By Theo Brookman, 12
The dreadful weather didn’t make an impact on the quality of the Wimpy Kid Show, which is based on the popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid books. The crowd of excited children were given cushions to sit on, and blankets were handed out to combat the cold. The venue overlooked a lake, providing a scenic view for the adults waiting for their children.
Presenter Alastair Watson did an amazing job of keeping his audience entertained throughout the one-hour performance: he had the perfect mix of information and comedy to create a fun and lively atmosphere. While going through the Wimpy Kid filmmaking process, Alastair made sure to mix it up with interactive games involving children going against each other in quizzes, and a ‘who’s the best rock star’ competition. There was also a ‘draw Greg Heffley’ activity, which produced some impressive results.
I asked Alastair how he got involved with the Wimpy Kid. He said:
“I’ve been doing the show since 2012. Puffin Books asked me to create an interactive show around video clips of the author Jeff Kinney. I read all things Wimpy Kid and fell in love with the books: I loved the comedy, illustrations and the fact it was so universal.
I’ve done quite a few UK tours with Jeff: he’s a lovely guy and really passionate about his fans, and that’s infectious.
I’ve done the show over 100 times at various literary festivals and events all over the country (and in other parts of the world!). I love doing it, because the audience makes the show different every time. It’s only ever as good as the children make it by getting involved, coming on stage and having fun. There is never a dull moment… and it keeps me on my toes!”
