily Express

The Lowry and Lost in Translation Circus present Big Top in the Park

The Hogwallops

A chaotic tale of a family of misfits.

Meet The Hogwallops, a family unlike all others. Every day activities are extreme, with simple tasks such as bedtime and teeth brushing needing a bungee and a high level jet-spray. Dressing is a game of flying aerial wardrobe antics, and meal times are a nerve-wracking display of juggling food and crockery.

Probably the craziest, funniest, most awe-inspiring family you will ever meet.

Everyone’s favourite Gardener Mr Bloom returns to Stockport Plaza to celebrate Stockport’s annual Food and Drink Festival on Sunday 5th September bringing his usual fun with the veggies. Alongside Mr Bloom this year is the Groovy UV show, the UK’s number 1 UV Glow In The Dark Puppet Show with over 300 characters, come down and make a whole day out in Stockport Town Centre for the Food and Drink festival.

Mary Poppins, her best friend Bert the chimney sweep, his friends along with Percy & Pippa the Penguins will entertain all the family with a magical performance of all their songs including “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocios”, “A Spoonful of Sugar”, “Jolly Holliday”,“Chim Chim Cher-ee”, “Feed the Birds” and all the others you remember. This is a fantastic musical tribute to the Mary Poppins films and stage shows.

We are excited that Ben Cajee, CBeebies presenter, is hosting the show and he has a special treat for the second half. Ben will introduce a family concert of songs from some of your favourite family films including Frozen, Beauty and the Beast, Lion King, Little Mermaid, and Aladdin – something for everyone.

“a brilliant uplifting show for all ages”

“a spectacular show” – The Stage Newspaper

As a surprise on the day, Ben Cajee will present six “lucky seats” winners who will each receive a prize of a family day out.

The show will last for about 90 minutes including the interval - an ideal length for a “Practically Perfect” family show.

Don’t Miss THE MAGIC OF THE MUSICALS on the same day!

Proceeds from both shows will be donated to I AM – Celebrating Autism in Greater Manchester (registered charity number 1089527).

Website: http://www.i-am-autism.org.uk/

Two crafty robbers, one tiny ladybird, and a whole farmyard of fun!

Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len have a cunning plan to steal the farmer's fine prize cow. But they reckon without the tiniest, quietest creature of all: the Ladybird has a scheme of her own!
 
Join the clever Ladybird as she leads the animals on their quest to save the day in this joyous stage adaptation of What the Ladybird Heard, the bestselling picture book by Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks.
 
With live music, puppetry and a whole farmyard of fun, this 55-minute family favourite is the perfect treat!

Recommended for ages 3+.

Running time: 55 mins  
For a sneak peek of the trailer visit: https://www.whattheladybirdheardlive.co.uk/

★★★★★ Netmums
★★★★★ Culture Whisper
★★★★ The Stage
'A total delight' The Guardian

This autumn, click your heels, clap your hands and enjoy an adventure Over the Rainbow as we’re off to see… The Wizard of Oz at The Stockport Plaza. Starring from Channel 5’s Milkshake Derek Moran as the Scarecrow, Olivia Birchenough as Glinda the Good Witch and Mickey from Blood Brothers Sean Jones as the Wizard.

Dorothy Gale and her little dog Toto are forever getting into trouble on the farm in Kansas. Alongside her Aunt Em, Uncle Henry and her three hapless farmhand friends, she dreams of traveling to a place where troubles melt like lemon drops over the rainbow. Her wish is granted courtesy of a terrible twister which takes her far away to the magical land of Oz where the beautiful Glinda the Good sends her off down the yellow brick road to the Emerald City. But hot on her ruby heels is the Wicked Witch of the West who is bent on taking over the colourful kingdom. With the help of a scarecrow, a tin man and a cowardly lion, will Dorothy have the brains, heart and courage to save all of Oz and find her way home? Find out in this 'wicked' family adventure!

This ‘wicked’ production features beautiful scenery, colourful costumes, a live band, dazzling dance routines, side-splitting comedy and sing-a-long songs.

World record-breaking beatboxer SK Shlomo makes mad music with his mouth. Become one of this sonic superhero’s sidekicks in a world of funny sounds, brilliant noises and cool music, whether you’re aged 1 or 101!

“Mesmerising!” ★★★★★ Primary Times  

“Staggering!” ★★★★★ Families Edinburgh

“Super Mega Awesome” ★★★★★ Deadline News

“Joyous...the parents were having just as good a time as their kids” ★★★★★ BroadwayBaby.com 

“Outrageously talented” ★★★★ The List Edinburgh

“A perfect show… sets young imaginations alight” ★★★★ The Times

Behold the tale of UBU who liked power so much he refused to give it back.

