Polka Theatre

We're all ready for our #SmallSizeDays2019 workshops

Don't forget to join us for a free workshop today! In celebration of Small Size Days 2019, we're offering you the chance to come help us create, make & explore the magical winter wood. Just drop by between the following times for stories & craft making:
12-1pm 1.30-2.40pm 3.30-4.30pm
... More info: https://polkatheatre.com/freeworkshop
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We're thrilled to be taking part in #SmallSizeDays2019. Join us this Saturday for a free workshop: Create, Make & Explore the Magical Winter Wood. Pop in for the following drop in sessions:
12-1pm 1.30-2.40pm 3.30-4.30pm
... More info: https://polkatheatre.com/freeworkshop
@SmallSizenet
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Here we go! We've got some BIG redevelopment news for you...
To find out more about our plans and how you can get involved or to simply donate visit: https://polkatheatre.com

We have lift off! It's officially the weekend and this is how the fun is looking at Polka:
- A special Q&A with Ratty, Mole, Badger and those cheeky little rabbits. Straight after the 2.30pm show.
- Our building tours are now up and running. Come and explore!
... - As always it is absolutely free to pop in and play with us. We'd love to see you. We've got books, dressing up clothes, colouring sheets, rocking horses, friendly people to help tidy up after snack time...
If we don't see you, whatever your adventures, have a great weekend.
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Something to smile about! We're hosting a special post-show Q&A with the cast of The Wind in the Willows this Sat 19 Jan. Entry is for ticket holders only, so if you're yet to join us on the riverbank now is your time! Tickets and info here: https://polkatheatre.com/thewindinthewill ows

Create, make & explore in our free drop-in workshop!
Meet our woodland guide, snuggle up around the campfire for a story, make a wolf hand puppet and decorate your own wish leaf in our magical winter wood.
Saturday 26th January
... Workshop 1: 12pm – 1pm Workshop 2: 1:30pm – 2:30pm Workshop : 3:30pm – 4:30pm
Spread the word!
https://polkatheatre.com/freeworkshop/
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Toad is still busy getting up to his crazy antics at Polka! The Wind in the Willow continues to play until 17 February, have you joined us yet?

Something for the weekend... Listen to Jan Blake's TED talk on storytelling, so proud to have this inspirational artist at Polka.

NEW! For a limited time only we are offering exclusive building tours, welcoming visitors to discover all the parts of Polka you never usually get to see! This access all areas tour will guide you through 40 years of Polka magic, before our iconic building begins an exciting new chapter in Spring 2019. More info & to book: https://polkatheatre.com/polkatours/

Have you seen The Wind in the Willows? If so, we'd love to hear from you! It would be really helpful if you could follow the link below and fill in our survey, it will only take a few minutes, and your feedback will helps us continue to make Polka a happy place to be! https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/PSwinter

ROLL CALL! Our after school workshops start this week and there are still just a few places left in our Act 1 (ages 5-7), Act 2 (ages 7-9) and Polka Youth Theatre (ages 9-14) groups. Come and get involved in some weekly creative fun! 🤩https://polkatheatre.com/whats-on/…

Team Polka - we need your help! This year we're looking to you - our community - to help celebrate our 40th year in style. We'll be creating a major exhibition exploring Polka's rich and varied history, but we can't do it without your help. Come and join us for a cup of tea to find out more...https://polkatheatre.com/jobs/

Magical Jan Blake continues to cast her storytelling spell...

Pop by Polka tomorrow to create a mask inspired by The Wind in the Willows for free! Come along from 11am - 1pm. We hope you can join us!

