Rachael Kenward and her family discover a frosty adventure worth braving the cold for
Right then, parents – let me tell you about the loveliest little gem we discovered at Pound Arts this week. Under a Frozen Moon is one of those rare treats that had our entire brood spellbound, from our two-year-old right through to us grown-ups (though I’ll confess, I may have enjoyed it even more than the children!).
Picture this: two incredibly talented performers creating a magical world with nothing but their voices, some spectacular puppets, home-made scenery and costumes, and boundless creativity. From the moment they bounded onto stage having a playful competition about who was coldest, we knew we were in for something special.
Now, I know what you’re thinking – can two people really hold a child’s attention for a full show? Well, they can when they’re this good.
The puppetry alone is worth the ticket price. We’re talking multiple sizes of puppets here – life size and tiny versions of characters that brought the wintry scenes to life. Watching a dragon soar around the theatre before being set on fire or a sleigh glide through the air was genuinely breathtaking. Our youngest was smitten with the beautiful fox puppet and thrilled to meet him afterwards (yes, we got to give it a stroke!).
The staging is brilliantly clever, whilst having a lovely handmade look. There’s this wonderful table near the back with an intricate winter landscape that acts as a character in the story itself.
The best bit? It peels back layer by layer – first a frozen lake, then a snowy forest, then surprise – a hidden cave! It’s like watching a pop-up book come to life, and the children were absolutely transfixed.
Here’s something rather special: the entire story unfolds in poetry and rhyme. I know that might sound ambitious, but the musicality of it all – combined with some genuinely lovely songs – creates this flowing, almost hypnotic quality that kept even our wriggly six-year-old completely still throughout. The variety helps enormously too: puppetry, singing, proper acting, and just the right amount of humour to keep everyone giggling.
The heart of it all, though, is this beautiful message about warmth and connection. Rather poetic really, given the icy setting. We left feeling genuinely toasty inside, despite the frozen world we’d just witnessed.
A quick word for parents of very little ones: our two-year-old found the eel puppets a touch frightening, so perhaps one for children aged three or four and up. There was also a slightly late start, but honestly, the quality of what followed made it all completely forgivable.
The lovely performers chatted to us afterwards, and we even came away with a book about the production. Those personal touches really do make all the difference, don’t they?
Our family verdict? Straight nines and tens across the board. It’s the perfect winter outing for families with children aged roughly 3-10. Beautiful, magical, creative, heartfelt – everything you want from a family theatre trip. Bundle up and go see it while you can!
Under The Frozen Moon plays at Pound Arts on 23 & 24 December. For more information and to book tickets, go to poundarts.org.uk/event-category/family/
