Slava's Snowshow Causes Chaos at Sunderland Empire for the Very First Time
Never did we ever think we'd see a snowstorm inside a theatre but this production proves anything can happen with a little imagination
Multi-award winning global phenomenon Slava’s SnowShow invites audiences into a world of fantasy – a dream-like place where a bed becomes a boat and the audience end up ankle-deep in snow. Yes, really.
We’d watched the spoilers on social media showing blasts of snow, giant bouncy balls and bubbles and wondered what on earth Sunderland Empire had signed themselves up for. Taking our seats in the stalls just a few rows from the stage with single pieces of white confetti falling from the theatre’s ceiling rather ominously, we start to ask ourselves the same question. What follows is a theatre production like nothing we’ve ever seen before.
It’s going to be almost impossible to describe what happens, but here goes…
A clown appears on the stage, followed by another, followed by many more. There’s ‘snow’ (confetti) everywhere but no where near as much ‘snow’ as we’ll experience in act two. Through mime and music, the clowns’ peculiar actions and huge stage presence have the whole audience crying with laughter in minutes, including the adults.
We’ve never seen a show demand so much audience participation, whether you like it or not! Clowns climb on your chairs, you’re bound to get wet (especially if you’re sitting in the splash zone like we are) and this mayhem even continues in the interval – after we escape a giant cobweb of cotton which engulfs the stalls! I told you… this is difficult to believe without seeing.
Act two takes things to a whole new level when the ‘snow’ begins to fall and just as you get comfortable a huge blast sends thousands of confetti-snow particles hurtling towards us. Just when you think it’s all over, and the clowns are taking their final bows, huge giant colourful balls are thrown out into the audience and bounce up almost as high as the ceiling. We dare say some adults are having more fun than their kids batting them into the air with their hands. Meanwhile, children have their pictures taken with the friendly clowns at the side of the stage.
This chaotic theatrical experience is a fabulously immersive and sensory night out at the theatre that’s entirely unique and promises fun for the whole family. To believe anything I’ve just said, you simply have to be there!
