Family Weekly Update This week's Family Weekly Update covers 31st August - 6th September 2026, and it was back-to-school week for Alice and Leo. Before they went back, we squeezed in a trip to Krispy Kreme for the new Pokémon doughnuts and a few back-to-school treats. Wednesday was then a particularly big day for Leo as he started his new school and is now going to the same school as Alice. Once they were both back at school, I had a little more time for drawing and blogging, and by Friday I was finally ready to turn some of the designs I've been creating in Procreate into actual products. I experimented with sublimating mugs using my dedicated craft air fryer, with slightly mixed results! We also had a fairly quiet weekend at home with plenty of UNO, drawing and family movies. Here's what we got up to. 💻 Monday – Vlog Editing & A Trip To The Park I spent most of Monday at my computer catching up with some more editing. I worked on Weekly Vlog #463 and also wrote the latest Family Weekly Update for the blog. Lawrence had the day off work, so while I was busy editing he took Alice and Leo to the park. It meant they got out of the house for a while and I could actually get on with some work without too many interruptions! It wasn't the most exciting start to the week for me, but I managed to get quite a bit done. 🍩 Tuesday – Pokémon Krispy Kreme Doughnuts & Back-To-School Treats Tuesday was Alice and Leo's final day before going back to school, so my dad gave us a lift over to Krispy Kreme at Trafford Park because we wanted to get Leo the new Bulbasaur and Squirtle Pokémon doughnuts as a little end-of-the-holidays treat. The last time we bought Pokémon doughnuts from Krispy Kreme, we couldn't add them to a Pick Your Own Dozen box. This time we could, so naturally we ended up buying a dozen! We chose one of each of the Pokémon doughnuts and added two chocolate sprinkle doughnuts for Alice because she didn't like the Pokémon ones. Once we'd bought our doughnuts, we headed over to ASDA because I needed to get some frames for the art prints I received for my birthday. I'd been meaning to buy them for ages, so I finally got around to doing it. Alice was also very keen to get some onion ring crisps because they're her favourite crisps at the moment. Of course, we didn't quite make it around ASDA with just the things we'd gone in for. Alice spotted a pink Minecraft axolotl plush that she'd wanted for a while, while Leo fell in love with a Minecraft bee plush. With it being their last day before going back to school, we decided to get them as little back-to-school treats. Once we were home, Lawrence and I got a few jobs done around the house before we all settled down to watch Monsters, Inc. together. Alice opened her new onion rings to snack on while we watched. Then it was bath and bedtime ready for the first day back at school in the morning. 🎒 Wednesday – Back To School & Leo's First Day At His New School Wednesday was a big day because it was the children's first day back at school, and it was also Leo's first day at his new school. He's now going to the same school as Alice, which should make things a lot easier going forward. It didn't make the first morning particularly easy, though! Because it was Leo's first day, he was starting an hour later than Alice. I had to take Alice to school, walk all the way home and then, not long after I'd arrived back, head straight back out again to take Leo. At least that was only because it was his first day! Once I'd finally made it home for the second time, I got the rest of the house jobs done and then spent some time drawing on my iPad. The school day seemed to disappear incredibly quickly, and before I knew it, it was time to head back out again to collect them both. 🗣️ Thursday – Speech Therapy, Blogging & Drawing Thursday morning was slightly different again because Leo had speech therapy. We dropped Alice off at school first, then I took Leo to his speech therapy appointment. He actually really enjoys going, so thankfully it's never something I have to persuade him to do. After his appointment, I took him to school and then headed home. I started working on a new blog post and managed to fit in a little more drawing as well, but once again the school day seemed to disappear ridiculously quickly. Before I knew it, it was time to head back out and collect Alice and Leo. 🎨 Friday – Turning My Procreate Drawings Into Sublimation Designs Friday was definitely my most creative day of the week. I've been working on lots of drawings in Procreate, and I decided it was finally time to start turning some of them into designs that I could actually print onto mugs. I'd already created some seamless patterns, but they weren't quite ready to use as they were. I needed to edit them in Photoshop and alter the layouts so that they fitted my mug and pen templates properly. It took quite a bit of playing around to get everything positioned how I wanted it, but eventually I was happy enough with the designs to print them using my sublimation printer. Then came the slightly nerve-racking part – actually putting them onto the mugs! I use an air fryer that I keep specifically for crafting and sublimation, so I used that to transfer the printed designs onto the mugs. The finished mugs weren't perfect, but that's all part of experimenting and working out what needs changing. I've now altered my mug template slightly, so hopefully the next ones I make should print much better. I'm still really pleased that I've finally started turning some of my Procreate drawings into physical items. There's something very satisfying about seeing a design that started as a drawing on my iPad actually printed onto a mug. I also printed some designs ready for sublimation pens, but I ran out of time before I could actually transfer them onto the pens. That's a project for another day! 🧹 Saturday – Craft Room Tidying, UNO & The Wild Robot Lawrence had Saturday off work, so while he entertained Alice and Leo, I tackled the aftermath of Friday's crafting session. My craft room was an absolute mess! Once I'd managed to get everything tidied away again, we spent some time together playing UNO Flip Extreme. We also watched The Wild Robot, which Alice loves, so it was a nice quiet family Saturday after the first few days of being back in the school routine. 🎮 Sunday – Pikmin, Super Mario UNO & Hoppers Sunday was another quiet day home. I spent some time drawing on my iPad while Alice and Leo played Pikmin on the Nintendo Switch. Later, Leo and I played Super Mario UNO together for a while before we all settled down to watch Hoppers. Then it was bath and bedtime again, ready to start another week of school on Monday. 💭 Final Thoughts This week definitely felt like the end of the summer holidays and the start of getting back into our normal routine. Tuesday was a lovely way to finish the holidays with the Pokémon Krispy Kreme doughnuts, a few treats and a family movie afternoon before Alice and Leo headed back to school. The biggest change was obviously Leo starting his new school. Having both children at the same school should hopefully make the school run a little simpler – once we get past first days with different start times! I also really enjoyed finally doing with some of the designs I've been drawing in Procreate. My first sublimated mugs might not have come out perfectly, but I've already worked out some changes I want to make, and I'm looking forward to trying them again. For now, though, we're officially back into the school routine! 🎥 Watch Weekly Vlog #467 You can see more from our week in Weekly Vlog #467, including our trip to Krispy Kreme to get the new Pokémon doughnuts, our ASDA shopping trip and me experimenting with sublimation using an air fryer to turn some of my Procreate designs into mugs.

Family Weekly Update This week's Family Weekly Update covers 24th–30th August 2026, and I seem to have spent a large part of it trying to catch up with my enormous editing backlog! I finally edited several theatre vlogs that have been sitting waiting for me for far too long, while Alice and Leo enjoyed some quieter time at home. We did manage to get away from the computer though. We went out for lunch with my parents, Alice joined Lawrence and me for the press night of High School Musical at The Lowry, and all four of us headed into Manchester to see Blossom Bird at Central Library – a lovely family show that ended up being a particular hit with Leo. Here's what we got up to. 💻 Monday – Tackling My Editing Backlog Monday was very much a work-at-home day for me. I started by editing Weekly Vlog #462 and writing the Family Weekly Update to go alongside it. Once I'd finished that, I moved on to one of the many theatre videos sitting in my editing backlog – my Malory Towers theatre vlog and review. I'd actually filmed the video quite a while ago but simply hadn't had time to sit down and finish editing it. It felt good to finally get another older video finished! While I worked, Alice and Leo entertained themselves playing with their toys and watching some TV. Not the most exciting day of the summer holidays, but a productive one for me! 🎬 Tuesday – Even More Editing & Plenty Of UNO Tuesday was another editing day. This time, I worked on my theatre vlog and review of The Ballad of Johnny & June and my Disney On Ice vlog and review. Again, both had been filmed a while ago, but this was the first chance I'd had to actually sit down and edit them. I also managed to get a few jobs done around the house in between editing and played some games of UNO with Alice and Leo. UNO is still very popular in our house – especially with Leo – so there is rarely any chance of me getting through an entire day without being asked to play at least one game! 🍽️ Wednesday – Lunch At Coppice Wood Farm On Wednesday, the children and I went out for lunch with my parents at Coppice Wood Farm. We left home at around 12.20pm and arrived at about 12.35pm. Alice and Leo really like going to Coppice Wood Farm because it has a small children's play area, so they can go off and play while we're there. As it was the summer holidays, they were also running a Kids Eat Free offer. My parents and I all chose the carvery, while Alice and Leo had chicken nuggets, chips and garlic bread. Their meals even came with a free ice cream for dessert. My parents very kindly paid for my meal too. Before we left, my dad gave Alice and Leo a couple of pound coins each to use in the little toy vending machines. Alice ended up with two superhero squishies, while Leo got a mini dog figure and a little squishy monster. We left the restaurant at around 2pm and were back home by about 2.15pm. Once we got home, Alice and Leo spent some time on their tablets while I returned to – you guessed it – more editing! This time I worked on a Book of Mormon theatre vlog and a Matilda vlog. These weren't just slightly overdue. I'd actually filmed them a few years ago and, for some reason, had never finished editing them! At least I'm finally making my way through the backlog. 🏀 Thursday – High School Musical Press Night At The Lowry We spent Thursday morning getting a few jobs done around the house, and I did some drawing in the afternoon. Then it was time to get ready for a much more exciting evening. Lawrence, Alice and I were heading to The Lowry for the opening and press night of High School Musical, while Leo went to spend the evening at my parents' house. Alice had never seen High School Musical before, so although I already knew Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay and all the songs, she was going into East High without knowing anything about the story. There was loads going on for press night before we'd even entered the auditorium. Alice was given some pom-poms, there was a High School Musical photo backdrop with basketball props, we discovered a karaoke booth and there was even a recreation of Sharpay's dressing table. Our karaoke was absolutely terrible, but Alice had a brilliant time! We were sitting in Circle Row C, and the view was fantastic. There was even entertainment before the show officially started, including East High cheerleaders teaching the audience a Wildcats cheer. And then it was time for the actual musical. I thought the production was fantastic. I loved the staging and choreography, particularly the huge company numbers, and Alice sat completely absorbed in it all. She especially seemed to love the big dance routines. I actually came away thinking I'd enjoyed the stage production even more than the movie, while Alice came away as a brand-new High School Musical fan. By the time we got home it was around 10pm, so it was pretty much straight to bed for the children. 👉 You can read all about our evening in my High School Musical family theatre review, or head over to All About Theatre for my full 5-star review of the production. 📚 Friday – Blossom Bird At Manchester Central Library On Friday, we headed into Manchester to Central Library to see Blossom Bird. The performance was completely free, although tickets needed to be booked in advance. We arrived with enough time to have a little look around the children's section of the library before heading upstairs to the Music Library, where the performance was taking place. The set-up was really lovely for the children. There were giant cushions on the floor for them to sit on, while the adults sat on chairs behind them, so Alice and Leo found themselves a cushion and settled down ready for the show. Blossom Bird follows Pipit, a lost little bird without any feathers who is taken in by a family of wildflowers. With their help, Pipit begins to learn what it means to belong, to grow and to trust in who they really are. The story was brought to life by two performers alongside the Pipit puppet, with storytelling, songs and movement used throughout. It was a really gentle and lovely story with a nice message about belonging and being yourself. The show was designed for children aged around 4–8, so Alice and Leo were right within the intended age range. The whole experience lasted around 45 minutes, and afterwards the children had the chance to meet the puppets, which was a lovely way to finish the performance. We all really enjoyed Blossom Bird, but I think Leo gave it the best review when he told us afterwards that it was "the loveliest show he'd ever seen." Considering how many shows Leo has been to over the years, I thought that was quite a compliment! I've now shared our full family review of The Blossom Bird, as well as my ★★★★★ All About Theatre review. After leaving Central Library, we headed over to Manchester Arndale, where we had some lunch in the food court before doing a bit of shopping. Our first stop was The Entertainer. Alice chose the Skye figure and vehicle from Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie. She'd bought the Rubble vehicle on our shopping trip the previous week, so she's gradually building up a little collection. Leo chose some Minecraft figures and, unsurprisingly, another UNO game – UNO Zero. I also spotted some little Star plush toys from Disney's Wish that had been reduced to just £1 each, so I bought one for Alice and one for Leo. At £1 each, I couldn't really leave them there! We also went into B&M, where Alice and Leo each got a Numberblocks figure set. After we'd finished shopping, we headed home. It had been a really lovely day out in Manchester. We'd seen a lovely family show for free, the children had been able to meet the puppets afterwards, we'd had lunch and done a little bit of shopping – and Leo declaring Blossom Bird "the loveliest show he'd seen" was probably the perfect way to sum up how much he'd enjoyed it. 🏠 Saturday – A Quiet Day Saturday was a quieter day at home after our busy couple of days out. I got a few jobs done around the house and then spent some time drawing on my iPad, while also fitting in some more video editing. Of course, we also had to try out UNO Zero, which Leo had bought from The Entertainer the day before. I played some games with Alice and Leo, and considering how much UNO we've been playing recently, it was nice to have a new version to try. So Saturday wasn't a particularly exciting day, but it was actually quite nice to have a day at home getting a few things done, doing some drawing and, inevitably, playing yet more UNO! 🃏 Sunday – An Afternoon Of UNO On Sunday, we headed round to my parents' house specifically for an afternoon of UNO. Leo gathered up all of his different UNO games to take with us, so we had plenty to choose from! We ended up playing UNO Zero, UNO Flip Extreme and UNO No Mercy, and my mum had put out lots of snacks for us to eat while we played, including crisps, chocolate fingers, popcorn and chocolate mini rolls. Although I think Alice may have eaten most of the crisps and chocolate fingers! Alice joined us for one game of UNO, but after that she decided she'd had enough and went off to watch TV instead. We don't have BBC iPlayer at home, so she took full advantage of being at my parents' house and watched all the Zog episodes she could find on BBC iPlayer, followed by some Numberblocks. Meanwhile, the rest of us carried on with our UNO marathon. We ended up having so much fun that we've decided we'd quite like to make UNO Day a regular family thing. We're thinking of getting together once or twice a month, taking Leo's UNO collection round to my parents' house, putting out some snacks and spending the afternoon playing. Considering how quickly Leo's UNO collection seems to be growing, I don't think we're going to run out of different versions to play any time soon! Final Thoughts That was our week! It was definitely a week of two halves. Monday and Tuesday were largely spent at home while I tried to make a dent in my rather ridiculous video editing backlog, before things became much busier later in the week. Our two theatre trips were very different but both ended up being highlights. High School Musical was a huge, energetic production and such a fun press-night experience, particularly getting to watch Alice discover the story for the first time. Then the following day we went from a huge musical at The Lowry to the much smaller Blossom Bird at Manchester Central Library – and Leo declaring it the loveliest show he'd seen. We also squeezed in lunch with my parents, shopping in Manchester and, naturally, plenty of UNO. And somehow, amongst all that, I finally managed to edit several videos that have been waiting on my computer for far too long! 🎥 Watch Weekly Vlog #466 You can see more from our week in Weekly Vlog #466, including our family lunch at Coppice Wood Farm, High School Musical press night at The Lowry, our trip to Manchester Central Library for Blossom Bird and our Manchester day out.

