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Mr Bloom, as seen on CBeebies, is about to embark on his first ever live UK theatre tour – arriving in Lowestoft on February 16^th at 1.30pm and 4pm.

‘Tiddlers’ of all ages are invited to come and see their favourite gardener and his veggie friends in their brand new stage version of Mr Bloom’s Nursery.

As well as featuring Mr Bloom himself (Ben Faulks) the show will also star Colin the Runner Bean, Margaret the Cabbage, Joan the Fennel, Raymond the Butternut Squash, Sebastian the Aubergine and the Wee McGregors, not forgetting Mr Bloom’s trusty Compostarium too.

Check out our Q&A with Ben Faulks (AKA Mr Bloom) below.

You’re an actor and as well as your alter-ego Mr Bloom you’ve in recent years starred in Panto and also had a role in Hollyoaks – how does that compare to working with children (and of course, the veggies?).

For me personally, I love the variety of experiences acting provides. This is what I really thrive on. Each medium has its own challenges & that’s the bonus. If I can keep on finding roles that are different from the last, I couldn’t ask for more.

The idea of Mr Bloom evolved from a street theatre production you created which you then pitched to the BBC (and they of course, loved). How successful did you think it would be as a television show? What do you think makes it so popular – even five years and five series’ on?

You can never bank on people liking your work. You can certainly hope they do, but once it’s finished and out in the public domain, there’s nothing more you can do. For my part, I could see the concept, clear as day, working as a TV show. Thankfully, the BBC could too. As for the success it has enjoyed, that’s down to everyone else, not us. It terms of what makes it popular it’s impossible to say but obviously, it’s all a sum of its parts put together by a lot of hard graft & a lot of luck, being the right thing at the right time.

When you’re not busy as Mr Bloom, what’s your favourite way to spend a day? Any gardening on the agenda?

Favourite way to spend a day when not working? Everyone sits down together for a slow breakfast listening to Mary Anne Hobbs on BBC6 Music, then I nip out on my own for a quick run or cycle, come home, get cleaned up, make a packed lunch and go out with the family on some sort of local outdoor adventure, return home once again, set a fire, make pizza for everyone, then all sit down to watch ‘You’ve Been Framed’. Happy Days!

Mr Bloom Live Show

So, you’re taking Mr Bloom’s Nursery, live! Tell us more…

Yes! Mighty exciting times ahead. It’s the first theatre tour we’ve undertaken. It’ll feature Mr Bloom & the Veggies.

How will it differ from the television show?

There will be familiar sights, sounds and activities from the TV show BUT this is a completely new story line & adventure. Also, the audience are imperative to the action, so unlike the TV show, they’ve going to need to get involved.

Any treats in store?

Apart from all the familiar things the Mr Blooms Nursery offers, there’ll be the appearance of a VERY special guest.

Tickets are priced at £13.50, Groups 10+ £12.00 and a Family Ticket (2 adults and 2 children) is £50.00.

To book, call 01502 533200 or click here

Three of Britain’s best-loved stars, EastEnders’s Cheryl Fergison, original girl power group legend Maureen Nolan and Casualty’s Rebecca Wheatley, will soon be arriving at the Marina Theatre to star in Menopause The Musical.

The hysterical show packed full of one-liners about night sweats, hot flushes and memory loss is backed by an instantly recognisable soundtrack of innuendo-laden versions of 60s, 70s and 80s pop classics.

An all-singing, all-dancing comedy set in a department store, where four women with seemingly nothing in common, meet by chance and make fun of their woeful lives experiencing “The Change”.

The hysterical and uplifting show, which also stars Ruth Berkeley as Penny Dreadful, will have you laughing, and singing, all the way home when it takes place on Friday, February 24.

This is Cheryl Fergison’s second tour with Menopause The Musical and for her the timing couldn’t be better.

“This show simply had to be made,” she explained. “It tells you it’s okay to talk about the subject and I’m delighted because I’m going through the menopause myself at the moment. You see, until you do you have no idea it’s such a big thing.”

Maureen Nolan added: “What’s really great about this show is that women come up to you and say ‘Thank you for making it okay to be over fifty.’ And it doesn’t make light of the menopause, rather it shows you can tackle the raging hot sweats with humour and honesty. I certainly don’t mind anyone knowing I have to have fans in my dressing room, even when it’s cold.”

Tickets are priced at £25, with a £2 discount for concessions.

They can be purchased by calling the box office on 01502 533200 or by clicking here

There is still time to catch The Lowestoft Players in action as they perform their spectacular comedy pantomime Snow White. With shows at 7.30pm on Friday, January 27, at 2.30pm and 7.30pm on Saturday and 2.30pm on Sunday, be quick to secure your tickets for the rollercoaster ride of mayhem and madcap merriment.

Judi Mars, who plays Fairy Nuff in the show, said: “The thing about The Players is that they are such a talented crowd, not just the performers, but also the technical crew and everybody involved in the production.”

On Tuesday, January 31, at 7.15pm, a live screening of Royal Opera House: Il Trovatore (12A) takes place. All seats £10.

A new comedy play starring Benidorm and I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here star Crissy Rock will be performed on Wednesday, February 1, at 7.30pm. Seriously Dead considers an ordinary day in the quiet little town of Olwinskirk. But then, a chain of extraordinary events began to take place bringing the lives of Betty, Albert, Billy and the local undertaker, Tristan de Winter, to an uncomfortable crossroads.

Crissy said: “People should come along and shake off the January blues with comedy that will leave you laughing at life (and death) – we make sure that the audience goes away with the feel good factor!”

Full price tickets: £21, Concessions: £20.

NT Live Presents: Amadeus (12A) on Thursday, February 2, at 7pm – all seats £10.

A day later, on February 3, Dr. Feelgood are in town. Formed on Canvey Island in Essex in the early 1970s, Dr. Feelgood remains one of the most popular and exciting live rhythm and blues acts in the world.

Full price tickets: £19.75, Concessions: £18.75

The exciting schedule of events for the week concludes on Saturday, February 4, at 7.30pm, with The Opera Boys. Leading men from London’s West End combine in a powerhouse of vocal harmony to deliver a stunning blend of music ranging from Opera to Pop, and everything in between.

Full price tickets: £19.50, Concessions: £18.50.

Call the box office on 01502 533200 to secure your tickets today or book online!