There's nothing that can quite hold young ones in thrall like a load of dinosaurs coming back to life in front of their eyes. Jurassic Live does exactly that with this new show at Manchester Opera House for four shows across this weekend before heading out on a national theatre tour.
The opening shows on Saturday were packed - it's incredible to see a huge theatre like this bursting at the seams with youngsters, many of whom were clearly enjoying their first experience of live theatre.
And what an experience it was - a huge stegosaurus here, a cheeky apotosaurus wiggling its bottom there, all weaved into a fantasy story that starts with a young girl Amber being read a bedtime story by her grandpa about a dinosaur park called Jurassic Live.
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By the magic of theatre, we then sleepwalk into Amber's dream at the gates of Jurassic Live, and "grandpa" and "grandma" are now dino Rangers Joe and Laura.
I admit the thought of sitting in a sold out theatre show with hundreds of young dinosaur fans on a Saturday had me worried. I thought it would be a proper fidgeting screamathon - but the show was that entertaining that all kids sat in incredible obedient silent awe for a near full two hours. And that alone is priceless in my book.
I took along my three-year-old and seven-year-old dinosaur fans. My youngest was so excited to see the dinosaurs on stage that he pointed and waved (even though he seemed to think they were all "T-Rex").
Meanwhile the seven-year-old seemed scared at first but then got really, really into the storyline. Unexpectedly, he also got really into the dancing part - as did everyone in the theatre when we all had to jump up and "wave your hands up here, and wave your hands down there".
There was plenty of audience participation too - it was amusing when the rangers came out after kids nominated their "bravest" parent, grandparent or carer to head up on stage. Little did they know their mums and dads would be hilariously turned into giant chickens to be used as bait for the velocripators, and what a clucking good job they all did of it too.
There's a brilliant finale with what is billed as the "UK's only flying pterodactyl". Although if I'm being picky it did seem a rather abrupt end to the storyline.
As well as the action on stage, I thought it was a great touch to have a model raptor in the lobby for kids to pose up for photos with on the way in and out.
The rangers also headed out with the cute "baby dinosaurs" before and after the show too so young ones could get up close and personal with "real life dinosaurs" as well which my two loved.
Don't be too worried about that big slogan blaring "Official Merchandise". I managed to skirt my two around the small stall which was selling fluffy toy dinoasaurs without them even seeing it which was also a result.
With tickets starting at £21.65 to my mind it packed a lot of value in - as this was a theatre show with lots more to it than we were expecting. It weaved in plenty of musical numbers for the young cast to perform too, with popular songs like Miley Cyrus' The Climb as well as the fun dance-a-long numbers.
Jurassic Live is at Manchester Opera House for two more shows before heading on a national tour with venues including Blackpool, York, Liverpool and London. For more information on tickets, see our article here.
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