Our Trip To See High Society At The Lowry 🎭 On Tuesday 22nd September, Mum and I headed to The Lowry for the press night of High Society. I was going into this one almost completely fresh. Although I was familiar with several Cole Porter songs, I'd never seen the High Society film or a stage production before and didn't really know much about the story. Mum, on the other hand, had seen the film, so we were going into the evening with quite different levels of familiarity with the show. Dad dropped us off opposite the Imperial War Museum North and from there we walked across the bridge towards The Lowry. The performance was due to begin at 7:30pm and we arrived at around 7:10pm, so we didn't have loads of time to spare before the show started. Once inside, I headed over to the press desk to collect our tickets, programme and wristbands before going to have a look at the merchandise. High Society Merchandise 🛍️ There was actually quite a large selection of Merchandise available: 👕 Hoodie – £45 👕 T-Shirt – £28 💧 Water Bottle – £20 👜 Tote Bag – £22 🥃 Glass – £20 💳 Card Wallet – £18 ☕ Latte Mug – £12 🪞 Compact Mirror – £12 🔑 Keyring – £8 🧲 Magnet – £8 🖊️ Pen – £6 📖 Brochure – £10 There was a bit of a queue at the merchandise stand and, with the performance starting fairly soon, I decided not to buy anything straight away. I had planned to come back during the interval to buy the magnet, but unfortunately I completely forgot! Before heading into the auditorium, I also had a look at the cast list, which confirmed that Swing Imogen Bailey would be playing Dinah Lord at our performance. Our Seats & View At The Lowry 🎟️ For this performance, Mum and I were seated in the Circle, Row E, Seats 28 and 29. I was really pleased with our seats. We had a fantastic, clear and central view of the entire stage and, despite being in the Circle, I didn't feel as though we were too far away from the action. Being higher up also meant we could really appreciate the scale of the mansion set. From our seats we could see right across the stage, including both staircases, the balcony and everything happening across the different levels. One of the things I particularly like about the Circle at The Lowry is the rake. I'm quite short and can sometimes struggle to see over people's heads when I'm sitting in the Stalls, whereas the steeper rake in the Circle makes that much less of an issue. I also thought the legroom was pretty good compared with the Circle at some other theatres I've visited. Mum didn't find it quite as comfortable. She has a bad hip and said she'd had more legroom when sitting in the Stalls at The Lowry. She found it difficult not being able to stretch her leg out properly, so that's probably something worth bearing in mind if you need a little more space. Personally, though, I would definitely choose these seats again. For me, the excellent sightlines and better rake made them a really good option. The performance began at 7:30pm. Act One lasted approximately 70 minutes, followed by an interval of around 20 minutes. Act Two lasted approximately 60 minutes, with the performance finishing at around 10pm. The Story & My Thoughts 💍 High Society follows wealthy socialite Tracy Lord, who is preparing to marry George Kittredge at her family's grand home in Newport. Her wedding preparations become considerably more complicated when her ex-husband Dexter Haven returns and reporter Mike Connor and photographer Liz Imbrie arrive looking for a story about the Lord family. With Tracy's parents, younger sister Dinah and Uncle Willie also involved, things gradually become increasingly complicated as the wedding approaches. As somebody who knew virtually nothing about the story beforehand, I did find the first act a little slow. There are quite a few characters and relationships to establish and, although there were things I enjoyed, I felt as though I was waiting for the story to really get going. The closing number of Act One, Now You Have Jazz, was a completely different matter. It gave the production a huge burst of energy and was easily one of my favourite moments of the first half. During the interval, Mum and I headed to the main bar and into the press area for a drink. Mum chose a glass of wine while I had a bottle of dandelion and burdock. Naturally, we also used the opportunity to compare notes on what we'd thought so far. We both agreed that we'd found the first act a little slow, but we'd really enjoyed the closing number and both thought the pace would probably pick up in Act Two. Thankfully, we were right. I enjoyed the second act much more. The wedding celebrations become increasingly chaotic, the comedy gets stronger and the larger musical numbers give the production much more energy. This was where I felt the show really came to life. Mum agreed that the second act was stronger too. We both enjoyed the production overall, although having already seen the film, Mum said she thought she probably preferred the movie a little more. Set, Costumes, Music & Performances 🎶 Visually, High Society is beautiful. The first thing that caught my attention when we took our seats was the enormous mansion filling the stage. With its sweeping staircases, balcony and central archway, it immediately creates the glamorous world of the Lord family. Sitting in the Circle gave us a brilliant overall view of the design, particularly during the larger musical numbers when performers were spread across the different levels of the set. I loved the costumes too. There are lots of pastel colours, glamorous eveningwear and beautiful full-skirted 1950s dresses. The skirts looked particularly effective during the dance numbers as they moved with the choreography. The lighting also completely changes the appearance of the mansion throughout the production, moving from warmer colours during the daytime scenes into blues and purples during the evening. And then, of course, there's the Cole Porter music. Despite never having seen High Society, I recognised far more of the songs than I expected, including True Love, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, Well, Did You Evah?, Let's Misbehave and I've Got You Under My Skin. Mum was much more familiar with the film than I was and particularly liked the way some of the songs from the movie had been incorporated into the stage production. Let's Misbehave was one of my favourite numbers of the evening. By this point the whole production had become much livelier, with the choreography, colourful costumes and ensemble all coming together. Helen George leads the cast as Tracy Lord and I thought she was particularly good during the more comedic scenes in the second act as the wedding celebrations become increasingly chaotic. She also works really well with Julian Ovenden as Dexter Haven, making the complicated history between their characters believable. Julian Ovenden has a fantastic voice that suits Cole Porter's music beautifully, and Just One of Those Things was one of his standout moments for me. Freddie Fox brings lots of energy and humour to reporter Mike Connor and proves equally strong across the singing, dancing and comedy. I particularly enjoyed his scenes with Julian Ovenden, with Well, Did You Evah? a highlight for the pair. Carly Mercedes Dyer was another standout for me as photographer Liz Imbrie. She has some brilliant comic moments but also gets the opportunity to show a softer side to Liz during I've Got You Under My Skin. Nigel Lindsay provides plenty of laughs as Uncle Willie, while Imogen Bailey is great fun as Tracy's younger sister Dinah. Josefina Gabrielle, Malcolm Sinclair and David Seadon-Young complete a really strong principal cast, supported by an excellent ensemble. There really aren't any weak links in the company, and the ensemble play a big part in making the larger musical numbers work so well. If you'd like to read more about the production itself, you can also read my more theatre-focused review over on All About Theatre. The Journey Home 🚗 Once the performance finished at around 10pm, Mum and I made our way out of The Lowry and walked back across the bridge towards the Imperial War Museum North. Dad came back to collect us from the same place he'd dropped us off earlier in the evening and drove me home. We spent some of the journey talking about the show and both agreed that we'd enjoyed the second act much more than the first. Mum had obviously gone into the evening with a very different perspective to me because she already knew the film, whereas everything had been completely new to me. Although she enjoyed the stage production, she said she thought she probably preferred the movie. I couldn't make that comparison yet, but after seeing the musical I'm now interested to watch the film for myself. And I was still slightly annoyed with myself for completely forgetting to go back and buy that magnet! Final Thoughts On High Society At The Lowry ✨ Overall, I enjoyed High Society at The Lowry, although it took me a little while to really get into it. The story itself is fairly thin and I found the first act a little slow, but the second act was much more enjoyable for me. Once the pace picked up, the comedy, music and increasingly chaotic wedding celebrations made everything feel much livelier. For me, some of the biggest strengths of the production are how beautiful it looks and the performances. The enormous mansion set is spectacular, the 1950s costumes are gorgeous and there are some fantastic Cole Porter musical numbers throughout. It was also lovely getting to experience the show with Mum when she already knew the film and I didn't. We didn't necessarily have exactly the same perspective on everything, but we definitely agreed that the second act was where the production really came into its own. A glamorous night at the theatre filled with beautiful costumes, a spectacular set and the timeless music of Cole Porter. Planning Your Visit To High Society At The Lowry 📍 High Society is playing in the Lyric Theatre at The Lowry, until Saturday 3rd October 2026. The Lowry has both matinee and evening performances scheduled during the run and tickets can be booked through the Lowry's website. Tickets start from £31. The performance we attended lasted approximately two hours and 30 minutes, including a 20-minute interval. The production is also touring the UK and Ireland throughout 2026, so if you can't make the Salford dates, you can find the other venues and dates on the show's official website. Watch Our Visit In The Weekly Vlog 🎥 Our trip to see High Society will also feature in my weekly vlog. You'll be able to see more from our evening at The Lowry, including the merchandise available and the view from our seats in Circle Row E. I'll add the vlog here once it goes live. High Society At The Lowry – At A Glance 🎭 📍 Where: The Lowry, Pier 8, The Quays, Salford, M50 3AZ. 🎭 Theatre: Lyric Theatre. 📅 Dates: Tuesday 22nd September – Saturday 3rd October 2026. 🎟️ Tickets: From £31. ⏰ Running Time: 2 hours 30 minutes, including the interval 🥤 Interval: 20 minutes. 🛍️ Merchandise: A good selection of High Society merchandise was available during our visit, including clothing, bags, drinkware and smaller souvenirs. 🚊 Getting There: The Lowry is in Salford Quays and can be reached by tram, bus or car. ♿ Accessible Performances: The Lowry currently lists an Audio Described performance on Friday 25th September at 7:30pm, including a Touch Tour, and a BSL-interpreted performance on Thursday 1st October at 7:30pm. 🎫 Booking: Check performance times, availability and book tickets through The Lowry. 🌐 Official Website: The official High Society website has information about the production as well as the remaining UK and Ireland tour dates. High Society official website Our tickets for this performance were kindly gifted in exchange for an honest review. Watch The Trailer

The Blossom Bird - A Free Family Theatre Trip To Manchester Central Library 📚 On Friday 28th August, we headed into Manchester for a rather different theatre trip, as we had tickets to see Blossom Bird at Manchester Central Library. The performance was completely free, although tickets needed to be booked in advance, making it a lovely free activity to do with Alice and Leo during the summer holidays. Before the performance, we had a little look around the children's section of Central Library before heading upstairs to the Music Library, where Blossom Bird was taking place. When we entered the performance space, there were lots of huge colourful cushions laid out on the floor for the children, with chairs positioned behind them for the adults. Alice and Leo found themselves a cushion near the front and settled down ready for the show. It was a much more relaxed set-up than a traditional theatre, which worked really well because Blossom Bird was designed to involve the children rather than simply having them sit and watch. 🌸 What Is Blossom Bird About? Blossom Bird follows Pipit, a small, lost bird who doesn't have any feathers and is taken in by a family of wildflowers. With the flowers' help, Pipit begins to discover what it means to belong, to grow and, most importantly, to be yourself. It's a really gentle story with some lovely messages for younger children, exploring belonging and finding your place without ever making those themes feel too heavy. The story is brought to life by two performers alongside the Pipit puppet, using puppetry, live music, movement and lots of audience interaction. The performers are very much at the centre of the storytelling, interacting with Pipit, each other and the young audience throughout. 🐦 Pipit, The Flowers & A Colourful Transformation The production itself was quite simple, which suited the story really well. There were wooden boxes, a nest raised high above the performance area and large colourful flowers which gradually helped to bring Pipit's world to life. Pipit was a lovely little puppet. At the beginning of the story, the bird is pale and featherless, but as the performance develops, the wildflowers try to help their new friend. One of my favourite parts came when the wildflowers decided to give up their colourful petals to Pipit, hoping they could act like feathers and help the little bird to fly. This was where the children became part of Pipit's story. The performers handed a colourful petal to each child, and everyone was invited to take turns adding their petal to Pipit. Gradually, Pipit became covered in the wildflowers' brightly coloured petals, with every child contributing to the transformation. It was such a lovely way to involve the children in the story, as they weren't simply watching the flowers help Pipit – they were actually helping them do it. 