A special offer to wash the January Blues away! Join us for The Wind in the Willows tomorrow at 5.30pm for just £10.
https://polkatheatre.com/thewindinthewill ows

Booking is now open for our final World of Stories and Music session of the Winter Season.
Join us on Saturday 2 February at 10.30am for storytelling with Jenna Drury. Tickets are free* plus you get a tasty ice cream at the end of the session. We hope to see you there!
https://polkatheatre.com/world-of-stories
... *please note there is a £1.50 fee to secure your tickets
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Happy New Year from Toad & all at Polka! Thank you for making 2018 so special, it’s been quite an adventure. On to the next exciting chapter, we can’t wait to share it with you…

Hands up if you're excited for 2019?! We sure are, with lots of activities on offer! Kick the Spring term off and join one of our TAKE PART drama clubs.
Suitable for ages 6 months - 14 years. Book now to join us from the w/c 7 Jan: https://polkatheatre.com/whats-on

What a lovely little gem of a theatre perfect for any theatregoer but especially for children. We watched The Borrowers on Sunday 20th August and loved it. What made it all the more accommodating was the amount of activities and equipment to entertain and occupy our small ones. Our 6 and 3 year olds were absolutely fine watching, but it did help having the option of the sofa and the auditorium TV if we needed to leave at all. The café was fab and our two loved the special booths. The playground and the reading areas were also perfect. Sometimes a theatre trip can be cumbersome and not entirely relaxed, but even travelling from Suffolk to see this show and have a day in London, we had a chilled visit watching some great theatre. Smiles all round!!

We, my grandson, daughter and I went to see the "Borrowers ". It was enthralling, I could see and hear the children around me watching intently all the actions taking place on the stage. Their reactions to a story that I have loved was very pleasing. Well done to the cast. Also a big thank you to the staff, you helped me to my seat . You are great.

We took our boys to see The Borrowers on Sunday 23rd July and they loved it. What a great show with a fabulous cast and clever staging. Our little one was a bit wriggly so we had to go out a couple of times but we were able to carry on watching the show on a TV outside the auditorium. We also went to the cafe too where my youngest was thrilled with the train carriages with tables - what a great idea! The food was really good too. All in all we had a really enjoyable experience and I would thoroughly recommend Polka to all parents for children of all ages.

We saw the Borrowers yesterday and it was brilliant. Very cleverly done. Used to go to Polka as a child and have enjoyed every show I've taken my children to see. Shame that I can't say the same about the lady sitting next to us who rummaged in a plastic bag throughout the whole performance!

We just watched Double Act with 5 girls aged between 6-9 years and 4 mum's over 40 years old. We all absolutely loved it. Fantastic acting. Loved the way the actors could play so many different characters. Jacqueline Wilson writes great stories.

We had a positive experience going to the Polka Theatre to see Sarah and Duck. The staff were brilliant and even though it can't be easy working on a Sunday with such wonderful weather they made the experience positive. The theatre was not too intimidating for the kids (4 and 2) and both kids were very familar with Sarah and Duck which made it even better.



The 2 year old had some brioche bread to keep her busy whilst watching the show. We also had water for her etc.



£2.50 for an Ice Cream might seem excessive but for little theatres like this it is a small price to pay to keep this theatre going. We are looking to go again in May. Kids loved the strawberry ice cream. Just make sure you have cash ready to pay for it. Ice cream served at the interval.



Parking on side roads was easy enough. Don't park on the main road it is a very busy road there are plenty of space on the side road and it is free parking. A little walking whilst chatting to the kids over the show won't hurt.



On a day like Sunday 9th April 2017. It was great for the kids to go out into the small garden. The kids played there until close.

We booked tickets through kids week for the Borrowers not realising for us how far the theatre was. We almost didn't go and considered whether to do something more central instead. So glad we didn't! What a cute little theatre and so perfect for the ages of my children (6 and 4) the show itself was excellent. The theatre was small and intimate and the seats had plenty of leg room. I would highly recommend both theatre and show!

Watched the amazing play called the Borrowers today and it was truly magical and cleverly cultivated to demonstrate the miniature and real world. All the family enjoyed it and we would recommend it to others. Lovely, enchanting play.

