The tiger who came to tea is one of the toddler’s favourite books. We’ve been reading it since birth, and have read both the English and Chinese version of it. We’re pleased to report that the show lives up to its book hype. It was interactive – they got everyone to get up to chant and dance at the end.
It’s his first time in a theatre. We’ve previously sat through a 30 minutes magic show in Blois at the House of Magic and he thoroughly enjoyed it. I was worried that the blackout before the show and the darkness would give him anxiety, but he really enjoyed the spectacle with lights and music.
I wasn’t sure if his attention span would last the whole 55 minutes show without an interval, but he absolutely loved it! Stood up to join the song and dance, and the rest of the time, quietly sitting and totally engrossed in the performance. I definitely have a future theatre buddy!
All about the book: the tiger who came to tea
As with all children’s story books, there are darker meanings and allusions behind them. If we look further into it, I found the gyrating tiger a little creepy and then wondered about the messaging – we are inviting a predator into the house for tea! Kerr’s story had darker implications and allusions, the tiger represented the Gestapo raiding houses during the terrifying period of Nazi Germany. This BBC article explains.
We were not allowed to take any photos or videos during the performance, however you can check out KidsFest HK to get updates on their shows. We’re already planning our next shows. Looking forward to catch the Bear Hunt as well as The Hungry Caterpillar, both books we have read although he hasn’t shown special inclinations to either.