🌈 Becoming Part Of Pipit's Story For me, the audience interaction was easily the best part of Blossom Bird. This wasn't a performance where the children were expected to sit silently while everything happened in front of them. The performers really involved them in Pipit's journey and made them feel as though they were part of the story. Several times, the performers brought Pipit right out amongst the children. They could see the puppet up close, touch Pipit and even give the little bird a hug. What particularly impressed me was how much care the performers took to make sure every child was included. They moved around the whole audience rather than concentrating only on the children sitting at the very front, making sure everyone had an opportunity to see and interact with Pipit. With a young audience, that could easily have become chaotic, but the two performers handled it brilliantly. They kept the children engaged while still keeping the story moving. Alice and Leo were completely drawn into what was happening. 🎶 Live Music, Movement & A Relaxed Performance Music and movement were woven throughout the performance and helped give Blossom Bird its gentle, playful feel. The performers were fantastic at holding the attention of such a young audience. There was always something for the children to look at, listen to or join in with, but the show never felt overly busy. I also really liked how relaxed the whole experience felt. The children could sit or lie on the large cushions rather than being expected to remain still in conventional theatre seats for the whole performance, and the interaction meant they had plenty of opportunities to become actively involved. At around 45 minutes, including the opportunity to meet Pipit afterwards, it was also a good length for its intended 4–8 age range. 💛 A Lovely Message About Belonging & Being Yourself Underneath all the flowers, songs and colourful petals is a really lovely story about belonging, growing and being yourself. Pipit starts as a little bird who seems unsure of where they belong, before finding friendship and a sense of belonging amongst the wildflowers. What I particularly liked was that the message wasn't simply explained to the children. When the wildflowers gave up their petals in the hope of helping Pipit fly, the children got to become part of that moment by adding the petals themselves. It made the audience interaction feel like an important part of the story rather than something that had simply been added to give the children something to do. It was gentle, positive and very easy for younger children to understand. 📸 Meeting Pipit After The Show The interaction didn't end when the story finished. Afterwards, the children were invited to come forward and meet Pipit properly, giving them another opportunity to see the puppet up close and have a photo. Alice and Leo both went up to meet Pipit, and it was a really nice way to finish the experience after they had spent the performance becoming part of Pipit's story. 💭 What Did Alice & Leo Think Of Blossom Bird? Both Alice and Leo really enjoyed Blossom Bird, but I think Leo's reaction probably sums the show up better than I can. Afterwards, he told me it was "the loveliest show he'd ever seen." Considering the amount of children's theatre we've been to over the years, I thought that was quite a compliment! I could see why it had appealed to him so much. Blossom Bird wasn't loud or overwhelming. It was a gentle, colourful performance where the children were welcomed into the story and given plenty of opportunities to interact directly with Pipit and the performers. Alice enjoyed it too and was very happy to get involved, particularly when the children were adding the colourful petals to Pipit. ⭐ Final Thoughts We had a really lovely time seeing Blossom Bird at Manchester Central Library. It was completely different from the larger theatre productions we regularly take Alice and Leo to, but I think that was part of its charm. The story was sweet, the two performers were warm and engaging, and Pipit was a lovely little character. Most importantly, the children weren't simply watching the story unfold in front of them – they were welcomed into Pipit's world and became part of the story themselves. I particularly loved the way the performers made sure every child had an opportunity to take part. Allowing them to touch and hug Pipit, help the wildflowers by adding their own colourful petal and then meet Pipit properly afterwards made the whole experience feel very personal. As a free family activity in Manchester, I thought it was fantastic, and it was a lovely way to introduce younger children to a more intimate and interactive style of theatre. And when your seven-year-old walks out describing it as "the loveliest show he'd ever seen", I don't think you can ask for a much better review than that! More Information About Blossom Bird 🌸 We saw Blossom Bird in the Music Library at Manchester Central Library on Friday 28th August 2026. Our performance was completely free, although tickets needed to be booked in advance. The show was aimed at children aged around 4–8 years and ran for approximately 45 minutes, including lots of opportunities for the children to interact with Pipit and become part of the story. After the performance, the children were also invited to meet Pipit and have a photo with the puppet. As our performance was a free event at Manchester Central Library, it's worth checking individual venues and events for future performances, ticket information and booking details. 🎥 Watch Our Visit In Weekly Vlog #466 If you'd like to come along with us to Manchester Central Library and see more from our visit to Blossom Bird, our theatre trip features in Weekly Vlog #466. Our visit to see Blossom Bird begins at 17:28 in the vlog, so you can jump straight to that part of the video if you just want to see our trip. 🎭 At A Glance 📍 Venue: Manchester Central Library 🎵 Performance Space: Music Library 📅 Performance Attended: Friday 28th August 2026 ⏱️ Runtime: Approximately 45 minutes 👤 Recommended Age: Around 4–8 years 🎟️ Our Tickets: Free with advance booking 💺 Seating: Children sat on large colourful floor cushions, with chairs positioned behind for adults 🌸 What To Expect: Storytelling, puppetry, live music, movement and lots of audience interaction 🐦 Audience Participation: Lots of opportunities for children to interact with Pipit, including seeing the puppet up close, touching and hugging Pipit and helping the wildflowers add their colourful petals to the bird 📸 Post-Show Experience: Children were invited to meet Pipit and have a photo after the performance 🌈 Our Highlight: The audience interaction. The performers made a real effort to involve every child and make them feel part of Pipit's story 💛 Themes: Belonging, friendship, growing and being yourself 👧 Good For Younger Children?: Yes – the relaxed floor seating, gentle story, short runtime and opportunities to join in make it particularly suited to younger children 🚋 Getting There: Manchester Central Library is in St Peter's Square in Manchester city centre and is easy to reach by tram, bus or train. St Peter's Square Metrolink stop is directly outside the library 🚆 By Train: Manchester Oxford Road and Manchester Piccadilly stations are both within walking distance of Central Library 🚗 Parking: There is no dedicated visitor parking at Manchester Central Library, but there are several city-centre car parks within walking distance ♿ Accessibility: Manchester Central Library has step-free access, lifts to the upper floors and accessible facilities

Thespians at HOME Manchester - Our Press Night Experience On Wednesday 8th July, my dad and I headed into Manchester for the press night of Thespians at HOME Manchester. This was a show I had been looking forward to for quite a while. I had previously seen Peter Pan Goes Wrong, but this was my dad's first experience of a Mischief Theatre production, so I was interested to see what he would think of the company's first full musical. We left my house at around 5:30pm and walked to the tram stop before catching the tram into Manchester at around 5:45pm. One of the things I really like about visiting HOME is how straightforward it is to reach by public transport. After getting off the tram at Deansgate-Castlefield, it was only a short walk to the venue and we arrived just after 6pm. As always, one of the first things we did after arriving was head over to the press desk to collect our tickets. Next to the desk was a red carpet and a large Thespians backdrop featuring both the show's branding and the HOME Theatre logo, so naturally we stopped for a few photos before heading upstairs. Staff were handing out glasses of fizz beside the red carpet and my dad picked one up before we made our way upstairs to the second floor for the pre-show drinks reception. Drinks, Balloons & Photo Opportunities 🥂 We were some of the first guests to arrive upstairs and managed to grab a seat while the room slowly began to fill up. Waiting at the bar were glasses of wine already poured out, jugs of orange juice and apple juice and a bucket filled with bottles and cans of lager. My dad opted for a bottle of lager while I went for a glass of orange juice. Unlike many theatre trips, there wasn't any merchandise available for this production and there were no programmes on sale either. Instead, guests were given a printed cast and creatives sheet, which we spent some time reading through while enjoying our drinks. The room itself had been decorated with white and gold balloons and there was also a fun photo opportunity where guests could place their heads through and become part of the Thespians artwork. Of course, my dad and I couldn't resist giving it a go ourselves. One of the friendly HOME staff members kindly offered to take our photo for us and it ended up being one of my favourite pictures from the evening. There was also another backdrop featuring repeated HOME Theatre logos where guests and members of the cast later stopped for photographs throughout the reception. My dad and I spent the next hour chatting, looking through the cast information sheet and enjoying another drink while more guests gradually arrived. Before long, some of the cast and creatives joined the reception and stopped for photographs in front of the HOME backdrop before everyone started making their way towards the auditorium. Our Seats At HOME Manchester 🎟️ At around 7:25pm we headed into the theatre and found our seats. For this performance we were seated in the Circle, Row C, Seats 7 and 8. The view was excellent. Our seats were centrally positioned with a clear, uninterrupted view of the entire stage and I would happily choose those seats again for a future visit. I've always found the sightlines at HOME to be very good and this was no exception. The show began promptly at 7:30pm and ran for approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes including a 20-minute interval. The first act lasted around 65 minutes before the interval, while the second act ran for approximately 75 minutes, bringing the performance to an end shortly after 10:10pm. Mischief Theatre Goes Musical 🎶 Going into the evening, I knew surprisingly little about Thespians other than the fact that it marked Mischief Theatre's first venture into musical theatre. Set in Ancient Greece in 534 BC, the story follows a group of islanders who accidentally discover the art of acting and storytelling while attempting to save their community. As strange as that premise sounds, it somehow works brilliantly. Fans of Mischief Theatre will find plenty of the theatrical chaos, visual comedy and misunderstandings that the company has become famous for, while the musical format feels like a surprisingly natural fit for their style of comedy. There are Greek mythology jokes, theatrical in-jokes, larger-than-life characters and plenty of moments that had the audience around us laughing throughout the evening. One thing I particularly enjoyed was the number of references and playful nods to the wider world of musical theatre hidden throughout the show. As someone who spends a lot of time watching musicals, spotting some of those references became part of the fun and I suspect many theatre fans will leave having noticed entirely different ones themselves. What impressed me most though was how accessible the humour remained. Even if someone had never seen another musical before, there would still be plenty here to enjoy. My dad and I both found ourselves laughing regularly throughout the performance and there were several moments where audience laughter almost drowned out the next line entirely. The songs were also much stronger than I had expected going in and I still had several of them stuck in my head on the tram home later that evening. While I personally preferred the second half of the show once the characters and world had been fully established, there was plenty to enjoy throughout and it was lovely watching the audience become more and more invested in the story as the evening went on. The Journey Home 🚋 Once the curtain calls had finished, my dad and I joined the crowds making their way back out into Manchester. We made the short walk back to Deansgate-Castlefield tram stop before catching the tram home, chatting about the show and some of our favourite moments from the evening along the way. It had been a really enjoyable night out and it was lovely to share another theatre trip with my dad. Final Thoughts ⭐ Overall, my dad and I had a really enjoyable evening at HOME Manchester. The drinks reception and photo opportunities helped make the press night feel that little bit more special and the production itself delivered exactly the kind of theatrical chaos audiences have come to expect from Mischief Theatre. While it may not quite reach the heights of some of the company's biggest hits for me personally, there is still plenty here to enjoy and it was fascinating seeing Mischief take their first steps into the world of musical theatre. With catchy songs, plenty of laughs and enough theatrical references to keep musical theatre fans smiling, Thespians makes for a fun and entertaining night out. Most importantly though, it was another lovely theatre trip to share with my dad. More Information About Thespians 📍 Thespians is at HOME Manchester until Saturday 18th July 2026. Tickets are available to purchase through the HOME Manchester website. For more information about the production and future tour dates, visit the official Mischief Theatre website. If you'd like to read my more theatre-focused review, you can also head over to All About Theatre. 🎥 Watch Our Visit In Weekly Vlog #459 If you'd like to see what I got up to during my trip to see Thespians, my theatre trip features in Weekly Vlog #459. The Thespians footage starts at 0:10, so you can jump straight to that part of the vlog if you just want to see my theatre trip. At A Glance 📍 Venue: HOME Manchester 📅 HOME Run: Until Saturday 18th July 2026 ⏱️ Runtime: Approx. 2 hours 40 minutes including interval ☕ Interval: 20 minutes 🎟️ Tickets From: £27.50 available from HOME Manchester's Website 👤 Age Guidance: 8+ 🎭 Genre: Musical Comedy 💺 Our Seats: Circle Row C Seats 7 & 8 👀 Seat View: Excellent central view of the stage 🎶 Features: Greek mythology jokes, theatrical references and original songs 📖 Programme Available: No 🛍️ Merchandise Available: No merchandise available at this performance 🚋 Travel: HOME is easily accessible by tram, bus and train 🚊 Closest Tram Stop: Deansgate-Castlefield 🚆 Closest Train Station: Deansgate 🌍 Tour Dates: Visit the official Mischief Theatre website for future tour dates and show information.

