Charlie Cook's Favourite Book

CHARLIE COOK'S FAVOURITE BOOK IS A WONDERFUL SHOW TO TAKE YOUR FAMILY TO THIS SUMMER

Nearly 2 decades after the book was published, Charlie Cook's Favourite Book is finally being brought to life at The Lowry, by Pierre Hanson-Johnson (In the night garden), Freya Stephenson (Stranger Sings!, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) and Georgie Samuels (stage debut). This book has been read and loved by many children across the country, and we’re sure the stage adaptation will be the same. In a quick summary, Charlie is a bookworm, and has a love for pirate books especially. But, his sister isn't so keen. Follow Charlie on his adventure into a variety of different worlds, trying to convince his sister that books are exciting and fun to read. 

Today, we are coming to watch the show, ready for a fun-filled experience, and to see the show from 2 different perspectives. One of us is going into this having never read the book before, whereas on the other hand, the other could recite the book by heart as a child. We knew we would enjoy this show, and we hope others will too.

Charlie, Izzy and their Mum took us on many adventures, and it felt like we were a part of the show. You could hear the children in the audience laughing along whilst they were playing hide and seek, and trying to point out to the seeker where their counterparts were hidden, which brought about an immense feeling of togetherness throughout the audience. Another moment we enjoyed, was a moment of puppetry, where the actors made a frog come to life, using a book. It was nice to see Barb Jungr (singer/songwriter- Every grain of sand, Waterloo sunset, Who do you love) and Samantha Lane (The smartest giant in town, The singing mermaid, Only fools and horses- The musical.) including all of the fun stories from the book, but they also created new ideas and really made the adaptation their own.

Charlie, played by Pierre Hanson-Johnson, enchanted the audience with his outgoing personality and wide range of facial expressions. With these skills, he presented himself as Charlie in a way where it felt like we were watching a child use his imagination to explore. Accompanied by Freya Stephenson, who played Izzy, Charlie’s sister who dislikes books, but learns that they have potential to be fun, Stephenson was confident in her role. Her extensive range of skills, from using different voices to her master puppeteering, showed her commitment to the show and it was hard to take our eyes off her. We also feel we need to commemorate Georgie Samuels for her brilliant stage debut. She had a warm and welcoming stage presence and knew what she was doing. For her first production, she was extraordinary, and it is clear she is a talented singer, showing off her voice in all the songs.

Whilst the show began in a simple living room, we were thrown into bright and colourful stories, and taken all over the world, created using the staging around. Books turned into animals, shelves turned into doorways and tables turned into cakes. The way the set was placed was smart and easy for the performers to use. It was wonderful to see how much the kids enjoyed the show. Their eyes were glued to the stage, and many of them were leaning forward, clinging to the seats in front of them, ready for the next surprise. We would definitely recommend the show- it is a must watch. 

Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book is a great show to take your kids to see. It is an interactive and entertaining watch, allowing children to explore different worlds and experience the feeling of reading through the performer’s storytelling. Whilst the actual stories may have been placed before us, there was lots of room for imagination to grow. The songs were light and cheerful, and enjoyable for everyone, not just children. The puppets were brilliant and tied everything together, and the show is available to watch from 23rd July- 4th August. 

WE SCORE CHARLIE COOK'S FAVOURITE BOOK...