Easter school holidays are here and there are plenty of family shows for all the family — from pantos to fairytales, ballet to circus, pirates and some really scary creatures.
Pirates Live
Hippodrome, Great Yarmouth, April 1-23, 2.30pm/6.30pm, £21-£17 (£17-£16 cons), £12-£10 children, discounts for families, 01493 844172, www.hippodromecircus.co.uk
Ahoy mi hearties! Easter again brings the pirates to Yarmouth Hippodrome in a new all-action family show full of chaos and laughter specially created for the unique hippodrome water spectacle and a massive 40ft galleon made by 3d Creations, who made parts of the set for Pirates of the Caribbean. Captain Hawskeye played by Jack Jay, Pirate Johnny played by Johnny Mac get up to some swashbuckling skulduggery. Their motley crew of pirates include fire eaters, acrobats, aerialists and even mermaids!
Piped Piper
Norwich Puppet Theatre, April 1, 11am/2.30pm, £9, £9 children, £30 family, 01603 629921, puppettheatre.co.uk
Norwich Puppet Theatre's clever and enthralling re-working of the traditional fairy story is back for Easter. When the Pied Piper plays his flute, the rats run, the greedy mayor rubs his hands together and the children dance. It's a blend of puppetry, music and storytelling by one irrepressible performer, armed with a host of characters.
Mr Bloom's Nursery
Norwich Playhouse, April 1, 11.30am/2pm, £12, 01603 598598, norwichplayhouse.co.uk/King's Lynn Corn Exchange, April 11, 1.30pm, £14-£10.50, 01553 764864, kingslynncornexchange.co.uk
Ceebies favourite Mr Bloom and the Veggies arrive on their first ever live tour. They are getting the Nursery ready for a very special occasion – a member of the Royal family is paying them visit! Can you lend a hand and help them get the allotment ready in time? Featuring all of the much loved elements of the TV show, Mr Bloom (Ben Faulks) will be joined by all his gardening friends and plenty of favourite songs.
Chester Tuffnut
Norwich Puppet Theatre, April 8, 11am/2.30pm, £9, £9 children, £30 family, 01603 629921, puppettheatre.co.uk
Chester Tuffnut isn't your ordinary treemole; he likes wearing jumpers and sitting in his armchair, but most of all he loves adventure. The curious creatures in Woodland have gone so long without excitement; they've forgotten how to have fun. Luckily, Chester is on hand to bring happiness and laughter. Gomito and Polka Theatre's show is told with puppets, original music and humour, thrills, spills, near misses and great escapes. Ages 2+
Monday's Child
The Garage, Chapel Field North, Norwich, April 3, 11am, £10 (£5 cons), 01603 598646, thegarage.org.uk/Seagull Theatre, Pakefield, Lowestoft, April 4, 2pm, £5 children, £3 adults, 01502 589726, theseagull.co.uk
This poetic story of the unique bond between a little girl and an old woman suffering memory loss is a sophisticated piece of children's theatre from Irish company Barnstorm. Together, in a dream-like garden, they sing and dance and dress up as they joyously explore a treasure trove of memories. An imaginative, funny story about how we store memories as we grow up.
Treasure Island
The Apex, Bury St Edmunds, April 6, 3pm, £15 (£13 cons), £13 children, 01284 758000, theapex.co.uk
After last year's Easter panto The Wizard of Oz, KD Theatre returns to Bury as well as Haverhill with this swashbuckling family adventure on board the Jolly Rodger. Jim Hawkins sets off on his quest to find the buried treasure and rescue the island princess from the terrible Black Beard and the Caribbean pirates. The professional cast include a live band playing popular songs, plus lots of comedy and spectacular effects.
Alice in Wonderland
Pavilion Theatre, Cromer Pier, April 6, 2.30pm, £14, £10 children, 01263 512495, cromerpier.co.uk
Immersion Theatre bring their trademark energy to Alice in Wonderland, a colourful, topsy-turvy adventure to meet troublesome twins, Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee, the Queen of Hearts, the Cheshire Cat and the Mad Hatter. Imagination runs wild and logic is abandoned in this fantastical, larger-than-life musical brimming with nonsensical fun for the family.
The Wizard of Oz
King's Lynn Corn Exchange, April 6, 2pm/6pm, £20.50 (£18.50 cons), £18.50 children, 01553 764864, kingslynncornexchange.co.uk
Comedy stalwart Bobby Davro heads the cast as the Scarecrow, with Britain's Got Talent winners Ashleigh and Pudsey as Dorothy and Toto in this Easter panto trip down the Yellow Brick Road. This staging of L. Frank Baum's much-loved fairy tale also boasts a live band, dance routines, lots of audience participation and plenty of laughter. Will the wonderful Wizard of Oz be able to help them before the Wicked Witch of the West captures them?
