A theatre review, as told by a 5-year-old.

When my mum first told me she wanted me to write a review for a kid’s theatre show, I wasn’t really listening.

I was really busy cutting up bits of paper with scissors and then I was going to glue them onto a different piece of paper. In actual reality, I was probably going to cut them up and leave them all over the floor because I would have become distracted by something else.

Caterina Porte.

It wasn’t until we were on the bus on our way into the city and she said it again that I started to pay attention, mostly because she said before the show we would go to a cafe for a bacon sandwich. I really love bacon sandwiches, more than anything in the entire world. I could eat them every day. I could eat one hundred million trillion of them.

Just as an FYI, you should know that this post is sponsored by Arts Centre Melbourne. But all opinions expressed by the author are 100% authentic and written in their own words. 

Mum told me we’d be seeing a theatre show called “The Tiger Who Came To Tea” which is based on a book, but I’ve never read the book. Mum said she’d buy me the book too, which is good because I love books. And bacon sandwiches. And cutting paper. And butterflies.

We arrived at the Opera House. I’ve been there before but I haven’t been inside before.

We didn’t go inside straight away. Mum took this photo first. There were too many steps and my legs got tired.

We got our tickets and we sat down and had coffee, because I am a big important person with a big important job. Writing a review is a proper job.

I put sugar in my coffee which mum ended up drinking. But I put the sugar in and stirred it and everything.

After the show mum bought me some stuff which had the book and the mask and the cup and the tail and the ears.

We went to another cafe and mum asked me what I thought of the show. I said, “I liked it”.  Then mum asked me if I was scared when the tiger came to tea and I said, “No, I wasn’t scared” because I am a big girl and I am not scared.

Mum asked me what my favourite part was. It was hard to choose one favourite part, but I ended up thinking of two. “When the tiger sneaked on them and the tiger was actually spying on them. And my other favourite part was when the tiger ate all their food and then they had to go to the cafe for more food.”

Then I told mum that it made me hungry. I wanted to drink the orange juice and I wanted to eat the sandwiches and the cake.

The tiger visited the family because he wanted something to eat and he ate everything. I can eat everything too. But not tiger food. I don’t want to eat tiger food.

Mum then asked me to draw whatever I wanted from the show and this is what I drew.

And this is me showing mum what I drew again but this time I was being a tiger.

The tiger looked real but wasn’t real. He was so big and tall and not scary, just orange and he was funny when he walked.

I also told mum I want a kitchen just like that. The cupboard was empty because the tiger ate everything and then everything came back like magic, and food in the shopping basket, just like when he ate the food off the plates and it all disappeared.

I told mum I want to see it again and we might bring my brother Giovanni because he eats too much.

What do you love about bringing books to life on the stage?

Hold onto your biscuits! The tea-guzzling Tiger roars into Melbourne this summer in this mischievous musical play brought to you by the team behind We’re Going on a Bear Hunt.

In The Tiger Who Came To Tea, join Sophie and her unexpected guest for some tea-time mayhem packed with oodles of magic, sing-a-long songs and clumsy chaos. Recommended for ages 3+. Running between 2 Jan – 18 Jan.

Arts Centre Melbourne is passionate about engaging young people, their families and communities with the exciting world of live performance, taking them on shared journeys of unforgettable discovery.

Our program offers something for all ages – tiny tots, kids and teenagers – plus things the whole family can enjoy together.

Join the fun this Summer at Arts Centre Melbourne. Book tickets now to share the magic of this modern classic with your family in this summer school holidays kids’ show.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Arts Centre Melbourne Website here.