Birmingham Stage Company

Tom Gates

22 January 2020 – 1 February 2020

The first reviews are in!
 

My nine-year-old daughter, Aggie, doesn’t have any quibbles. This adaptation adheres closely to the original as animations in a nifty video design explode across a huge screen. Aggie really loved it. How many stars would she give it? “Five!”
The Guardian


This hilarious new adventure has the audience laughing throughout. The cast are brilliant in this really fabulous show that is highly recommend to all!
Chew Valley Gazette


Liz Pichon’s bright, lively drawings have bags of wit and charm and suggest an eager child’s-eye view of the world. Mark Flannery’s exuberant musical numbers keep the show bouncing and the cast are full of effervescent energy to send Tom’s many devotees away smiling.
The Times


A brilliant rollercoaster of a show for young and old, with laughs, singalongs and chips!
What'sGoodToDo


What makes this show a triumph is its dedication to the original material. It is uncanny how Neal Foster’s direction and Matthew Chase’s performance stays true to Tom’s youth, but somehow makes the show relatable to the adults in the room. The set is the silent star of the show in this genuinely fun and tremendously enjoyable show.
A Younger Theatre


The cast were exceptional - and most brilliant is the way Tom’s trademark doodles are projected as animations - in this hilarious musings of a boy who is forever in trouble!
The Weston Mercury


Neal Foster has taken on the challenge of adapting Liz Pichon’s Tom Gates stories and yet again hits his target audience’s humour with unerring accuracy. Foster knows only too well how to reach his young audience and does so expertly. The real masterstroke is making the unique animation that is so central to the books a core part of the production. 
WestEndWilma


Birmingham Stage Company has done an amazing job. The show has the audience captivated from the start. including really (like, REALLY!!) catchy songs - it will be a while before I can look at a plate of chips without humming the School Dinner Blues!
The Parent Game


I absolutely loved this excellent production. There are wonderfully inventive projected backdrops and the performances are superb. The result is top class family theatre!
Bath and Wiltshire Parent


Tom Gates has been brilliantly brought to life by the wonderfully funny characters and the amazing creative interactive screen stage set. Another great show from The Birmingham Stage Company!
Worcester News


This show has it all! Humour, slapstick, brilliant visual trickery and impeccable timing from an excellent cast. The show flies by as both children and adults get taken on the ride. My 13-year-old was not disappointed and I’m a happy dad!
Nantwich News


The interactive set was fantastic, so engaging and cleverly done. The doodles were a big part of  the scenery and the car journey was impressive! There was a great buzz when we left the theatre
Hullabaloo Kids