Easter holidays at home: Six steps to a stagey spring break

It feels like school just started up after lockdown but we’ve somehow hit the holidays again. And although things are starting to feel more positive, we face the prospect of an Easter holiday with no in-person theatre for the second year in a ro. Luckily, there is still plenty available online. In this guide we round up some of our top tips for keeping things stagey from home.

1. Catch an adaptation of a Michael Morpurgo classic

Fans of Michael Morpurgo are in luck this Easter, with shows available across all age groups. Little ones (ages 6+) can catch I Believe in Unicorns live from the Oxford Playhouse stage on Thursday 15 April and then on demand from Friday 16 April) while older children (ages 8+) will love An Elephant in the Garden at the Barn Theatre which is currently available for streaming. You can check out our review here. And if that’s not enough, you can also catch the critically acclaimed Private Peaceful which returns the Barn stage just in time for the start of the summer term (on 19 April).

2. Play along with Plink and Boo

One of our favourite digital shows for small people is Play Along Plink and Boo (ages 2 to 7) from the fabulous Can’t Sit Still, which we reviewed last year. It’s on a digital tour which stops off at Z-Arts Manchester on 6 April (and you can find plenty more on for families at Z-Arts this Easter), Barnsley Civic from 7 to 8 April and Cambridge Junction on 18 April. It’s an absolutely joyful show which combines circus, animation and physical theatre and we cannot recommend it enough. Check out the trailer below:

3. Go on an interactive online adventure

Interactive adventure Sir Willoughby’s Challenge (ages 6 to 12) is back at Greenwich Theatre again this school holiday. Join members of the cast live from the Greenwich Theatre stage for an interactive, online scavenger hunt.

We also like the look of Where the Bugaboo Lives (ages 5 to 11), a choose your own adventure style Zoom show from Little Angel Theatre which is currently on a digital tour, and will be at The Albany, Deptford on 6 and 7 April.

We also thoroughly recommend Select a Quest (ages 6+), a free on-demand choose your own adventure style game from children’s theatre specialists Pins & Needles Productions. Expect a vibrant mix of mystery, silliness and fun as families get together to explore the 27 scenes set across six levels, leading to one winner, one curse and a whole lot o’violent deaths. Select a Quest offers audiences an eclectic and innovative theatrical experience in the comfort of your own home. With multiple paths to choose from, once you start it will be hard to leave. Check out our review and have a read of our interview with director, Emma Earle, to find out more.

4. Have an ice time in an igloo

If you’re looking for something cool to do with the kids, there are not one, but two igloo-themed shows available online this Easter. We strongly recommend checking out Where’s My Igloo Gone? (ages 5+) which will be available free from Greenwich Theatre from 12 to 18 April, as part of their online Easter programme. We saw this live at Greenwich Theatre a few years back and absolutely loved it. It’s a brilliant show for young children, with an important environmental message.

We also like the look of Zoom-based show, The Igloo Experience Online (ages under 7) which is running from 13 to 17 April at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth.

5. Roar for the planet

Another show with an important environmental message is Roustabout and Watermans’ adaptation of Michael Foreman’s Dinosaurs and all that Rubbish (ages 3+). This three part series is a glorious mix of theatre and animation with song, puppetry, and digital wizardry which premieres for free on YouTube on 7 April. 

6. Find more stagey stuff with Children’s Theatre Digital (ages 0-12)

With a wealth of family friendly theatre available online, it can be difficult to know where to look. But things have got a whole lot easier thanks to Children’s Theatre Digital, a new website which curates content for up to age 12 from around the world. It’s divided into handy categories, including interactive, multi-sensory and screen-free, and lots of the content is directly playable from the site, making it easier than ever to beam high quality, family friendly theatre into your living room.