Another Saturday, another trip to the Unicorn Theatre. This time to catch The Polar Bears Go, Go, Go before they went, went, went for good. Although this show is aimed at ages 2-5 we have always been impressed with the Unicorn’s programming for preschoolers and the munchkins tend to get a lot out of them (despite Quaver sitting squarely at the top of the suggested age range and Crotchet being two years outside it). Mummy and Mrs Mummy also usually enjoy them, which is more than just a bonus when you spend as much time at family shows as we do! And this show was no exception.
The action begins with the polar bears hard at work, before they head off on a well deserved holiday. Unfortunately, they are too busy taking photos at the airport to notice their flight taking off. So instead they take a convoluted route involving transportation methods ranging from scooters and bicycles to zip-wire and hot air balloon, before they finally reach the beach. The show is entertaining throughout, and includes some really innovative techniques to keep everyone engaged, as well as incorporating educational elements involving sorting and problem-solving. Particularly good use was made of a versatile revolve which functioned (among other things) as the baggage carousel during a hilarious re-enactment of the airport check-in and security process.
Like many shows aimed at preschoolers, there is a lot of music and visual comedy but no spoken word at all. Which makes it accessible for the age range, as well as SEN children and international audiences. The munchkins had a whale (or should that be polar bear?) of a time. Mummy was also highly amused throughout. Mrs Mummy was pleased to report that she wasn’t even close to nodding off, which was probably for the best given the number of unsuspecting adults who were awake but still ended up being bonked on the head by a beach ball.
Given that this was playing during the Extinction Rebellion protests, it was hard not to wonder whether it may have been improved by the addition of a climate change message. But this did not stop it being a highly entertaining show for small people which had plenty to offer for their grown-ups too. And for that, Mummy awards it a rating of raindrops, whiskers, kettles and mittens (aka four out of five of my favourite things).