Arabian Nights
Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds, April 6-7, 3pm/7pm, £12-£8.50, 01284 769505, www.theatreroyal.org
After last year's success of The Jungle Book the Bury Theatre Royal Youth Theatre stages another classic tale. You may think the oft-told tales of Arabian Nights are familiar, but writer Neil Duffield, has taken them, shaken them and delivered them in a fresh way. With original music composed by Andy Garbi, there will be plenty of thrills, spills and adventure.
Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Norwich Theatre Royal, April 7, 12pm/2pm, returns only, 01603 630000, theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk/Jerwood Dance House, Ipswich, April 8, 12pm/2pm/4pm, £10 (£7 cons), £30 family, 01473 295230, danceeast.co.uk
With previous sell-out performances and hugely successful CBeebies adaptations, including Ugly Duckling and Tortoise & the Hare, Northern Ballet's Short Ballets for Small People are always not to be missed. The latest has all the elements you'd expect, a family of friendly bears and bowls of porridge. Live ballet, music and theatre for the first time.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show
Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds, April 8, 2pm/April 9, 4pm, £12.50-£8.50, 01284 769505, theatreroyal.org
Author and illustrator Eric Carle's tale A Very Hungry Caterpillar has delighted generations of young readers since it was first published in 1969. Four Carle's stories — The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse, Mister Seahorse, The Very Lonely Firefly and of course The Very Hungry Caterpillar — are brought to the stage by creator Jonathan Rockefeller, in this the critically acclaimed production, featuring a menagerie of 75 lovable puppets. Age 3+
Oliver!
Sheringham Little Theatre, April 8-15, 7.30pm, 2.30pm April 15, £12.50, £10 under-16s, 01263 822347, www.sheringhamlittletheatre.com
Bringing Charles Dickens' beloved novel to life, Lionel Bart's musical adventure through Victorian England is packed with songs that we all know and love, like As Long as He Needs Me, Food, Glorious Food and Where is Love. Orphaned Oliver Twist navigates the London's underworld, searching for a home, a family, and – most importantly – for love.
Peter Pan
Angles Theatre, Wisbech, April 11-15, 7.30pm, 2.30pm April 15, £11, £10 children, 01945 474447, www.anglestheatre.co.uk
J.M. Barrie's timeless tale of the boy who refused to grow up is reborn as a musical in this Easter production. Peter Pan rescues the Darling family's children by whisking them beyond the stars to his island a magical trip to Never Land - where you never grow old.
Chinese State Circus
Norfolk Showground, April 11-16, various times, £26-£10, £22-£8 under-12s, full details at chinesestatecircus.cloudvenue.co.uk
Thirty world class Chinese acrobats, aerial artistes and jugglers feature in with the Chinese State Circus latest family show Dynasty. The internationally acclaimed circus has produced a series of spectacular shows and the innovative latest production, here at Norfolk Showground in its fully heated big top, is no exception. Chinese performers show off super-human physical skills and dexterity, daring feats and performances and the masters of martial arts - the legendary Shaolin Warriors, all feature in a show that promises nonstop action from start to finale.
Naomi's Wild & Scary
King's Lynn Corn Exchange, April 12, 2.30pm, £21 (£17 cons), £17 children, 01553 764864, kingslynncornexchange.co.uk
Children's TV presenter Naomi Wilkinson — kids will recognise her from from Naomi's Nightmares of Nature and Wild and Weird, adults from Countryfile — brings a show full of fun and involving some really scary creatures, including a Carpet Python, Alligator Snapping Turtle, a giant centipede, and a tarantula! With up-close handy cam action, a giant screen and loads of interaction, you'll have a wild, scary and fun time. Ages 5+
Honk!
Pavilion Theatre, Gorleston, April 12-14, 7.30pm/April 15, 2pm, £13 (£11 cons), £10 children, 01493 662832, www.gorlestonpavilion.co.uk
Based on one of Hans Christian Andersen's most beloved tales this high-energy comedy adaptation tells the story of Ugly, the duckling who is born into ridicule and loneliness because he is different. The production promises exuberant music and steady stream of hilarious characters.
Room on the Broom
Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds, April 14-15, various times, £12.50-£8.50, 01284 769505, www.theatreroyal.org
Tall Stories' magical musical stage adaptation of the popular story by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler that follows the witch, her cat, a helpful dog, bird and frog who find the witch's broom is really not meant for five. Songs, laughs and a bit of scary fun in the Olivier-nominated show.
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