Our Trip To See Fun Home At The Royal Exchange Theatre 🎭 On Thursday 9th July, Lawrence and I headed into Manchester for the press night of Fun Home at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester. The performance was due to begin at 7:30pm, so we caught the tram at around 6:15pm before arriving at Market Street shortly before 6:40pm. From there, it was a short walk through the city centre and we arrived at the Royal Exchange at around 6:45pm, giving us plenty of time before the show started. The outside of the theatre was surrounded by scaffolding and restoration work during our visit, but stepping through the doors into the Great Hall still felt like entering another world entirely. As always, one of the first things we did after arriving was head straight to the box office to collect our tickets. We also picked up a programme for £5 before taking some time to have a look around the building. Programmes, Props & Exploring The Royal Exchange 📖 Unlike many touring productions, there wasn't any merchandise available for Fun Home, although I don't think I've ever seen the Royal Exchange sell show merchandise for one of their in-house productions. The £5 programme was the only souvenir available to purchase on the evening. One thing I always enjoy when visiting the Royal Exchange is having a wander around the building before taking my seat. Not only is it one of Manchester's most beautiful theatre spaces, but the productions often extend beyond the auditorium itself, with props and pieces from the show usually visible around the building. I always find myself having a look to see what I can spot before the performance begins. Another little tradition of mine is having a peek through the windows of the musicians' booth to see what instruments are waiting inside before the show starts. At the Royal Exchange, the musicians are housed in enclosed booths around the outside of the performance space rather than sitting within the auditorium itself, and I always enjoy trying to work out what sort of sound the production might have before the first note is played. Because Fun Home runs without an interval, I also noticed staff walking around selling ice creams before the show started, which isn't something I can remember seeing before at the Royal Exchange. I assume it was because this production doesn't have an interval. Before long, a bell rang throughout the building and the audience began making their way towards the various auditorium entrances. Our tickets directed us towards Door 5, so we joined the queue and headed inside. Our Seats At The Royal Exchange 🎟️ For this performance we were seated in Row C, Seats 41 and 42. The view was perfectly fine, although one thing worth knowing if you're booking for the Royal Exchange is that Rows A to D on the ground level aren't raked. If you happen to have somebody tall sat in front of you, your view can become a little restricted. Personally, I think Rows E to G probably offer some of the best views in the stalls once the rake begins. That said, my favourite seats I've ever had at the Royal Exchange remain Row A of the First Gallery, where you get a fantastic unobstructed view of the entire stage and can really appreciate the venue's unique in-the-round staging. The Banquette seats are another interesting option and offer a brilliant view of the action as they sit right on the edge of the stage itself. However, they are low bench-style seats and can become a little uncomfortable during longer productions. One of the things I love most about the Royal Exchange is simply looking around the auditorium before the show begins. With three levels of seating wrapped around the stage and the famous web of lighting suspended overhead, it remains one of the most distinctive theatre spaces in the country. The show began promptly at 7:30pm and ran for approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes with no interval. The Show 🎶 Based on Alison Bechdel's graphic memoir, Fun Home follows Alison as she looks back on her childhood, her family and her relationship with her father through memories brought to life by three versions of herself on stage. It's a funny, moving and incredibly honest piece of theatre that explores family, identity, sexuality and the complicated relationships that shape who we become. The Royal Exchange's in-the-round staging feels like the perfect home for the production, creating an intimacy that draws audiences directly into Alison's story. There were moments where the audience were laughing out loud and others where the theatre was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop as some of the show's most emotional moments unfolded. The cast were exceptional throughout, with outstanding performances across both the adult and young company, while Jeanine Tesori's score perfectly supports the storytelling from beginning to end. One of the things that impressed me most was just how well the show worked in the Royal Exchange's unique in-the-round space. Watching the story unfold with the audience completely surrounding the stage made the whole experience feel incredibly intimate. If you'd like to read my more theatre-focused review, you can also head over to All About Theatre. Food, Cast Celebrations & The Journey Home 🍔 Following the performance, guests attending the press night were invited to stay behind and celebrate with the cast and crew. Food was served in the Great Hall after the show, with mini burgers, including halal, vegan and gluten-free options, alongside sweet potato fries. Glasses of what I think was prosecco were also being served around the room for those who wanted them. I don't drink alcohol and Lawrence rarely does either, so we bought soft drinks to enjoy with our food instead. The atmosphere afterwards was lovely, with audience members, cast, creatives and press guests all mingling together throughout the building while discussing the production. Even as people began making their way home, plenty of audience members were still deep in conversation about the show, which probably says as much about the impact of the production as the standing ovation that greeted the cast. We spent some time chatting to a few people before reluctantly having to head off to get back to the children. By the time we made our way back towards Market Street it was around 10pm and we caught the tram home shortly afterwards. Final Thoughts ⭐ Overall, Lawrence and I had a really lovely evening at the Royal Exchange. Fun Home isn't your traditional big musical filled with huge dance numbers and showstopping songs, but what it offers instead is something much more intimate and personal. It managed to be funny, warm and quietly devastating, often within the space of a single scene. The standing ovation at the end of the performance showed just how much the production had connected with the audience. It's easy to see why this musical has received so much acclaim over the years and the Royal Exchange has delivered a production that feels perfectly at home in its unique space. A thoughtful and emotionally powerful night at the theatre. More Information About Fun Home 📍 Fun Home is at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester until Saturday 1st August 2026. Tickets are available from £12 via the Royal Exchange website. For more information about the production, visit the official Fun Home page on the Royal Exchange website. If you'd like to read my more theatre-focused review, you can also head over to All About Theatre. 🎥 Watch Our Visit In Weekly Vlog #459 If you'd like to see what Lawrence and I got up to during our visit to Fun Home, our theatre trip features in Weekly Vlog #459. The Fun Home footage starts at 5:44, so you can jump straight to that part of the vlog if you just want to see our theatre trip. At A Glance 📍 Venue: Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester 📅 Running Until: Saturday 1st August 2026 ⏱️ Runtime: Approx. 1 hour 40 minutes with no interval ☕ Interval: None 🎟️ Tickets From: £12 via the Royal Exchange website. 💺 Our Seats: Row C Seats 41 & 42 👀 Seat View: Good, although Rows A-D are not raked 📖 Programme Available: Yes (£5) 🛍️ Merchandise Available: No merchandise available at this performance 🚋 Travel: Easily accessible by tram, bus and train 🚊 Closest Tram Stop: Market Street, St Peter's Square and Exchange Square (all within approximately 10 minutes walk) 🚆 Closest Train Station: Manchester Victoria but Manchester Piccadilly, Deansgate and Oxford Road are all within walking distance (all within approximately 15 minutes walk) 🚌 Bus Access: Numerous bus stops are located within a short walk of the theatre 🚗 Parking: Multiple city centre car parks are available nearby, including Q-Park Deansgate North and Manchester Arena Car Park ♿ Accessibility: The Royal Exchange Theatre is accessible by lift and wheelchair spaces are available within the auditorium 🌍 Official Website: Royal Exchange Theatre website

Oh Zeus at The Lowry – A Night Out With My Brother On Tuesday 28th July, I headed to The Lowry to review Oh Zeus!, the latest comedy from Le Navet Bete. This theatre trip ended up starting much earlier than usual thanks to all the work currently taking place on the tram line. There were no trams running that day and the bus I would normally catch was missing out MediaCity, so getting to The Lowry wasn't quite as straightforward as it normally is. Rather than risk being late, I decided I might as well set off early, get myself over to Salford Quays and have something to eat before the show. My brother was meeting me there later, although as you'll discover, his journey didn't exactly go to plan either! Getting To The Lowry Without The Tram 🚌 My slightly complicated journey involved first catching a bus to the Trafford Centre and then changing onto the number 30 bus. I got off opposite the Imperial War Museum North at around 4:45pm and walked across the bridge towards The Lowry. Considering the performance wasn't starting until 7pm, I had managed to arrive with more than two hours to spare! I definitely didn't need to worry about being late. Since I had so much time, my first stop wasn't actually the theatre. Instead, I headed into the Cadbury shop and treated myself to one of their Roses pick and mix boxes. I am very predictable when it comes to Roses, so rather than having an actual mixture, I filled mine entirely with strawberry and orange creams! With chocolate sorted, it was time to find some proper food. Dinner At Nando's Before The Show 🍗 At around 5:05pm, I headed to Nando's, which is just across from The Lowry. One of the advantages of arriving so early was that I could actually sit down and enjoy some food without constantly checking the time and worrying about whether I needed to rush off to the theatre. I left Nando's at around 6:10pm and rang my brother to see how his journey was going. He wasn't entirely sure when he would arrive but thought it would probably be somewhere around 6:30pm to 6:40pm, depending on the buses. Since I didn't really have anywhere else I needed to be, I decided to head into The Lowry and wait for him there. On the way in, I stopped at the box office to pick up my programme and was also given two drinks vouchers. I then found one of the tables near the bar outside the Lyric Theatre and spent some time reading through the programme while I waited. By 6:30pm there was still no sign of my brother. I rang him again and discovered he was probably going to be another 15 minutes, so I decided to make my way upstairs towards the Quays Theatre, where Oh Zeus! was being performed. Oh Zeus Programme & Merchandise 📖 There wasn't a merchandise stand for Oh Zeus! and the only souvenir available was the official programme. The programme cost £4.50, which I thought was really good value. It was a proper good-quality programme with plenty of information about the production inside, rather than just a small cast sheet, and at £4.50 it was considerably cheaper than a lot of theatre programmes I've bought recently. I spent the next little while sitting in the Quays Bar reading it and waiting for my brother. And waiting... By 6:50pm, I decided I couldn't really wait any longer and headed into the auditorium to find my seat. Thankfully, at around 6:55pm, with just five minutes to spare, my brother finally appeared! Nothing like making a dramatic entrance. Our Seats In The Quays Theatre 🎭 For this performance, we were seated in the Stalls, Row M, Seats 1 and 2. Row M is the second row from the back of the stalls, but I was really pleased with the view. We had a clear view of the whole stage and I never felt like we were too far away from the action. The Quays Theatre is a much smaller and more intimate space than the Lyric Theatre at The Lowry, so even towards the back of the stalls you still feel quite close to the stage. I would happily choose Row M again. The performance started at 7pm, almost immediately after my brother had sat down. Act One lasted approximately 70 minutes, followed by a 20-minute interval. After his slightly stressful journey over, the interval gave my brother and me a chance to properly catch up. We also used our drinks vouchers at the bar. I went for a lemonade while my brother chose a cider. The second half began at around 8:30pm and lasted approximately an hour, with the performance finishing at around 9:30pm. Greek Gods, Mortals & Complete Chaos ⚡ I had previously seen Le Navet Bete's King Arthur in 2024 and really enjoyed it, so I already had a good idea of the company's style of comedy before seeing Oh Zeus!. This time, they've turned their attention to Greek mythology. The story begins when Zeus discovers that his daughter Hebe plans to marry Gregg, a mortal who owns the brilliantly named Hotel Krapios. Zeus isn't exactly thrilled about the idea of his daughter marrying a human and becomes determined to stop the wedding. Naturally, things don't quite go according to plan. What follows is a very silly journey involving gods, mortals, mythical creatures and eventually a trip to the Underworld. You definitely don't need to know loads about Greek mythology beforehand to enjoy it. There are plenty of references for people who do know the stories, but at its heart this is simply a very funny piece of physical comedy. One of the things I enjoy most about Le Navet Bete is just how much they manage to do with only three performers. Al Dunn, Matt Freeman and Nick Bunt constantly disappear from the stage before reappearing moments later as completely different characters. Sometimes the changes happen so quickly that I genuinely found myself wondering how they'd managed to get changed in time. The physical comedy was probably my favourite part of the show. The set is filled with doors, windows, different levels and places for characters to suddenly appear from, and the cast make full use of all of them. There's always something happening somewhere on stage and some of the biggest laughs came from the visual comedy rather than the dialogue. I particularly enjoyed Matt Freeman's Hera, who was one of my favourite characters of the evening. There is also quite a bit of audience interaction, but it felt fun rather than uncomfortable, and the cast were brilliant at reacting to whatever the audience gave them. Set, Costumes & A Trip To The Underworld 🔥 Visually, Oh Zeus! is much more impressive than you might expect from a three-person comedy. The Greek-inspired set transforms as the story moves between Mount Olympus, Hotel Krapios and eventually Hades, with the lighting changing dramatically once the characters reach the Underworld. The costumes are also a huge part of the fun. With the performers playing so many different gods, mortals and mythical creatures, there is a seemingly endless collection of costumes, wigs and ridiculous transformations. The first half was my favourite of the two acts. It felt incredibly quick and there was barely time to recover from one joke before something else happened. I did feel the pace slowed slightly once we reached Hades in the second half and there were one or two scenes I probably would have shortened. However, there were still plenty of laughs and I really enjoyed the show overall. If you like physical comedy, farce and productions that don't take themselves remotely seriously, Oh Zeus! is definitely worth checking out. The Journey Home 🚌 After the show finished at around 9:30pm, my brother and I headed back outside and walked across the bridge towards the Imperial War Museum North. With the trams still out of action, we caught the bus back to the Trafford Centre together. Once we arrived there, it was time to say goodbye as we were catching different buses for the final part of our journeys home. It had taken considerably more buses than one of my usual trips to The Lowry, but thankfully everything had worked out in the end – even if my brother did arrive with only five minutes to spare! Final Thoughts ⭐ Overall, I had a really enjoyable evening seeing Oh Zeus at The Lowry. Having enjoyed King Arthur a couple of years ago, it was lovely to see Le Navet Bete again and discover another of their wonderfully silly adventures. For me, the biggest strength of Oh Zeus! is the three performers. The speed at which they move between characters is incredibly impressive and their comic timing makes even some of the most ridiculous moments work. I also loved the colourful set, costumes and the way the production uses the whole stage as part of the comedy. The second half didn't quite have the same momentum as the first for me, but there was still plenty to enjoy and I left The Lowry having had a really fun evening. It was also lovely having my brother there. Once he'd actually managed to make it to the theatre, anyway! A wonderfully silly night of Greek gods, physical comedy and theatrical mayhem – and definitely worth all those buses. More Information About Oh Zeus! 