I took my child to see In the Night Garden Live and it was absolutely brilliant

There comes a point when it hits you as a parent that all the live concerts and events you’ve booked for the year are a little less Foo Fighters and a little more Peppa Pig. It’s after the newborn stage and just when they’ve started to decide exactly who their favorite characters are.

And if you don’t have small children, I’ll let you in on a secret. It’s genius. I don’t miss sitting in a sweaty room, a 40 minute line at the bar and not getting to see the band I paid out of the nose to see at all (I’m very short). And if all kids’ shows are as good as In the Night Garden Live, I’ll happily go as long as my kids want.

In the night garden is a bit of a cult movement. They only did 100 episodes and it ran long enough for the first kids who watched it to become parents themselves. And yet, the live shows are still a sold-out hit.

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The show has a charm that isn’t detracted from quirks like characters that are mildly terrifying and the perspective changes often – sometimes Ninky Nonk (the garden train) is small enough to spin around at Iggle Piggle’s feet, other times it’s big enough big. for everyone to enter.

All of this wonderful charm translates beautifully on stage, from the moment the familiar music starts until the end, when Iggle Piggle just won’t go to bed (in fairness, he doesn’t have a bed).

My child was mesmerized to the point of crying every time a character left the stage and loved it so much that I’m slightly worried that nothing else in his life will live up to the experience.

The format is the same as the show, with an original story where Iggle Piggle walks around the garden looking for his friends and investigating the source of a mysterious noise. On the way he meets the characters Macca Pacca, Upsy Daisy, Tombliboos and Pontypines who delighted all the children in the audience by waving and singing their songs. The amazing Flying Pinky Ponk made an appearance and it was truly impressive – a giant airship soaring over the audience.

At just under an hour, it’s the perfect length for a toddler’s attention span, leaving us plenty of time to splash around in the fountain outside the Belgrade Theater and go out for lunch before getting home in time for a sleep.

My two-year-old said it was “the best day ever” – and there’s no higher praise than that. Beep Beep Onk Onk!

CoventryLive went to see In the Night Garden Live at the Belgrade Theater in Coventry. Visit https://www.belgrade.co.uk/ for more information on what’s going on.

In the Night Garden Live is touring the UK until September 2024 at UK venues with tickets still available. Visit https://www.nightgardenlive.com/ for more information.

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