Well done all x

Took my daughter to see paper dolls. Her attention was kept through the toddler performance (30mins). Brilliant production in a great venue. She looked the rocking horses. Staff have come to our local children's centre on Saturdays through this month, they have been excellent and very enjoyable sessions. Hope my daughter continues to enjoy polka as she grows. The only downside is the ticket price: the adults are charged the same as the children. This prices me out of regular trips.

The only theatre worth travelling 202 miles for (and if we lived even further away, we would travel further)



We came to you last year to see Sarah and Duck (which was awesome) and this year, upon hearing that Daddy’s favourite bedtime story ‘The Everywhere Bear’ was being realised on stage, we knew we had to make the trip again.



Our daughter’s initiation into theatre and performance art, is exactly what we hoped it would be. Thank you for keeping the art of story telling alive and capturing childhood impeccably.



Until next year...(or maybe winter-time for Wind in The Willows)

My 5 year old daughter and I went to see The Borrowers yesterday. We both enjoyed it. Cleverly presented to show the difference in size-my daughter believed it all! Interval came at just the right time also. Short Q&A at the end was a nice touch. Her question "What would you do if you found a Borrower?" was well recieved �. Would highly recommend.

Love this place. Seen three shows there and my 3yo loves it as much as we love taking her. The shows are engaging and theatrically on point and I hope to take my 7mo as soon as he's old enough to appreciate.

I went with my Grandchildren to see "The Borrowers " cleverly staged, great cast and very imaginative. The children loved it, especially the puppets. Comfortable seats, lovely little cafe. Parking is the only problem, but we got to Wimbledon early enough to get in a car park.

Full entertainment whenever we visit! Loved this place and am sure it will stay in the memories of my children for long. Thank you for being there and bringing so much fun to our family.

Everyone should go and see Beauty and the Beast. It is fabulous, the kids loved it and so did the adults. Can't recommend it enough. Well done once again Polka for producing a great show in a small space with a small cast! Think opposite of Disney and that's what you get!

BABE......what a fantastic show, would recommend to people with or without children!! One of the best shows I've seen for a long time, moving story, fabulous actors, great music/singing/playing ...an all round delight .

The theatre staff are very helpful and friendly too, which made the whole experience very positive.

We have been there for our little girl's first theatre show experience and it was wonderful. Shake, Rattle and Roll is a nice show for babies. My only point would be that the show would be much more engaging if my little girl saw it when she was younger. She is 15 months old and there has been short times whe she was bored. I think the game is best for babies who are not yet too mobile, so I would say 6 to 12 months old.

Love the theatre itself. Lovely play areas. But this is second play we seen and both times i thought not for the age advertised! We just seen Snow White. It was very vity funny humour but for me not for child 4-8. Children need singing and dancing and characters dressed up not 2 ladies telling the storry for 1 hour....i liked it but not my 4 year old or the rest of audience as all were bored and loud after 20min...this play could be so amazing if there were more actors and music and action not storry telling. Current show Should be from 10years old...

I took my son to see 'Hatch' which he thoroughly enjoyed. The theatre, however, was much smaller than expected, with a long bench at the back and the rest of the audience being seated on the floor. We were constantly shuffling along to make space for more guests, until we really couldn't move anymore. This made for an incredibly hot, sticky and uncomfortable experience for me, my son, my friend and her son.



My toddler son appeared to be enjoying the show and wanted to dance to the music, which was difficult given that we were so squashed on the bench at the back. I allowed him to stand up in front of me, but had to keep pulling him back as the woman sitting next to me was becoming visibly irritated at my son's desire to express himself. This made for an overall disappointing trip for us.



We also went into the playground afterwards where older children were pushing my son away from the steps of the playhouse which cut our visit short, as we were planning on having lunch there! I realise that this latter incident was not the theatre's fault but it was a contributing factor in what could have been a lovely day out. I have since been telling all my friends about our incredibly awkward experience, which is a shame as I used to visit the Polka theatre as a child myself and was hopeful that this would be somewhere I could regularly take my own child. Perhaps not all shows take place in the room that we were in today, however the lack of space made me feel akin to an oily (read: sweaty!) sardine cramped into someone's living room!