In the Night Garden returns

Popular children’s TV characters Igglepiggle, Upsy Daisy, Makka Pakka and their friends make return this summer in the magical nationwide tour of the staged production, In the Night Garden Live.

One of last year’s top-selling children’s theatre productions in the UK with extended runs and sell-out performances, this much-loved show takes to the road again to seven new UK venues from 14 April to 4 September in its custom-built show dome.

With rave reviews from young fans and their parents and carers alike, In the Night Garden Live is a true spectacular theatre experience. This year the show-dome will be sited in a mixture of locations, from large city shopping centres such as Meadowhall in Sheffield, Metrocentre in Gateshead and The Trafford Centre in Manchester, as well as open green spaces such as Woburn Abbey (near Milton Keynes), Cardiff’s Bute Park, Richmond Old Deer Park and Bewl Water (near Tunbridge Wells).

In 2011, for the first time, families will be able to buy a ticket to meet one of their favourite characters in person after the show. This has been introduced following overwhelming public demand last year.

The characters are brought to life with full-size costumes, enchanting music, magical puppets and spectacular panoramic projections, creating an immersive theatrical experience to make audiences feel they are actually entering the magical world of In the Night Garden.

Families have the choice of two shows during the run in each location – The Pinky Ponk Show and The Ninky Nonk Show - each with a different story. There are up to five performances a day, six days a week, to suit every family’s schedule and a highly competitive ticket-pricing scheme from £10 - £29.50.

The showdome is a purpose-built, inflatable touring theatre that has all the facilities of a regular theatre – including box office, toilets and catering points – but it is uniquely family-friendly with buggy parks, baby-changing areas and microwaves to heat up baby food. The auditorium has just 13 rows with a seating capacity of 550, providing excellent sight-lines and proximity to the stage for all audience members.

Tickets to see the show go on sale Friday 28 January. Tickets are limited and expected to sell fast so families are advised to book early.For more information and to buy a ticket go to www.nightgardenlive.com