📍 Oh Zeus! is at The Lowry till 1st August, tickets are available on the Lowry wibesite. Tickets for the Lowry performances ranged from £21.50 to £34.50. For future performances and tour information, check the official Le Navet Bete website. If you'd like to read my more theatre-focused 4-star review of the production, you can also head over to All About Theatre. 🎥 Watch My Theatre Trip In The Weekly Vlog If you'd like to see what I got up to during my trip to see Oh Zeus!, the theatre trip features in Weekly Vlog #462. The Oh Zeus! footage starts at 1:47, so you can jump straight to that part of the vlog if you just want to see my theatre trip. At a Glance 📍 Venue: The Lowry, Salford 📅 Lowry Run: Tuesday 28th July – Saturday 1st August 2026 ⏱️ Runtime: Approx. 2 hours 30 minutes including interval ☕ Interval: Approx. 20 minutes 👤 Age Guidance: 12+ 🎟️ Tickets: £21.50 – £34.50 🎭 Genre: Physical Comedy / Farce ⚡ What To Expect: Greek mythology, slapstick comedy, audience interaction, parody songs and rapid character changes 📖 Programme Available: Yes – £4.50 🛍️ Merchandise Available: No merchandise was available at our performance apart from the official programme 💺 Our Seats: Quays Theatre Stalls, Row M, Seats 1 & 2 👀 Seat View: Clear, unobstructed view of the whole stage despite being close to the back of the Stalls 🍽️ Food Nearby: There are several restaurants at Quayside opposite The Lowry, including Nando's 🚋 Getting There: The Lowry is located at Salford Quays and can usually be reached by tram, bus and car. Imperial War Museum North is also served by buses, followed by a short walk across the bridge to The Lowry ♿ Accessibility: The Lowry offers accessible seating and facilities. Check the venue's website for accessibility information and any accessible performances available for individual productions 🌍 Further Tour Dates: Visit the official Le Navet Bete website for future Oh Zeus! tour dates and show information Watch The Trailer

Dear Zoo Live 🦁 On Tuesday 11th August, we headed to The Lowry to see the 11am performance of Dear Zoo Live. Alice and Leo have both loved Dear Zoo over the years and, although they're probably a little older than the main preschool audience now, they were still really excited to see all the familiar animals from Rod Campbell's book brought to life on stage. We were invited along to the press performance, which also included some activities for the children before the show, so we needed to be at The Lowry a little earlier than we would for a normal 11am performance. Getting to The Lowry from home involves catching two trams, so we caught our first tram at around 9.50am before changing at Cornbrook for the tram to MediaCity. We arrived at around 10.10am, which gave us plenty of time before the performance started. As we were a little early, we headed into the Lowry Outlet Mall opposite the theatre and made a quick stop at the Cadbury shop to pick up some chocolate before the show. With chocolate sorted, we headed across to The Lowry at around 10.30am and made our way around to the Quays Theatre. Pre-Show Activities & Dear Zoo Merchandise 🖍️🛍️ When we arrived at the press desk, Alice and Leo were each given Dear Zoo activity sheets and crayons. We stopped to take a photo in front of the Dear Zoo sign before finding a table in the Quays Bar, where the children settled down with their activity sheets while we waited for the auditorium to open. It was a really nice way to start the morning and meant they had something to keep them occupied before the show. Of course, it wasn't long before Leo and I went to investigate the merchandise stand! There was quite a big selection of Dear Zoo books available: 📖 Dear Zoo Pop-Up Book – £10 📕 Dear Zoo Board Book – £8 🐾 Dear Zoo Touch & Feel Book – £9 👶 Dear Zoo Buggy Book – £7 📚 Dear Zoo Little Library – £7 🖍️ Dear Zoo Activity Book – £8 📛 Dear Zoo Badges – £2 each The badges featured different animals from the story, including the elephant, lion, monkey and puppy. There was also an "I've Seen Dear Zoo" badge featuring the familiar image of the lion inside its crate. Leo chose the "I've Seen Dear Zoo" badge and immediately went back to the table to show Alice. As soon as she saw his, she decided she wanted one too! So I headed back over to the merchandise stand with Alice and she chose the puppy badge. With both children now happy with their new badges, we went back to our table where they carried on with their activity sheets and had a snack until it was announced that the auditorium was open. Our Seats & View in the Quays Theatre 🎭 Once the auditorium opened, we headed inside to find our seats. We were sitting in Stalls Row G, Seats 13–16, and had an excellent clear view of the stage. On the way into the auditorium, we picked up a booster seat for Leo. The booster seats can be found near the Stalls doors before you enter, so they're really easy to grab if younger children need a little extra height. The Quays Theatre is one of the smaller theatre spaces at The Lowry, so Row G felt close enough to see everything clearly without being too near the stage. Before the performance had even started, Leo had already spotted something very exciting. Sitting in the middle of the stage was a giant version of the Dear Zoo book. "Look, it's a giant book!" It was such a simple idea, but immediately got the children interested in what was going to happen when the show started. The Show 🦒🐘🦁 Based on Rod Campbell's much-loved lift-the-flap book, Dear Zoo Live follows Ben, who writes to the zoo asking them to send him a pet. Unfortunately, the zoo doesn't quite get it right! One by one, different animals are delivered, but each one has a reason why it isn't quite suitable. Eventually, after sending all the others back, Ben finally receives the perfect pet. The stage production keeps the familiar repetitive structure of the book but expands the story with Ben's friend Sally and Sam the Zookeeper, as well as music, puppetry and lots of opportunities for the children in the audience to join in. This was probably one of Alice and Leo's favourite parts of the show. Rather than expecting younger children to sit quietly for the whole performance, there are lots of moments where they're actively encouraged to get involved. They counted flowers, sang along, stretched up tall, pretended to munch leaves like a giraffe, roared like a lion and jumped up and down like a frog. Leo absolutely loved jumping along with the frog, while Alice enthusiastically joined in with the lion's roar. And, of course, there were lots of excited little voices shouting "I sent him back!" whenever another unsuitable animal needed to return to the zoo. Even though Alice and Leo already knew which animals were coming, it didn't spoil the fun at all. If anything, knowing the story seemed to make them even more excited as they waited to see how each familiar animal would appear. Visually, the production is really colourful and does a lovely job of recreating the illustrations from the book. The different crates are a big part of this. The giraffe arrives in an incredibly tall green crate marked "FRAGILE", the lion's bright red crate says "DANGER!", while the elephant appears from an enormous yellow crate labelled "VERY HEAVY!" It really does feel a little like watching the flaps of the book open up in front of you. I also liked that the animals weren't all brought to life in exactly the same way. Some keep the flat illustrated appearance of the book, while others use puppetry or full costumes. The snake and the puppy were puppets, while the frog and mischievous monkey could move around the stage as full characters. Alice particularly loved the snake and puppy puppets, while Leo's favourites were the frog and monkey. There are also songs throughout the show. I wouldn't say any particularly stayed in my head afterwards, but they are easy for younger children to follow and give them even more opportunities to join in. Marcus Jones and Jennifer Peters play Ben and Sally, with Tom Lloyd-Kendall as Sam the Zookeeper. Although Ben and Sally are played by adults, I thought they were really believable as young children and brought lots of energy and excitement to the story. The whole cast were also really good at interacting with such a young audience and making it clear when the children could join in. Our performance lasted around 50 minutes with no interval, which felt just right for the age group it is aimed at. Lunch & Another Visit to Wild Things 🐾 After the show, our family day out wasn't quite finished. We walked over to the Quayside Beefeater for some lunch before heading back to The Lowry. While we were there, we decided to have another look around the Wild Things exhibition. This tied in really nicely with our morning because Dear Zoo is one of the children's books featured in the exhibition, so we'd gone from seeing the story brought to life on stage to spotting it again inside Wild Things. We had already visited the exhibition when it first opened and had a brilliant time exploring all the colourful displays, original children's book illustrations and activities. If you're thinking of visiting too, you can read our full Wild Things at Lowry review to see more of what's inside. It worked really well as an extra activity after the show and helped turn our relatively short theatre visit into a much bigger family day out. After a busy morning of animals, theatre, activities and lunch, we eventually headed back to MediaCity and caught the tram home at around 2pm. Final Thoughts ✨ We had such a lovely family morning seeing Dear Zoo Live. Alice and Leo are probably towards the older end of the audience for the show now, but because they already knew and loved the book, they still had a brilliant time seeing all the familiar animals brought to life. Even though they're probably moving beyond the main preschool audience, it was lovely seeing how involved they still became in a story they've known for years. The audience participation definitely helped keep them engaged and meant they weren't simply sitting and watching for the whole performance. I also really liked how recognisable everything was from the book. The giant book on stage, colourful crates, puppets and different animals make it really easy for young children to connect what they're watching with the story they know from home. Its short running time also makes it really manageable for younger children, and I think it would make a lovely first theatre experience. Adding the activity sheets before the performance, choosing their little badges and visiting Wild Things afterwards meant we were also able to turn a relatively short show into a much bigger family day out at Salford Quays. A colourful and interactive family theatre trip that brings a much-loved children's book to life. More Information About Dear Zoo Live 🦁 Dear Zoo Live has now finished its run at The Lowry, where we saw the production in the Quays Theatre. The good news is that the production is continuing to tour the UK, so there are still plenty of opportunities to see the show at other venues. You can check out the official Dear Zoo Live website for more information and the latest tour dates. As performance times, ticket prices, age recommendations and facilities can vary between theatres, it's worth checking the details directly with the venue you're planning to visit. If you'd like to read our more detailed theatre-focused review of the production, you can head over to our Dear Zoo review on All About Theatre 🎥 Watch Our Dear Zoo Theatre Trip in the Weekly Vlog If you'd like to come along with us on our family trip to see Dear Zoo Live at The Lowry, our visit features in Weekly Vlog #464. The Dear Zoo Live footage starts at 13:49, so you can jump straight to that part of the vlog if you just want to see our theatre trip. 🎭 At A Glance 📍 Venue Visited: The Lowry, Salford 🎭 Theatre: Quays Theatre 🗺️ UK Tour: Dear Zoo Live is continuing to tour the UK – check your local venue for upcoming dates and ticket prices ⏱️ Runtime: Approx. 55 minutes ☕ Interval: No interval 👤 Recommended Age: 3+ 🎟️ Tickets: Prices vary by tour venue – tickets at The Lowry were £19.50 🎭 What to Expect: Puppetry, costumed characters, music and lots of audience interaction 👶 Good First Theatre Show?: Yes – the short runtime, familiar story and opportunities to join in make it particularly suitable for younger children 💺 Our Seats: Stalls Row G, Seats 13–16 👀 Seat View: Excellent clear view of the stage 🪑 Booster Seats: Available at The Lowry – we picked one up near the Stalls doors before entering the Quays Theatre 🛍️ Merchandise Available: Dear Zoo books and character badges were available during our visit, with prices from £2 🍫 Food & Drink: The Lowry has bars and cafés, with plenty of additional places to eat at Quayside MediaCityUK opposite the theatre 🐾 Things To Do Nearby: The free Wild Things exhibition at The Lowry features Dear Zoo alongside other much-loved children's books 🚋 Getting There: The Lowry is easily accessible by tram, with MediaCity and Imperial War Museum stops both nearby 🚗 Parking: Parking is available at Quayside MediaCityUK opposite The Lowry ♿ Accessibility: Accessible facilities and performances are available at The Lowry – check individual performances when booking Watch The Trailer

