The popular children’s book The Tiger Who Came to Tea has come to the theatre in London, showing at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. Kirsty McCabe reviews the show with her children. Find out how this favourite transfers to the stage.
Excitement levels were high when the kids and I headed into central London this summer to see The Tiger Who Came to Tea at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. Based on the brilliant best-selling picture book by Judith Kerr, the Olivier Award-nominated family show is back until September.
How to get to the Theatre Royal Haymarket, London
Going on the underground itself was an adventure, as my younger ones had all but forgotten about the dizzy height of the escalators and minding the gap. It’s worth noting, if you are bringing a buggy then the nearest step-free station to the Theatre Royal Haymarket is Green Park. Definitely something I will remember next time!
Once at the theatre, we left our buggy in the cloakroom (a very swift process thanks to well practised staff) and headed to the loo before taking our seats. There are special seat boosters for smaller audience members, but my daughter preferred to sit on me as she was a little bit overwhelmed by all the people and the beautiful setting of the theatre itself. My sons were also gazing around in wonder at the theatre, with lots of giggling at the ornamental naked angel babies – the cherubim.
My sons were also gazing around in wonder at the theatre, with lots of giggling at the ornamental naked angel babies — the cherubim.
As you might expect with an audience full of families with young children, there was a fair amount of noise and hubbub, but it all added to the show. In fact, audience participation is positively encouraged. My youngest was a tad nervous about the imminent arrival of the tiger, and the noise levels and anticipation certainly rose every time the doorbell rang — who could it be?!
Is the Tiger Who Came to Tea scary?
Luckily the tiger was most definitely not scary, just extremely hungry and thirsty! My eldest was fascinated by the disappearing food and drink and all the magical tricks and treats on stage. All three children joined in with the songs, showing that the tale of a tea-guzzling tiger has lost none of its surreal charm over the past 53 years.
Seeing the show made us appreciate the book more
When we got home I dug out our book and CD, which we read over and over while singing along to the songs. It was such a treat to see this purrfect stage show, and made me realise just how much I have missed the magic of the theatre.
Essential information
The Tiger Who Came to Tea is on at the Theatre Royal Haymarket until 5th September 2021.
Tickets cost from £14.50. The theatre has policies for alternative arrangements should Covid restrictions result in cancellation of your booking.
Performances: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 11am & 1:30pm. Saturday 10:30am. Sunday 11am & 1:30pm
Running time: 55 minutes (no interval)
Age guidance: 3+ (babes in arms allowed, babies under 18 months sitting on adult’s lap do not need a ticket).
Prams & buggies: These can be left from 40 minutes before the show in the cloakroom. Limited space so you might need to fold them.
Related links
About Kirsty McCabe
Scottish-born Kirsty lives in Surrey with her South African husband and their three children Ethan, Logan and Ava. She has presented and produced national and international weather broadcasts for the UK’s major television, radio and digital platforms, including the BBC, ITV, Channel 5 and Sky News, earning her a TRIC award nomination for best weather presenter. A Met Office-qualified aviation forecaster, she also writes about weather and science for publications such as The Huffington Post, and was the Senior Meteorologist for The Weather Channel’s UK office. She recently became the world's first Meteorologist in Residence providing bespoke weather forecasts for the London Marriott Hotel County Hall.
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