kids musicals Archives - Adventure, baby!

The key to a great kiddie show is making sure the adults enjoy it as much as the little ones. A tough ask, but the 3 Little Pigs, now playing at the Sydney Opera House, absolutely nails it.

Aimed at kids aged 3+, the show manages to get that perfect mix of appealing to preschoolers with upbeat music, dancing and a fast-paced, easy-to-follow story, plus impress adults at the same time with skillfully-written lyrics and exceptional performers. Add in a few jokes for the adults and you’ve got a musical that will entertain the whole family.

The 3 Little Pigs has flown into Sydney from London’s West End (where it was created), and New York, where it also enjoyed a successful run. An upbeat re-telling of the classic story, the pigs in this version like to rap and are pretty adept at the running man.

The show runs for 50 minutes – the perfect amount of time to tell a full story and leave the audience happy rather than wiggly. My four-year-old sat mesmerised through out the entire show, while I enjoyed the clever writing and excellent vocals of the cast.

In this retelling, the pigs’ mum makes an appearance (my daughter’s favourite character), and there are the additional themes of the importance of family and working together.

The 3 Little Pigs is playing at the Sydney Opera House for a limited run – I’d highly suggest getting tickets and taking your little ones to see this curly tail.

3 Little Pigs
Wed 9 ‐ Sun 27 Dec 2015
Price $30.00 to $49.00
Open Daily 10am & noon

Sydney Opera House
Playhouse
Bennelong Point, Sydney 2000
Telephone 02 9250 7777

Images thanks to Elliott Franks Photography Services

Thank you to the Sydney Opera House for hosting us.

More things to do in Sydney

Find a list of the best things to do in Sydney with kids here.

Find things to do in Sydney for free here.

Get a list of the best kid-friendly beaches in Sydney.

Find the best animal experiences in Sydney here.

Visit the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney here.

Find the best high teas in Sydney here.

Head to one of the best museums in Sydney here.

Check out things to do in Sydney on a rainy day here.

Enjoy one of the best ocean pools in Sydney here.

First time visiting Sydney? Get tips for first time visitors to Sydney here.

Growing up, The Tiger Who Came To Tea was a favourite book of mine. It’s such a fun concept, a tiger knocking on a door and asking to stay for tea, to a family who, while a bit surprised, don’t seem as surprised as you or I might be at a talking tiger appearing at their door and devouring not them, but their cake, sandwiches and tea. Utterly ridiculous and completely charming. Written by Judith Kerr in 1968, the book is still relevant today, as shown by the enduring success of the book, and current success of this stage show.

Several months back, I was at the Sydney Opera House with Cheese and friends at one of their Babies Proms. As we left the theatre, we were amazed to see a huge tiger (note: man dressed as tiger, not ACTUAL tiger) sitting down at a fancy high tea and having his photo taken. Turned out these shots were press pics for the new The Tiger Who Came To Tea show, which opened last week.

The girls wanted to have their photo taken with the tiger, hence the opening photo, and today we finally saw The Tiger Who Came To Tea show live.

As in the book, the show invites us into the lives of Sophie and her family, as they are faced with an unexpected, mayhem-inducing tea guest. The show closely follows the book, with some added details that give a bit more background into Sophie and her families’ lives. Fun songs break up the dialogue, and there is a delightfully silly dance number in the middle of the show that has the audience on their feet, brandishing their tiger claws and swishing their imaginary tails.

Another great interactive moment comes towards the end of the show, with an easy sing-a-long. The producers of the show have really done a fantastic job to create the perfect show for their target audience (kids aged 3-5-ish). The run time of 50 minutes was perfect for short attention spans, too.

Our group of two three-year-olds and one five-year-old thoroughly enjoyed the show. The wiggly three-year-olds were so mesmerised by the tiger and rest of the performance that they forgot to be wiggley, and the five-year-old laughed constantly at the physical humour (perfect casting too!).

If you’re in Sydney next week with little kids, take them to see The Tiger That Came To Tea. Our discerning mini-theatre goers give it several very enthusiastic thumbs up.

The Tiger Who Came To Tea is showing at the Sydney Opera House until December 28. Recommended for children aged 3+.

kids musicals

Sydney’s Best Shows For Kids: The 3 Little Pigs

The Tiger Who Came To Tea: Sydney’s Best Shows For Kids