Our Trip To See High School Musical At The Lowry 🏀 On Thursday 27th August, Lawrence, Alice and I headed to The Lowry for the opening night and press night of High School Musical. I was really looking forward to this one. I was 23 when the original High School Musical film was released, so it wasn't part of my childhood like it was for a lot of fans, but I still really enjoyed the movie and actually still have my original DVD. Alice, who is eight, hadn't seen High School Musical at all. While I already knew Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay and all the familiar songs, she was going into East High knowing absolutely nothing about it. My dad dropped us off opposite the Imperial War Museum North and from there we walked across the bridge to The Lowry, arriving just after 6pm for the 7pm performance. For press night, we entered through the old Pier 8 restaurant entrance and collected our tickets, wristbands and programme from the press desk. Alice was also given some pom-poms, which she absolutely loved and immediately started waving around. Pom-Poms, Photos & High School Musical Karaoke 🎤 There was plenty happening around the bar area for the opening night. A High School Musical backdrop had been set up with basketballs and Wildcats signs to use as props, so naturally we stopped to take some photos of Alice with her new pom-poms. Afterwards, Alice headed straight for the little toy kitchen at the back of the bar area. Lawrence stayed with her while I went to investigate whether there was any High School Musical merchandise available. When I came back, the press and guest area had become quite busy. It was starting to feel a little too crowded for Alice and me, so we decided to head out and have a walk around instead. I'm really glad we did because just as we left the bar area, we discovered a High School Musical karaoke booth. Of course, we had to give it a go! Our singing was absolutely terrible, but Alice had so much fun singing along to some of the High School Musical songs that I don't think that mattered in the slightest. After leaving the karaoke booth, we discovered another brilliant photo opportunity on the other side of the bar – a recreation of Sharpay's dressing table. Alice sat on the stool in front of the mirror, waving her pom-poms around while we took some photos. There was so much for her to do before we'd even entered the auditorium that the evening already felt like much more than simply arriving and waiting for the show to start. High School Musical Merchandise 🛍️ While Lawrence was watching Alice in the toy kitchen, I headed out of the bar area to see what merchandise was available. The merchandise stand was located a little past the main box office on the opposite side. There wasn't a huge selection, but there were a few High School Musical souvenirs to choose from. A tote bag was £15, the T-shirt was £30, a mug was £12 and the programme was also £12. We had already been given a programme when we collected our press-night tickets, so I didn't buy anything from the merchandise stand this time. Our Seats At The Lowry 🎟️ By around 6:30pm the auditorium had opened, so we decided to head inside and find our seats. We were seated in the Circle, Row C, Seats 20-23 and entered the auditorium through Door K. The view was fantastic. One of the things I particularly like about the Circle at The Lowry is how well raked the seating is. It means your view is much less likely to be blocked by the person sitting in front of you, and on this occasion I actually think the Circle worked particularly well for Alice. Had we been sitting in the Stalls with an adult directly in front of her, I'm not sure she would have had such a clear view, even with a booster seat. From Row C she could see everything happening across the stage. The stage itself looked really impressive. With the basketball court in front of us and audience members seated at either side, it already felt as though we had arrived at East High to watch a basketball game. Pre-Show Entertainment 🏀 Even before the show officially began, there was plenty happening on stage. A man appeared on the basketball court carrying a brush as though he was cleaning the floor. He had wired headphones in and what looked like an iPod in his pocket, occasionally taking it out as he danced around the stage with his brush. Announcements also came through the sound system asking different sections of the audience to wave, before showing them on the large screens around the auditorium. Then some of the East High cheerleaders came out and taught the audience a Wildcats cheer. Everyone joined in and the atmosphere was fantastic. It really did feel as though we were spectators waiting for an East High basketball game, and by the time the musical was ready to begin, everyone seemed excited for the show to start. The performance was scheduled to begin at 7pm but began a little later at around 7:10pm. Welcome To East High 🎭 For anyone who hasn't seen the film, High School Musical follows Troy Bolton, the star of East High's basketball team, and Gabriella Montez, a talented student who excels academically. They first meet during the holidays when they unexpectedly end up singing karaoke together. They are reunited when Gabriella transfers to East High and decide to audition together for the school musical. The problem is that everyone around them already seems to have decided exactly where they belong. Troy should be concentrating on basketball, Gabriella belongs with the brainiacs and Sharpay and Ryan Evans consider the school theatre to be very much their territory. It is a simple story about friendship, first love and having the confidence to try something different rather than allowing other people to decide who you should be. What I found particularly interesting this time was watching the story with Alice. I already knew what was going to happen and recognised the songs as soon as they began. Alice didn't have any of that connection to the original movie. For her, this was simply a completely new musical – and she loved it. The Staging, Music & Dancing 🎶 I thought the whole production was fantastic, but the staging and choreography were particular highlights for me. The East High basketball court forms the centre of the design, but the set is constantly adapted and transformed as the story moves around the school. Large screens and projections are incorporated into the production, along with live footage at different points, and everything works together really well. One of my favourite visual moments was Troy and Gabriella sitting together on a crescent moon suspended high above the stage, surrounded by glowing stars. It was such a beautiful image and completely different from the busy basketball court scenes. But it was the big group numbers that really brought the production to life for me. The choreography was fantastic, especially during Get'cha Head in the Game, where the basketballs become part of the routine as the cast bounce and pass them in time with the music. It was incredibly impressive watching so many basketballs moving around the stage in time with the choreography. I also loved hearing songs including Breaking Free, Stick to the Status Quo and We're All in This Together performed live by such a large company. These were the moments Alice seemed to love most. She sat watching the big dance numbers in awe, completely absorbed in everything happening across the stage. I also particularly enjoyed Sharpay's costumes. There was plenty of pink, sparkle and glamour, and I found myself looking forward to seeing what she would appear in next. The Cast 🌟 I thought the entire cast were fantastic and everyone felt really well suited to their roles. Tobias Turley makes a very likeable Troy Bolton and Leonor Correia brings a lovely warmth to Gabriella. The pair work naturally together and their voices blend beautifully during their duets. Caitlin Tipping was one of my standouts as Sharpay. She has the confidence, comedy and larger-than-life personality you want from the character while also allowing some of Sharpay's insecurity to come through underneath it all. Luke Bayer is great fun as Ryan and works brilliantly alongside her. Another standout for me was KayCee Stroh as Ms Darbus. Fans of the original High School Musical films may recognise KayCee as Martha Cox, so there is something particularly lovely about seeing her return to East High 20 years later, this time as the drama teacher. She is wonderfully over-the-top and very funny, earning some of the biggest laughs of the evening. Jason Donovan plays Troy's dad, Coach Bolton, for the Lowry run and has a strong presence as the basketball coach who is so focused on Troy's sporting future that he initially struggles to understand why his son suddenly wants to sing as well. The ensemble also deserve a special mention. Between the huge dance numbers and all of the basketball choreography, this is an incredibly physical production and the whole company make the routines look effortless. Ice Cream, Slushies & High School Musical Cookies 🍦 The first act lasted around 55 minutes, with the interval beginning at approximately 8:05pm. During the 20-minute interval, we headed to the concession stand and bought some ice cream for £3.75 a tub. Alice chose vanilla while I went for mint choc chip. We then headed back towards the press and guest area, where glasses of red and white wine had been poured out along the bar alongside cups of red slushies and High School Musical-branded cookies. We each picked up a slushie and a cookie. The press area was quite crowded again, so rather than staying inside, we found a table just outside the bar where we could sit together and enjoy our snacks before heading back into the auditorium. The second act started at around 8:30pm and the show finished at approximately 9:40pm. That gave the performance a total running time of around 2 hours 30 minutes including the interval, with Act One lasting approximately 55 minutes and Act Two around 70 minutes. Final Thoughts 💭 I went into High School Musical expecting to enjoy it. What I wasn't expecting was to come away thinking I had enjoyed this stage production even more than the movie. Seeing the story performed live adds so much to it. The huge company numbers have an incredible energy, the staging is clever, the choreography is fantastic and the whole cast are so well suited to their roles. But I think one of my favourite things about the evening was watching Alice discover High School Musical for the first time. She didn't know the story or the characters and didn't have any nostalgia attached to the songs. She simply sat there watching the dancing in awe and enjoying everything happening in front of her. Afterwards, I told her there was a High School Musical movie and now she can't wait to watch it. For me, that shows why this production works so well as a family musical. There is plenty of nostalgia for those who already love High School Musical, but you certainly don't need to know the film to have a brilliant time. The whole press-night experience made our visit even more fun too. From Alice receiving her pom-poms and posing with the basketball props to our terrible karaoke, Sharpay's dressing table, ice creams, slushies and cookies, there was something exciting happening throughout the evening. Twenty years after the original film, High School Musical has clearly still got its head in the game. And it seems to have found a brand-new fan in Alice. More Information About High School Musical 📍 High School Musical is playing at The Lowry in Salford until Saturday 19th September 2026. Tickets are available through the Lowry website. The production will then head to Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre in London from 12th October 2026 until 3rd January 2027. For more information about the production and its London run, visit the official High School Musical website. If you'd like to read my more theatre-focused review of the production, you can also read my High School Musical review on All About Theatre. 🎥 Watch Our High School Musical Theatre Trip Our trip to see High School Musical at The Lowry features in Weekly Vlog #466, including some of the pre-show experience and our thoughts on the production. The High School Musical footage starts at 2:46, so you can jump straight to that part of the vlog if you just want to see our theatre trip. At A Glance 📍 Venue: The Lowry, Salford, Greater Manchester 📅 Lowry Run: 22nd August – 19th September 2026 ⏱️ Runtime: Approx. 2 hours 30 minutes including interval ☕ Interval: Approx. 20 minutes 👤 Age Guidance: 6+ 🎟️ Tickets From: £26 available through the Lowry website 🎭 Genre: Family Musical 🎶 Features Songs Including: Breaking Free, Get'cha Head in the Game, Stick to the Status Quo and We're All in This Together 💺 Our Seats: Circle, Row C, Seats 20-23 👀 Seat View: Fantastic, with a clear view of the whole stage. The Circle is well raked, which can make it a particularly good option for children who may struggle to see over adults in the Stalls 📖 Programme Available: Yes – £12 🛍️ Merchandise Available: Yes – during our visit this included a T-shirt (£30), tote bag (£15) and mug (£12) 🍦 Ice Cream: Available from the concession stands – £3.75 per tub during our visit 🚋 Getting There: The Lowry is easily accessible by tram, bus and car 🚊 Closest Tram Stops: MediaCityUK and Imperial War Museum 🚌 Bus Access: Bus services operate around MediaCity and Salford Quays 🚗 Parking: Quayside MediaCity car park is next to The Lowry ♿ Accessibility: Step-free access and accessible seating are available. Check The Lowry website for specific access information and accessible performances 🌍 London Run: Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, London from 12th October 2026 until 3rd January 2027 🎟️ Official Website: Visit the official High School Musical website for production information and London tickets Our tickets for this performance were kindly gifted for review purposes. All opinions are my own. Watch The Trailer

This simple vanilla cupcake recipe makes 12 cupcakes and is my go-to recipe whenever we make cupcakes for birthdays, parties or seasonal treats. I tend to keep the basic cupcake recipe the same and then change the decorations depending on what we're making them for. They're really simple to make with just a few basic ingredients and, once they've cooled, they're ready to decorate with buttercream, icing, sprinkles or whatever decorations suit the occasion. It's also an easy recipe for the children to get involved with. Alice often helps when we're baking, whether that's weighing out the ingredients, mixing everything together or helping with the decorating afterwards. Makes: 12 cupcakes Baking time: Approximately 15 minutes Oven temperature: 180°C Simple Vanilla Cupcake Recipe Ingredients You only need five ingredients to make these vanilla cupcakes: 110g butter 110g sugar 110g self-raising flour 2 large eggs ½ teaspoon vanilla essence One of the things I like about this recipe is how easy the quantities are to remember. The butter, sugar and flour are all 110g, so I don't have to keep looking up the recipe every time we decide to make some. How to Make Vanilla Cupcakes 1. Preheat the Oven Preheat the oven to 180°C and place 12 cupcake cases into a muffin or cupcake tin. I tend to use muffin cases for mine. 2. Cream the Butter and Sugar Cream the butter and sugar together until well combined. 3. Add the Eggs Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after adding each egg. 4. Sift in the Flour Sift the self-raising flour into the mixture and gently fold it in until combined. 5. Add the Vanilla Add the vanilla essence and mix it through the cake mixture. 6. Fill the Cupcake Cases Divide the mixture between the 12 cupcake cases. When I'm using muffin cases, I usually fill each case around one-third full. 7. Bake the Cupcakes Bake the cupcakes at 180°C for approximately 15 minutes, until they are golden brown. 8. Check the Cupcakes Are Ready To check that the cupcakes are cooked, insert a skewer into the centre of one of the cupcakes. If the skewer comes out clean, they're ready. 9. Leave the Cupcakes to Cool Once baked, remove the cupcakes from the tin and leave them to cool completely on a wire rack before decorating. Decorating the Cupcakes This is the basic vanilla cupcake recipe I use for lots of our birthday, party and seasonal bakes. Instead of changing the cupcake recipe itself, we usually change the decorations to suit whatever we're celebrating. Once the cupcakes are completely cool, they can be decorated with buttercream, icing, sprinkles, sweets or other decorations to match your theme. The cupcakes pictured here were decorated with piped buttercream and lots of colourful sprinkles and decorations. I'll also be sharing the simple buttercream recipe that we use for our cakes and cupcakes. Just like this cupcake recipe, it's a useful basic recipe that can be changed with different colours and decorations depending on what we're making. A Simple Cupcake Recipe We Use Again and Again This is one of those recipes that we come back to again and again. The ingredients are simple, the quantities are easy to remember and we can make the finished cupcakes look completely different depending on how we decorate them. We use them for birthdays and parties as well as seasonal baking, and I'll be sharing some of the different ways we decorate them for Halloween, Christmas, Easter and other celebrations. As I add those ideas to the blog, I'll be able to link back to this simple vanilla cupcake recipe for the basic cupcakes rather than repeating the recipe every time.

