The Hubby and I enjoyed a thrilling night at The Bournemouth Pavilion, thanks to BH Live and Bournemouth Bloggers! We were lucky enough to watch The Mousetrap! If you haven’t heard of it before, it is a murder mystery play by Agatha Christie. The Mousetrap is one of the longest running plays, opening in London's West End in 1952!
I don’t want to give too much away as we are sworn to secrecy to never reveal the ending, but I will tell you what I thought about the play in general.
The tone was immediately set as the theatre went dark, opening with the murder of a woman, played out in sound, which echoed around the 1929 theatre (the perfect setting for a murder mystery). The curtain lifted and I was astonished by the incredible set of Monkswell Manor, which was recently converted to a guesthouse. The attention to detail was fabulous. From the different entry points, to working lamps that were turned on and off throughout the performance. The set was used like a real life room, it was very believable, and complimented the dialogue.
We were then introduced to the characters including Mollie and Giles Ralston and their four guests staying in their guesthouse. All of the actors played their characters very well, all of which were very different. Watching them I felt like I had been thrown back to a family Christmas, sitting down watching an Agatha Christie on the TV. It was very special to watch it all taking place in front of my own eyes. As well as it being a thriller there was also a lot of humour throughout the play, giving it light and shade. The character of Christopher Wren really stood out, he was utterly hilarious and superbly played.
As the play develops there are many twists and turns, keeping the audience on their toes. The murderer's identity is divulged in Act 3. At the end of the performance, we were asked not to reveal the identity of the killer to anyone outside the theatre, to ensure that the end of the play is not spoilt for anyone.
We both really enjoyed the play, and I would highly recommend it. It is on at The Bournemouth Pavilion until August 10th, so grab your tickets quickly to find out who done it.... (This was a gifted experience via Bournemouth Bloggers, however all of the above opinions are my own. The images belong to BH Live and me)
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I was lucky enough to head back to The Bournemouth Pavilion this week to watch the International smash hit show New Jersey Nights, with Bournemouth Bloggers, and BH Live. The show is a celebration of the music of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, and takes the audience on a nostalgic musical journey.
VOCAL GYMNASTICS, glitz, AND JAZZ HANDS
I will be honest, I didn’t know much about the show beforehand (which is a bit of a surprise as I LOVE music), I therefore didn’t have any expectations. On arrival I noticed the age range was a little older than myself. My Nan said she would have loved it. I get why now as the music genre is mostly from her era. This didn’t matter, as I still recognised some of the songs, and loved seeing everyone dancing and singing along.
I liked that the show was predominately focused on the singing and dancing. Occasionally the singers did speak to the audience in character, providing us with information about the bands which was interesting. During the first half of the show the four singers were in front of a set, and the band were hidden behind. I was desperate for the band to come out, so we could see them playing live. They did towards the interval (much to my delight). I found this much better, as I really felt the music come to life, and the audience did too. The four singers were incredible. They sang solo, but also as a group allowing them all to shine. The best bits (for me) were when they harmonised… it was like listening to silky butter. DANCING, LAUGHTER, AND CHEERS
The costumes throughout the performance were stunning, So many sequins and sparkles. There were quite a few costume changes, which were slick. The costume designer really stuck to each genre really well. I genuinely thought the costumes were fantastic.
New Jersey Nights was great fun, thank you BH Live for the gifted tickets. By the end everyone was on their feet dancing, singing and clapping. If you are looking for a night full of smiles, nostalgia, dancing, and glitz this is the show for you! New Jersey Nights is still on in Bournemouth, running until August 3rd, so grab your tickets quickly! (This was a gifted experience via Bournemouth Bloggers, however all of the above opinions are my own. The images belong to BH Live)
A trip to the theatre you say? Go on then… I have always loved going to the Theatre! Being transported into another world is something else. When the opportunity came up to go and watch the live West End hit show “The Tiger who came to tea” with my little lady I jumped at the chance.
It was my first time taking her to the theatre, I was so excited to introduce her to one of my favourite arts. On arrival at the beautiful Poole Lighthouse I explained to her what a theatre was and showed her around. The buzz in the foyer was something else. So many families all excited to watch the show. We took our seats and the show began… ENGAGING ACTING, MAGICAL SETS, AND fun interaction
We were introduced to the three actors who were fantastic throughout. Straight away you felt their energy, and were transported into their daily lives. Through the fantastic use of props, costumes, bold physical movement (of the actors), audience participation, singing, and narrative all of the children (and adults) were entertained throughout. My lady was absolutely mesmerised. The show lasted 55 minutes which was the perfect length of time.
The narrative and repetition throughout was very clever. It kept the audience on their toes and apart of the magic. Seeing the smiles on the children's faces, and hearing them shout out to characters was priceless. There was nothing stuffy or pretentious about it. The children were free to interact with the show, breaking down the fourth wall. SMILES, LAUGHTER, DANCING AND COLOUR
We came out of the show buzzing, as were many other people. My lady said she loved it. The next morning she even told her nursery that she had seen a Tiger!! If you are looking for something fun to do as a family I would highly recommend the show, it has something for everyone!
This was a gifted experience. All of the opinions are my own. The bottom three images were taken by Robert Day. ICE ICE BABYWho doesn’t love ice cream? When the Bournemouth Bloggers invited me to an event with The Ice Chef, how could I refuse? I was so excited to see what it was all about. MOCKTAILS, DRY ICE, FRESH FURIT AND A LOT OF ICEWe started the night with yummy mocktails and cocktails. As a non-drinker I really welcomed the mocktail. It was apple based with fresh fruit, and was so refreshing and tasty. Lindsay who owns The Ice Chef then went on to show us how she makes her rolled ice cream on a machine that is minus 25 degrees! The whole making process was fascinating. Lindsay only uses fresh ingredients, with no preservatives. Seeing something made in front of you, then being able to eat it is amazing! IF YOU GIVE, PEOPLE WILL GIVE BACKWhat I liked about The Ice Chef in Lindsay’s back story. She has a 3 year old girl, and started from nothing. She went to Thailand and met a man who was making ice cream in a similar way. This inspired her to do it in the UK. Lindsay believes that if you give out, you will get back. As a business owner myself I totally agree, and loved her ethos. WEDDINGS, CHILDREN’S PARTIES, FESTIVALS AND DELIVEROOThe ice chef takes their rolled ice cream making to all of the above. I think as an experience it is fab and I would highly recommend it. It is fun for both adults and children. For me I loved learning something new. It also satisfied my sweet tooth. Go check them out... Kxx (this was a gifted experience. All opinions are my own, and the photos are my own)
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ABOUT MEHi! I am Katie... a new mum trying to balance life, work and a beautiful baby girl! I love to take photos, travel, write, make art, and spend time with my family! xx
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