Vasthy And Friends: Sing, Dance, Play! kids review – Lessons of laughter
The interactive musical keeps spirits high and energy surging
Vasthy (rhymes with frosty) and friends have the slightly slowed-down, hyper-wholesome energy of the great children’s entertainers of our time. They slide on stage and introduce themselves with enormous smiles and gentle voices, every syllable delivered with an earnestness that’s surely impossible to achieve without being American. The show is a musical, but the format feels more like an episode of Ms Rachel, with songs and little lessons interspersed with audience participation.
Vasthy, our host and hero, is an energetic New Yorker with incredible trousers, accompanied by friends who all have their own little stories to tell. Rather than dragging children onstage or demanding participation, they ask questions and make suggestions, giving everyone plenty of opportunities to join in (even if that means simply waddling around aimlessly on stage, as my two-year-old companion does for most of the hour). There’s dancing, singing, impressive high kicks (well, one) and the chance to learn new words from Haiti, India and Spain, plus a sprinkle of ASL.
Kids’ shows can drag but this one flies by. Towards the end, Tony on keys brings the house down with a joyous ‘La Bamba’, which, obviously, we all love. We boogie out the door, not overstimulated but definitely ready for a nap.
Vasthy And Friends: Sing, Dance, Play!, Gilded Balloon Patter House, until 31 August, 10.30am.