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Did you see The Secret Seven at StoryhouseLive last Christmas? We did and we loved it. This year you can join Dorothy, Toto and her friends for The Wizard of Oz.
Find out what we thought about the world’s first ever stage show of Enid Blyton’s children’s classic The Secret Seven at Storyhouse Chester
To be honest this show had a lot to live up to. I had been a little obsessed with Enid Blyton books as a child and the Secret Seven had been some of my favourites. I wanted to be in their gang and loved the mysteries they solved. I wanted this stage show to capture my kids imagination, re-spark mine and convince them they wanted to read all the books. It worked – they absolutely LOVED the show – as did I and the full set of Secret Seven books is now on their Christmas list.
We hadn’t ever been to the Storyhouse in Chester before but we will definitely go back. From the relaxed cozy atmosphere of the cafe and bar, to the library area we sat in before the show, it all made for a really lovely theatre experience.
The Secret Seven is on at the Storyhouse from
So what’s so good about The Secret Seven at the Storyhouse?
Nostalgia for me definitely, but also the skill of the young cast. Whilst I genuinely thought they were all superb, my personal favourites were the characters that made me laugh out loud. Barbara played by Molly Logan with her deep Irish drawl made me laugh with every sentence and I enjoyed the interaction between Susie (Rebecca Birch) and Binkie (Tilly-Mae Millbrook). The rhyming rapping Binkie who was loud and boisterous but needed lots of love and encouragement reminded me of one of my own.
The story was also perfect for Christmas. The plot is that Christmas is coming to Cherrydale but something is wrong and The Secret Seven have to solve the mystery before Christmas is ruined for the whole village. A nice touch is the newspaper handed out to all the kids at the beginning with clues to solve – although mine did cause a little commotion trying to complete the answers in the dark of the theatre. Perhaps best to tell them to wait until the interval when the lights come on!
The moral of the story (and there always was one in a Blyton book) was that it’s always better to work together as a community or as a gang, to listen to everyone and to share ideas. Together you will be stronger and being part of something, no matter how different you are, will make you all shine brighter.
We left feeing like the Christmas season had started. It’s a jolly good Christmas feel good show, and for me, so much more entertaining than a panto. Get it booked!
Duration Approx 120 mins
Running from
- Adults: from £26
Children (under 12): £19.50
Aged 12 – 26: £19.50
Over 60s: £19.50 (selected performances*)
Priority Seats: £34.50 (limited availability)
Why not check out this little trailer if I’ve not convinced you!
NB: we received complimentary entrance to the Secret Seven but all views and opinions are our own.