Splendid Productions present a brand new creative adaptation of Alfred Jarry’s surrealist classic.  We explore power, leadership and ambition with our usual heady concoction of music, laughter, politics, foolishness and hard hitting theatrical nonsense.

Since 1944 Breakfast with Santa has been a family tradition in The Plaza Café and this festive season it returns for you and your little ones to enjoy.

There's a yo ho ho breakfast for the children consisting of scrumptious pastries, sugar waffles, Dutch pancakes, donuts and chocolate dip, all served with lashings of cordial.

Santa invites the grown ups to enjoy a fabulous bacon barm with unlimited tea and coffee to set you up for the day ahead!

Make new friends on shared tables as you enjoy your breakfast and wait for Santa Claus and his little helpers to arrive, after which the little ones will be invited to his grotto to receive a special Christmas Gift for being good boys and girls!

Kindly Note: Due to the nature of these events guests will be welcomed to tables which may be shared with other bookers.

For any bookers with dietary or access requirement queries please contact ted.doan@stockportplaza.com

Polka Dot Pantomimes return to the Albert Halls for this year's spellbinding festive family pantomime - BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.

The show features spectacular scenery, glittering costumes, amazing special effects and plenty of audience participation, as well as an appearance of the adorable panto pooches as Belle's best friend!

This is a family pantomime at its best and is suitable for children aged 3-103, so book your tickets now and be our guest for Bolton's finest festive treat!

Freckle Productions present
STICK MAN

Touching, funny and utterly original, Freckle Productions’ delightful adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s Stick Man is back in town!
 
What starts off as a morning jog becomes quite the misadventure for Stick Man: a dog wants to play fetch with him, a swan builds a nest with him, and he even ends up on a fire! How will Stick Man ever get back to the family tree?

This award-winning production, from the team behind Zog, Tiddler and other Terrific Tales, and Tabby McTat features a trio of top actors and is packed full of puppetry, songs, live music and funky moves.
 
★★★★★ 'Wonderfully exuberant and imaginative! Our 3 year old was engrossed from start to finish' Time Out Critics’ Choice

★★★★ ‘Zesty and delightful. A clever compelling treat’ Independent

★★★★ 'More fun than you can shake a stick at' Daily Mail

★★★★ 'Julia Donaldson's miniature epic.  Sally Cookson and her team recreate the book with vigour and imagination' Times

★★★★★ Sunday Express ★★★★★ What’s on Stage

StickManLive.com
Twitter: @Freckle_Prods
Facebook: FreckleProductions
Instagram: Freckle_Productions

Stick Man © 2008 Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. Published by Alison Green Books, an imprint of Scholastic Children’s Books.

 

Join our much loved hero Dick Whittington for the purr-fect family adventure as he seeks fame and fortune alongside his trusty feline friend when he heads off for swashbuckling adventures to prove that good will always win over bad in the Plaza’s popular annual festive Panto treat!

Starring  the magnificent BRIAN CAPRON who makes a welcome return to The Plaza as the 'oh so evil' King Rat alongside the ever popular BRADLEY THOMPSON who is a firm family favourite here at The Plaza this promises to be the most sensational Pantomime in the North West this Festive season....Oh yes it does!

BSL Interpreted Performances: Thursday 9th December 2021 at 10.30am and 2.00pm then also on Saturday 11th December at 7.30pm - BSL Interpreter: Andy Higgins

Direct from London, the smash hit production of C.S. Lewis’ classic The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, voted the nations favourite book in 2019, is coming to the Lowry next Christmas. Step through the wardrobe into the enchanted kingdom of Narnia. Join Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter as they wave goodbye to wartime Britain and embark on the most magical of adventures in a frozen, faraway land where they meet a Faun, talking Beavers, the noble king of Narnia, Aslan, and the coldest, most evil of all, The White Witch.

This critically acclaimed production is pure theatrical magic.

Recommended suitable for age 6+
Children under 5 will not be allowed in the auditorium, including babes in arms

Run Time:
First Act - 60 mins
Interval - 15 mins
Second Act - 60 mins

Albert Halls and Polka Dot Pantomime are proud to present Beauty and The Beast our 2021 family pantomime.

22nd-24th & 27th-31st December
10:00, 12:00 & 14:00

Adult and child ticket £15
Additional adult ticket £12
*If your family doesn't look like this then please call Box Office to discuss other options.

From the company that brought you the sell-out productions of Snowbabies! and Aleena's Garden, Little Penguin’s First Christmas is an immersive, festive experience for babies aged 0-36 months and their grown-ups!

Filled with puppetry, original music and sensory delights to stimulate and captivate, this show is a perfect first theatrical experience for your little one.

Join Little Penguin in her winter wonderland as she discovers the magic of her first Christmas.

Included in your child’s ticket price is their very own copy of Little Penguin’s First Christmas to take home!