Our Wedding Day 10 Years Later It feels strange to think that it has now been ten years since Lawrence and I got married. On 25 June 2016, after almost two years of planning, we had our wedding ceremony at Ordsall Hall in Salford before celebrating with our family and friends at Chancellors Hotel in Fallowfield. For our wedding day 10 years later, I've been going back through my old wedding planner, photographs and videos, as well as some of the things I still have packed away in boxes. There are details I'd completely forgotten, things I would definitely do differently now and others that I still absolutely love. I put so much into planning our wedding. I made a huge amount of it myself, spent hours looking for things I could alter or repaint and probably drove Lawrence slightly mad with the amount of wedding stuff gradually taking over our house. So I thought it would be fun to start a series looking back at our wedding, beginning with the wedding day itself. 💕 A Wedding That Felt Like Us Our main wedding colours were blush pink and mint green, with touches of gold, and we had a vintage love-birds and birdcage theme. There was actually a very simple reason we chose pink and green. Pink is my favourite colour and green is Lawrence's, so it felt right to have both of our favourite colours as part of the wedding. Mint green probably isn't Lawrence's favourite shade of green, but it worked much better with the soft, vintage style I had in mind, so mint green it was! The love-birds and birdcage theme then came from somewhere completely unexpected — a piece of wallpaper. I found some wallpaper in a shop that had birds on it and loved the design, so I took a sample home and scanned it into my computer. I still have an early version of the design saved. I can't remember whether I'd already made a few changes to the original wallpaper by this point, but it was before I changed the colours and started adding all of the extra elements that eventually became part of our wedding design. From there, I started changing the original colours to fit our blush-pink and mint-green wedding colour scheme. I then took it much further, cutting out and rearranging elements I liked and adding other images, including birdcages and pairs of love birds. I used these to create different designs that I could adapt for the things I was making for the wedding. That one piece of wallpaper ended up inspiring so much of the wedding. I used my adapted designs across everything from our invitations and programmes to our menus, bridesmaids' gifts and lots of other little details. It meant that although I was making things at different times, everything still tied together. I even made all of our save-the-dates and wedding invitations myself. Looking back, I'm definitely not going to pretend that everything I made was wonderful. I still have some of the save-the-dates in a box and they are terrible! I rushed them and, looking at them now, they're really difficult to read. The invitations were much better, but if I were planning my wedding again, they are probably the one thing I wouldn't make myself. They took so long. It felt as though I was never going to finish them. There were plenty of other DIY projects that I would happily do again, though. I made or altered so much of the décor, stationery and bridesmaids' gifts that there is far too much to talk about here. I'm going to dedicate a separate post to everything I DIYed for the wedding. 💅 The Final Wedding Preparations Even in the last few days before the wedding, there were still things to do. The day before the wedding, my mum, my sister Rachel and I went to have our nails done. We all had gel French manicures and I also had a pedicure. My hair had been slightly more eventful. I wanted black hair for the wedding and had decided to have tape-in hair extensions. Thankfully, I'd tried the extensions beforehand because the first time I had my hair dyed, it came out dark brown rather than black and didn't match the black extensions. That gave me enough time to get the colour corrected before the wedding. Even then, the extensions gave me one last bit of drama. They were fitted two days before the wedding and started falling out the following day. Thankfully, the salon managed to get me back in quickly to refit them and, once they were put back in, they stayed in for the wedding. There is quite a bit more to that story, but I'll save the full hair-extension saga for my post about my wedding dress and bridal preparations. 👰 Getting Ready for the Wedding I spent the night before the wedding at my parents' house, which was also where I got ready the following morning. Lawrence stayed at the house we were living in at the time and got ready there. On the morning of the wedding, I got ready at my parents' house with my bridal party before travelling to Ordsall Hall. My sister Rachel was my maid of honour, and my bridesmaids were Natasha, Joanne, Emma, Jennifer and Louisa. We also had Lawrence's niece Arianwen as our flower girl. Even the getting-ready part of the wedding had turned into another DIY project. I'd personalised robes, T-shirts, slippers, bags and hangers and had made jewellery and other little gifts for my bridesmaids. The bridesmaid dresses were mint green and came from BHS. I didn't have a huge budget for bridesmaid dresses and I didn't want the girls to have to pay for their own, so I was really pleased when I found the perfect dresses reduced to around £20. Unfortunately, they didn't have the right size in the short dress for two of my bridesmaids. They did have the long version, although those cost over £60 each, so we ended up with four short dresses and two long ones. At the time I was just happy that everyone had the dress and nobody had been expected to pay for it themselves. Looking back at the photographs now, though, I think the different lengths look a little odd in some of the group shots. I think it would have worked much better if the two girls in long dresses had been positioned together at one end, or if we'd had one at either end of the group. It's only a little thing, but it's one of those details I notice looking back ten years later that I probably wouldn't have thought about at the time. 🏰 Our Ceremony at Ordsall Hall Our ceremony took place at 1pm at Ordsall Hall in Salford. We had Vittorio String Quartet providing the music, which was another way we brought something we loved into our wedding day. Lawrence and I are both massive theatre fans, so although the visual theme of the wedding was vintage love-birds and birdcages, our love of musical theatre was woven throughout the day as well. I walked in to Wagner's Wedding March, and during the ceremony Lawrence and I exchanged personal vows that we'd written ourselves. I remember our vows being quite an emotional moment. As we read them to each other, quite a few of our guests were crying, and even the registrars conducting our ceremony were wiping away tears. We also had two readings, but neither of us knew what they were going to be. My sister Rachel had written her own reading especially for us, which she read during the ceremony. It was another really emotional moment, and there were quite a few tears again as she read it. My friend Natasha, who I've known since high school, and my university friend Nandan put the other reading together themselves and read it together. We'd left the readings completely up to them, so Lawrence and I heard both for the first time on our wedding day. After exchanging our rings, we signed the register while the string quartet played, before leaving as a married couple to Mendelssohn's Wedding March. 🕊️ After the Ceremony at Ordsall Hall After the ceremony we went out into the gardens at Ordsall Hall for photographs, confetti and our dove release. The dove release didn't quite go according to plan at first. Lawrence struggled a little with how to hold his dove and it flew away before we were supposed to release them! The dove handler then had to take another dove out of the basket and make sure Lawrence was holding it properly so that we could release our two doves together. Second attempt successful! After Lawrence and I released ours, my bridesmaids released the remaining doves from the basket. It's one of those little moments that probably wasn't in my carefully organised wedding plan, but it's quite funny to remember ten years later. We then had drinks and cupcakes in the Old Kitchen before travelling to our reception. The cupcakes were actually made by my bridesmaid Emma as a wedding gift to us, which was such a lovely and personal contribution to the day. We also had the homemade lemonade station I'd put together, continuing the pink and mint colours through another little DIY detail. Not absolutely everything went according to my carefully planned colour scheme, though. One thing I remember being disappointed by on the day was the flowers supplied as part of our Ordsall Hall package. I'd given them our blush-pink and mint-green colour scheme, but when I arrived, the arrangements were much brighter and deeper pink than I'd expected. One was positioned very prominently at the front of the ceremony. At the time I was disappointed because I'd spent so long making sure everything coordinated, but I made the decision that I wasn't going to let something like that spoil my wedding day. Looking at the photographs ten years later, I actually think the flowers were very pretty. They just weren't the right colour for our wedding! I'd originally intended to take one of the arrangements with us to use at the reception, but because it didn't fit with everything else, I decided to leave it behind. 🌸 Arriving at Chancellors Hotel After the ceremony, it was time to leave Ordsall Hall and travel over to Chancellors Hotel in Fallowfield for our reception. There was a bottle of champagne waiting for us in the wedding car, and we travelled to Chancellors with the back hood down. I remember people waving to us as we drove past, which was such a lovely little part of the journey that I'd almost forgotten about. Once we arrived at Chancellors, we had Buck's Fizz in the conservatory, Vittorio String Quartet continued playing and I'd made lawn games for everyone to play outside. The quartet's repertoire included musical-theatre songs from shows including Wicked, Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera, alongside pop, film and other music. It was another way we managed to bring our love of theatre into the wedding without making the entire visual theme about musicals. By this point I also made a very practical change. I changed out of my wedding shoes and into a pair of white Skechers that I'd bought specifically for the wedding. After all the effort I'd put into decorating my actual wedding shoes, comfort eventually won! 🌷 Seeing Everything Come Together Arriving at Chancellors also meant seeing so many of the things I'd spent months making finally being used together. The reception décor was probably the biggest DIY part of the entire wedding. I'd bought lots of inexpensive and sale items and transformed them with paint, ribbon, flowers, pearls and other decorations. There were painted birdcages, candelabras, crates, chalkboard signs, chair decorations, lawn games and lots of other little details. I'd set up the evening reception room myself the night before, including the sweet table and the cupcake and macaron display. For the areas that couldn't be set up until the wedding day, I'd prepared everything with instructions showing how I wanted it displayed. I can still remember seeing everything finished. After almost two years of picturing it in my head, it finally looked how I'd imagined it. I was really proud of what I'd managed to create. 🎭 A Musical Theatre Wedding Breakfast Our love of musical theatre became an even bigger part of the wedding once we sat down for our wedding breakfast. Rather than traditional table numbers, we named each of our tables after different musicals, including Wicked, Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Rent, The Lion King, Legally Blonde and Rock of Ages. But I'd also planned something much bigger. Something Lawrence wasn't supposed to know anything about. I'd secretly booked the West End Singing Waiters to perform during our wedding breakfast. I'd seen them performing musical-theatre songs at other weddings, including songs from Les Misérables, and because Lawrence and I are such big theatre fans, I immediately thought they would be perfect for us. There was just one slight problem. They were over my wedding budget. Instead of giving up on the idea, I worked lots of overtime so that I could afford the extra cost. I was determined I was having them. And ten years later, I'm very glad I did. 😂 The Surprise That Didn't Stay Secret I'd managed to keep the Singing Waiters a secret from Lawrence for such a long time. I'd specifically told our wedding coordinator at the hotel that they were a surprise and that she mustn't mention them to Lawrence. Then, just days before the wedding, we had our final meeting. During the meeting, the coordinator mentioned in front of Lawrence that she'd had a phone call about the Singing Waiters. I just stared at her in disbelief. After keeping it secret for all that time, she'd just told him! She suddenly realised what she'd done and apologised. She'd forgotten that I'd told her it was supposed to be a surprise. So my big surprise wasn't actually a surprise by the time our wedding day arrived. Thankfully, once they started performing, it really didn't matter. 🎶 Seasons of Love The West End Singing Waiters were fantastic. They performed a selection of musical-theatre songs during our wedding breakfast, including songs from shows such as Les Misérables, Wicked and Rent. My sister Rachel had also been in on my original plan. When I told her I'd booked the Singing Waiters as a surprise for Lawrence, she asked whether she could sing one song with them because she thought it would add something extra to the surprise. So during the wedding breakfast, Rachel joined the West End Singing Waiters to sing “Seasons of Love” from Rent. It made an already very personal part of our wedding even more special. The Singing Waiters were professional, friendly and went above and beyond to help us. They also performed for around an hour later in the evening, this time with songs everyone could get up and dance to, before our DJ took over. They may have pushed me over budget, and the surprise may have been accidentally ruined just days before the wedding, but ten years later I can confidently say: The West End Singing Waiters were the best thing I booked for our wedding. 