Rudolf at Midlands Arts Centre

It’s true – Rudolf does have a very shiny nose! Despite the fact that, in this case, it was a bicycle light, we were left in no doubt who this strange beast, who had literally fallen out of the sky, actually was.

The performance at Midlands Arts Centre, situated within the boundary of Cannon Hill Park in Edgbaston, told the delightful tale of a rather under-utilised safari park which was, to much amusement, based in the locality of our very own Brummie City. Following a tremendous storm one winter’s night, the safari park is visited by a grey furred, antlered sort of antelope with a nose which makes the other residents of the enclosures think that she is from outer space. As this creature has also suffered a bout of amnesia due to her fall, she is unable to set them straight. The story unfolds with our cloven friend meeting the other animals in a bid to try and persuade them (and herself) that she is one of them. It takes a beautiful snowy owl to help her discover her true identity as they escape through torrents of snow to the North Pole.

With a cast of just four people from Pins and Needles theatre company, we were treated to masterful puppetry, clever scenery, props and costumes, and a Christmas Eve tale to get us in the mood for the forthcoming festive season. There was some interaction at the start with the children who had come to watch and some of the young audience enjoyed helping to sweep the straw.

My family all had favourite animals in the story. The devious snake trying to trick poor Rudolf with riddles transfixed little Lady and hubby. I loved the flamenco flamingos stalking around the stage. But a family favourite was the Brummie zebras who told us that they had been born in the safari park. Each animal was cleverly acted out with puppets and props to bring them to life.

The show ended with a flurry of snow which helped our family feel particularly Christmassy! This performance was a great way to spend a winter’s afternoon. It was swiftly followed up with a brew and a latte in MAC café as well as a chilly stroll around the park.

Special thanks to MAC for inviting us along to review the show.

The show runs until Monday 31^stDecember and is suitable for children age 4+

Tickets are available from https://macbirmingham.co.uk/event/rudolf

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