Crescent Theatre Blog

Today, the cast and director behind Winne-the-Pooh took to the streets and lined up, er, behind Winnie-the-Pooh as part of Birmingham’s Christmas Reindeer and Lantern Parade. It takes more than a severe weather warning for Crescent members to miss out on the chance to dress up and play around in public…

We joined children from local schools, Scouts, two pipe bands (two too many to these ears), Santa and his elves, some snowmen and life-size Christmas crackers – to stroll through the city centre and bring a little cheer to a dismal Sunday afternoon.

(Oh, we were also backed up by people from a small theatre nearby called The Rep – who were out to promote their re-enactment of the Crescent’s 2004 Christmas show)…

With the cast members being so brilliantly made-up and costumed, it was a real pleasure to see so many children excitedly clamour to meet Piglet, Eeyore and the-Pooh himself. Despite the cold and wet, the team were bright and bouncy, bounding around with handfuls of leaflets and posing for photos with the many families who were excited to see Winnie and his friends.

With a Pooh banner held proudly aloft, we wended our way from the Bullring through New Street, Centenary Square and Broad Street, with cast members continuing to mix and mingle – not leaving anyone’s gaze without also leaving a (magnificently-designed) leaflet in every potential punter’s mitts. I am sure the eagerly-taken flyers will result in many smiling faces come January.

In a stroke of luck (or genius), the parade ended up in Brindleyplace, which meant that ‘Team Pooh’ were not far from the respite of the theatre, its members’ room and all-important kettle! A couple of broken umbrellas, a once-full suitcase of flyers completely emptied and lots of wet faces were brought back – as well as a continuing sense of fun and of a job being well done.

The cast acquited themselves with joy and purpose and promoted the show brilliantly – despite the rain, dear. And as for the reindeer, I never got to see any. However, there’s now a very shiny red nose in my mirror… Atchoo!