💃 Our First Dance Our first dance was another part of the wedding where we decided to do something personal. Our song was “Beautiful With You” by Halestorm, but rather than simply having the DJ play it, we had it performed live. My sister Rachel sang while my university friend Nandan played guitar, with Lawrence and me dancing to their performance. Going through our wedding photographs ten years later, I've found pictures of the printed song sheet, Nandan playing guitar, Rachel singing and Lawrence and me dancing. It's lovely being able to put all of those photographs back into the context of what was happening at that moment. After our first dance we cut our wedding cake, the evening buffet was served and the celebrations carried on into the night. ✨ A Wedding Full of Things I'd Made One of the biggest things that strikes me when I look through our wedding photographs now is just how much of it I made myself. My favourite things were probably the table centrepieces. Each table had either one of the birdcage centrepieces I'd decorated or one of the painted candelabras, surrounded by lots of the smaller details I'd collected, made or altered to fit our wedding colours and theme. Looking back at the photographs now, I still really love how the tables came together. Another area I was really pleased with was the cupcake and macaron display. The cupcakes and macarons were made by Pretty Tasty Cake, but I created and styled the display using painted cake stands and crates, glass domes, candelabras, flowers, vintage china and other decorations I'd collected and altered. Then there was the sweet table. I bought the sweets, decorated the jars, made the labels and signs and put the whole display together myself. And those were only some of the things I'd made. There were handmade signs, lawn games, stationery, menus, programmes, bridesmaids' gifts, chair decorations, guest-book details and so many other projects. Some worked better than others. Some took far longer than I ever imagined. Some I'd happily make again. And there are definitely a few where ten-years-older me looks at them and wonders what I was thinking! But that's part of what makes looking back at everything so interesting. 💗 What Would I Change 10 Years Later? Looking back at our wedding day 10 years later doesn't mean I think everything was perfect. There are definitely things I'd do differently. I wouldn't make my own wedding invitations again. They took far too long, and I think that was one DIY project too many. I'd put more thought into how the different-length bridesmaid dresses would look together in the photographs. I'd also probably be a little more confident about speaking up when something wasn't what I'd asked for, whether that was flowers in the wrong shade or being unexpectedly charged for something in the run-up to the wedding. But I don't look back and wish we'd had a completely different wedding. Quite the opposite. The little mishaps are part of the story now. Lawrence accidentally releasing his first dove too soon makes me smile far more than a completely flawless dove release probably would. And the Singing Waiters surprise being accidentally revealed didn't stop them becoming my favourite booking of the entire wedding. 💕 Looking Back at Our Wedding Day What stands out most ten years later is how personal everything was. So many of our friends and family became part of the wedding in their own way. Emma made our post-ceremony cupcakes as her wedding gift to us. Rachel chose one of our ceremony readings, joined the Singing Waiters for Seasons of Love and then sang our first dance. Natasha and Nandan chose a reading to perform together, and Nandan later played guitar for our first dance. Then there were all the things I'd spent almost two years making and planning finally being used by the people we'd made them for. The wedding really did feel like ours. Even the colour scheme represented the two of us. Pink was my favourite colour and green was Lawrence's. The mint shade fitted the vintage style I wanted, and then a random wallpaper sample I'd spotted in a shop became the starting point for the birds and birdcages that ran throughout the design. My love of making things filled the venues with handmade details, while the things Lawrence and I loved together — particularly theatre and music — became part of the actual experience of the day. It wasn't perfect, and ten years later I don't want to rewrite history and pretend that it was. There were things I'd do differently. There were things I'd never attempt to make myself again. There were things that didn't go to plan. But there were also things I'd choose again without hesitation. It was our wedding, full of the people and things we loved. And ten years later, I'm still incredibly proud of what we created. 💍 More From Our Wedding 10 Years Later I've found so much while going back through our old wedding planner, photographs, videos and boxes that there is no chance I could fit everything into one post. So this is just the beginning. I'm going to share more about everything I DIYed for our wedding, our venues, my wedding dress and bridal preparations, the décor and stationery, our suppliers, what everything actually cost, what I think was worth spending money on and what I would do completely differently if I were planning the wedding today. I'll also be looking back at our honeymoon, which began just two days after the wedding and took us to Florida and New York. And I still have boxes containing some of the original things I made, including those rather questionable save-the-dates! After ten years, I think it's going to be really interesting to see which of our wedding decisions have stood the test of time — and which ones definitely haven't

Family Weekly Update This week started with a shopping trip into Manchester so Alice and Leo could spend some money they'd been given by their great-grandparents. We also had an afternoon at the park, my replacement sublimation mugs finally arrived and I went on a little mission to find the new Pokémon Krispy Kreme doughnuts as a surprise for the children. The rest of the week was much quieter, with lots of UNO, Pikmin and, unsurprisingly, plenty more drawing on my iPad. 🛍️ Monday – Spending Their Money in Manchester Lawrence had Monday off work, so after lunch we decided to take Alice and Leo into Manchester on the tram. Their great-grandparents had given them some money to spend, so this was their chance to go shopping and choose what they wanted for themselves. Our first stop was The Entertainer, where both children ended up choosing a Peppa Pig playset. They've both suddenly become obsessed with Peppa Pig again, which is slightly unfortunate because we used to have loads of Peppa Pig toys. The children stopped playing with them for a while and, without me knowing, Lawrence decided to sell them. He sold the whole lot for less than the price of one of the new sets they've just bought! As you can probably imagine, I wasn't particularly happy when I found out. Now, of course, they've decided they love Peppa Pig again and want all their toys back. Typical! Alice also spotted a Rubble and his vehicle set from PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie and decided she wanted to spend some of her money on that too. Leo had something very specific in mind. He wanted UNO No Mercy, but unfortunately The Entertainer didn't have it in stock. We decided to try Argos instead and luckily they had it, so Leo was able to get the game he'd been looking for. After that, we had a look around a few more shops before heading into Primark. We weren't really looking for anything in particular in there, but we had a look at some of the Disney and Halloween things that had started appearing in store. Alice and Leo also found some PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie clothes they really liked. They'd already spent their own money on their toys, so we bought the clothes for them. Once we'd finished shopping, we got back on the tram and headed home. The children were very happy with everything they'd chosen, although I still can't quite get over the fact that we're now buying Peppa Pig toys again after having a huge collection of them in the first place! 🛝 Tuesday – An Afternoon at the Park & My Mugs Finally Arrived Lawrence was off again on Tuesday, so we took Alice and Leo to the park. We met up with my parents and some of their friends, who had brought their grandson along to play with Alice and Leo. The children had lots of fun playing together and, as usual when their grandparents are around, there were treats involved too! They were given some Smarties and a Pokémon PEZ each. Alice got Pikachu and Leo got Eevee, and my parents also bought them a Kinder Surprise each. When we got home, I had a delivery I'd been waiting for – my new sublimation mugs! If you read last week's Family Weekly Update, you might remember that I'd ordered some mugs so I could start experimenting with putting my artwork onto them. Unfortunately, they arrived smashed. I'd ordered those from a different seller and they'd been delivered by Evri, so this time I decided to try another seller that uses Amazon for delivery instead. Thankfully, these ones arrived safely! I've been doing so much drawing on my iPad recently and creating lots of different designs, I can't wait to start experimenting and see what some of them will actually look like printed onto the mugs. 🎨 Wednesday – UNO, Drawing & Jobs Around the House Wednesday was a much quieter day at home. We played some UNO, Alice and Leo did some drawing and I spent more time drawing on my iPad. I also managed to get a few jobs done around the house in between everything else. We've definitely been playing a lot of UNO since Leo bought his new game! 🍟 Thursday – A New Air Fryer Thursday brought another delivery, although this one was slightly bigger than my mugs! We'd ordered a new air fryer from George at ASDA. It had originally been £79 but was reduced to £40, which I thought was a really good price. Our old air fryer had definitely seen better days, so it was time for an upgrade. The new one is so much better than our old one, and for £40 I'm really pleased with it. Not the most exciting event of the week, perhaps, but I do love finding a bargain! 🍩 Friday – Hunting for Pokémon Krispy Kreme Doughnuts On Friday, I went out with my dad and brother because I wanted to see if I could find the new Pokémon doughnuts at Krispy Kreme. I thought they'd make a nice surprise for Alice and Leo. My brother went all in and bought the limited-edition golden box, which was around £21, as well as the Pikachu cup filled with Golden Bites, which was around £10. I was slightly more restrained! I'd originally hoped to use my voucher for 12 doughnuts for £12, but the only Pokémon doughnut included in that offer was the Poké Ball one. In the end, I bought a regular box of 12 as well as a box of four Pokémon doughnuts containing one of each design. Altogether, I think it came to around £21 alltogether. When I got home, Leo chose the Jigglypuff doughnut and Alice chose Charmander. Unfortunately, Alice didn't like the Charmander one, so she gave the rest of it to me. I gave her a Poké Ball doughnut instead... and she didn't like that one either! Luckily, I'd bought the regular doughnuts as well, so in the end she had the chocolate sprinkle one she always has. At least I tried! I had the Pikachu doughnut, which was lemon flavoured, and I thought it was really nice. I also finished Alice's Charmander doughnut, which had a toffee flavour, and I liked that one too. After all the excitement of the Pokémon doughnuts, the children spent the rest of the day playing their Pikmin game, playing UNO and playing with some of the new toys they'd bought earlier in the week. Meanwhile, I got my iPad out and did some more drawing. I don't think anyone will be surprised by that at this point! 🎮 Saturday – UNO, Pikmin & More Drawing Lawrence was working on Saturday, so the children and I had another quiet day at home. We spent some time playing UNO and Pikmin together, and Alice and Leo did some drawing before having a little time on their tablets. I also spent some more time drawing on my iPad and working on my latest designs. I've really been enjoying drawing recently, and whenever we've had a quiet day at home I've found myself automatically reaching for my iPad. 🏠 Sunday – A Quiet Day at Home Lawrence was off work on Sunday, but we decided not to go anywhere. Instead, we spent the day getting some jobs done around the house while Alice and Leo entertained themselves. They played their Pikmin game and spent some time playing with their new Peppa Pig and PAW Patrol toys from our shopping trip earlier in the week. Clearly the new Peppa Pig toys are already getting plenty of use, so at least that's something! I also managed to fit in – you've guessed it – some more drawing on my iPad. 💕 Final Thoughts This week was definitely quieter than some of our recent weeks, but it was still a nice mixture of getting out of the house and having time at home. Alice and Leo really enjoyed being able to go into Manchester and choose how to spend their own money, even if their renewed Peppa Pig obsession has reminded me just how many Peppa toys we used to own! The Pokémon Krispy Kreme doughnuts were fun to try too, although I think we've established that Alice would much rather stick to her usual chocolate sprinkle doughnut. I've also really enjoyed having more time to draw. With my replacement sublimation mugs arriving safely this week, I'm looking forward to trying more of my designs on them and seeing which ones work best as actual products. 📺 Watch This Week's Family Weekly Update Vlog You can see everything we got up to this week in weekly vlog #465 from our Manchester shopping trip, what Alice and Leo chose to buy, our Pokémon Krispy Kreme doughnut taste test and some of the artwork I've been working on.