Mcfly’s Tom Fletcher brings his latest project, There’s a Monster in Your Show, to The Courtyard Theatre where Leo Owen caught the show

A voice-over from Tom Fletcher introduces the show, a production promising to captivate from the makers of Twirlywoos Live, Sarah & Duck and The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show. Designer Laura McEwen’s bright coloured set opens on blocks piled haphazardly on the stage with a sign saying “Charlie’s Show”. The “Storymakers” (Vinnie Monachello as Charlie, Alex played by Charlie Daniells, Ben Murrell as Sam and Ashton Owen performing as Ben) interact with the audience, waving and encouraging clapping with an “Applause” sign.

“Worry gremlins” are displayed on screens at the back of the stage as Charlie (Monachello), rightly, frets over the success of his rather disorganised first performance. Monsters are missing from the covers of books (Fletcher’s Who’s in Your Book? series) and have infiltrated the show, threatening to derail Charlie’s much-awaited premiere.

The catchy composition by Fletcher was certainly a standout aspect of the production, as perhaps should be expected from his McFly background. From the opening song "Would you like to hear a story?" to the titular number and final song "We'll build our dreams together," every song was infectious and had the audience clapping along to lyrics very clearly aimed at promoting positive life lessons to little ones: “How do we work…. as a team”. The song encouraging Dragon to fly was particularly good for audience participation while "We're putting on a show" had an especially catchy refrain.

Slapstick interactions between the performers were a highlight for some, with constant bumping into each other that had many of the audience giggling. One memorable scene involved an amusing argument over a feather boa prop between Dragon and one of the "Storymakers” which further tickled viewers. Special effects were also utilised for laughs when Dragon sneezed and smoke came out of his snout.

The colourful array of “monsters” in the show delighted little ones, from the Rainbow Sparkles unicorn to the DJing alien and the trumpet-playing monster; each character controlled by on-stage puppeteers brought their own unique personality to the stage and ensured there was a relatable stage presence for everyone.

Following the success of the stage adaptation of Fletcher’s hit The Christmasaurus, There’s a Monster in Your Show encourages friendship, close listening skills, imagination and having adventures. Overall, it’s a high-energy entertaining production that is sure to brighten up your day. With its comedy, quirky characters, and lively performances, it’ll leave a smile on your face and It’s certainly a clever selling point for Fletcher’s books that has little ones yelling, “more!”

There’s a Monster in Your Show shows in The Courtyard Theatre from April 9th-12th: https://www.monsterinyourshow.com/