Winnie the Pooh - A Philosopher for Children
I've long thought that Winnie the Pooh might be one of our most underrated modern philosophers. There is something so pithy, yet profound about the way that he thinks and the beautiful one-liners that he delivers in the cuddliest voice you can imagine.
Some of my favourites include:
"A hug is always the right size."
"Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart."
"A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey left inside."
"Some people care too much. I think it's called love."
"You can't stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes."
"What's wrong with knowing what you know now and not knowing what you don't know until later?"
The ethos celebrated by this wholly lovable character brought the succinctness of Dr. Seuss to young readers in a more approachable and understandable format - and I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that it changed lives. Winnie the Pooh and his gaggle of flamboyant friends tackled life with a whimsy and a purity that is something that we yearn to go back to as adults. And I think the world would be significantly better if we could take a leaf out of his book and focus our limited attention on the values of friendship, love, kindness, and adventure.
To try and pull some of this energy back into my life, I made my way to the National Children's Theatre this past weekend to experience their new production: Winnie the Pooh Kids. From the moment I arrived, the grin on my face was set in stone as I immersed myself in the magic that is children's theatre.
The show takes audiences on a sweeping journey as the characters join forces to try and solve the mystery of Christopher Robin's unexpected disappearance. Drawing on each other's strengths, and covering for each other's weaknesses, it's a timeless tale of teamwork, friendship, and empathy - with a good amount of humour thrown in for good measure.
The cast and crew had the kids enraptured with each unravelling of the story and it's safe to say that even the adults found themselves bopping along to Tigger, Piglet, Rabbit, Owl, and crew as they fought tooth and nail against the mysterious Backsons.
It's a show for the young and the young at heart, and I truly believe that it expresses the kind of energy that we desperately need in today's modern world. Kindness, friendship, and a positive outlook on life - what's not to love about that?
The show is on at the National Children's Theatre from 12 March - 10 April 2023. You can buy tickets here.
If you’d like to join my theatre club to come and experience shows like these, check out stagedoor.co.za.