“I’m hoping for absolute chaos!” Tom Fletcher says while discussing ‘There’s a Monster In Your Christmas Show’ which is coming to Bicester Leisure Centre this Christmas.
“I want the audience to be shouting out and jumping up and down and singing along and clapping,” he adds of the children’s musical, adapted from his children’s book There’s a Monster In Your Show and given a jolly, seasonal twist.
‘I want the audience to be shouting out and jumping up and down and singing along and clapping’
Fletcher came to fame with mega pop-rock band Mcfly but has since also launched the highly successful, best-selling ‘Who’s in Your Book?’ series.
“I LOVE all things Christmas,” Fletcher says, “so it’s extra special to be creating this show for families to enjoy together over the winter holidays!”
Adamant that he wants to cement a love of theatre in pre-school children’s hearts, expect plenty of playful fun as your little ones’ favourite characters come to life in a show packed with interactive moments.
“The second the kids are in bed, I’ll be in my studio writing until I fall asleep at my keyboard’
Fletcher adds: “It’s been an amazing experience to see There’s a Monster in Your Book come to life on stage and to meet the characters that I invented in my head! And it’s been incredible to be a part of developing the show and combining my love of writing books and stories with writing some of the songs for the production — including a new Christmas number, just for this festive production!”
Yes, the high-energy 60-minute adventure features original music written by Tom Fletcher and Barrie Bignold. He even recorded demos for the show’s songs in the back of a car during a six-hour drive between gigs on McFly’s UK tour: “It’s full-on,” he laughs. “The second the kids are in bed, I’ll be in my studio writing until I fall asleep at my keyboard.
“But I feel so lucky to be able to do it all — if that means I sacrifice sleep and have bad blood pressure and feel slightly stressed, then I’ll just eat lots of broccoli and hope for the best!”
Fletcher is passionate about making theatre accessible and unforgettable for young audiences. “This is the perfect first theatre trip for young families this festive season,” he says. “Going to the theatre with kids can be challenging, but this is a totally interactive show where children are actively encouraged to get involved – making it fun and engaging for them, and completely stress-free for you!”
‘Going to the theatre with kids can be challenging, but this is a totally interactive show where children are actively encouraged to get involved’
Featuring familiar faces, Little Monster will be joined by friends Dragon, Alien, and Unicorn to discover the joys of friendship, festive fun, and of course, books. Promising even more sparkle, snow and seasonal silliness – plus a heap of interaction There’s a Monster In Your Christmas Show should be a big hit with kids and parents alike.
Director Miranda Larson adds: ““The Who’s in Your Book series is so mischievous and cheeky, with a huge sense of humour, and we’ve brought that to the stage,” she explains. “There’s slapstick, fun chaos, and puppets with real wow-factor.
“The show is so engaging, with lots of interactive moments, songs to lift everyone up — plus the monster story just brings out giggles — the children will be laughing in the aisles.
“The great thing about theatre is the audience just gets lost in this magical moment — the stage is a bubble where the audience of every age can escape their worries and have fun and smile.
The original There’s a Monster in Your Show has already won critical acclaim, Larson bringing her rich experience from beloved children’s franchises like Fireman Sam, Thomas the Tank Engine, and Little Baby Bum. She also worked with Fletcher on his previous book-to-stage success, The Christmasaurus.
“Monster is an amazing show,” Fletcher says. “I just can’t wait for everyone to see it”
Fletcher, meanwhile, is as hands-on as ever — often juggling songwriting, book deadlines, and family life, and yet he’s fully onboard with There’s a Monster in Your Book: “Going to the theatre with kids can be challenging, but this is a totally interactive show where children are actively encouraged to shout, sing, clap and dance – making it fun and engaging for them, and completely stress-free for you!”
“Monster is an amazing show,” Fletcher says. “I just can’t wait for everyone to see it.”
THERE’S A MONSTER IN YOUR CHRISTMAS SHOW is at BICESTER LEISURE CENTRE, December 23-29. Book at https://www.themillartscentre.co.uk/shows/monster-bicester/
This event is part of Out of The Mill – The Mill in Banbury’s programme of exciting activities taking place outside itswalls.
