Teeth are brushed, pyjamas are on and stories read. I’ve just finished tucking a very happy and rather excitable child into bed after our wondrous trip to Norwich Theatre Royal to watch A Circus Carol.

A Circus Carol is part of A Right Royal Christmas running a Norwich Theatre Royal from 16th December to 24th December and it is so good to see the Theatre back up and running, especially with such a great programme.

Depending on where you are sitting you enter through one of four, verly clearly marked and colour coded entries. We were in the stalls, so entered at the back of the Theatre on Chantry lane. In a weird way this was a bit of a treat in itself, we got to take a quick walk past some areas that no one normally gets to see.

It was very well organised, with easy places in each queue to buy snacks, drinks, programmes and even little gifts. It was also easy to pop to the bathroom from the queue. The staff were so well organised, making sure everyone was going the right way and that nobody missed anything. We were directed to our seats and given a booster cushion for L and talked through some do’s and don’ts for the evening.

Everyone was really well spaced out and the vast majority of people were wearing masks all evening. There are no intermissions, so no people walking past you and having to move. It all felt very safe. Even at the end you wait until asked to leave so there are no queues and plenty of space. I felt really happy and safe.

As for the show itself, A Circus Carol was marvellous. Taking the classic tale A Christmas Carol, condensing it a bit, adding a healthy dose of humour and some jaw dropping acrobatics 70 minutes never went faster. We all loved it and had such a fun time, I felt it was the perfect length of show, the music, light effects, smoke machines and obviously the acting and magical circus skills made for a great night.

To watch L so riveted, clapping hard, arms in the air at points to applaud and the look of awe in his eyes was a treat. He whooped at the end and was just glowing when we left. We’d seen Lit Circus as part of Interlude over the summer and he’s now asking when we can go again.

I loved it, I loved being back in the theatre, I loved the story and I loved the circus aspect. The juggling, the trapeze work, the leaping and tumbling, the humour. I loved it all.

We all had a fabulous night and if you can get hold of tickets I couldn’t recommend it enough. Details of the full line up are below.

Panto in a Pickle!

16-24 December various times | £10 to £13.50 & Family Ticket (x4) £50 | 60 mins (no interval) | age 3+

A Circus Carol

16-23 December various times | £10 to £17.50 & Family Ticket (x4) £65 | 70 mins (no interval) | age 10+

She Go Does It Under the Christmas Tree…with Friends

16-23 December various times | £10 to £21.50 | 80 mins (no interval) | age 16+

A RIGHT ROYAL CHRISTMAS is at Norwich Theatre Royal from Wed 16 – Thu 24 Dec, 2020

To book tickets visit norwichtheatre.org or call Norwich Theatre Box Office on 01603 630 000.

Disclosure – we were gifted our tickets, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Images supplied by Norwich Theatre Royal, it wasn’t appropriate to take my own.