Witches
 Party party

Tiddleywinks
'We' e never been known to have chaos', says Kate Gielgud of her highly popular children's parties. Set up in 1988 by Gabrielle Lister, this small operation offers a personal service, with 'creative drama parties' for four to seven year-olds, and murder mysteries for eight to 13 year olds. The formats are flexible and each party is slightly different, depending on the children. Kate is RADA-trained and worked as an actress and director for many years; last year she appeared in a West End production of An Ideal Husband.


The drama parties for younger children involve dressingup and acting out a story, usually based on fairytale or adventure themes, from Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty to Robin Hood. Even with boyish themes, like King Arthur, there are parts for the girls, and vice versa - no one's left out. 'But no one's ever forced to join in,' says Kate (whose great-uncle, Sir John, also does a spot of acting).
'If someone's shy, they can come and stand with me and help. Usually, after about five minutes they decide they don't want to miss out after all!'.


First, the children get into character, with waistcoats, eye-patches, lipstick, glitter and moustaches - whatever's appropriate for the story. Kate has all the costumes specially made for her, and dresses up herself in exotic numbers like a fairytale pink fairy dress, a white Cinderella ball gown or an Aladdin outfit all the way from the souk. After setting up the story and scenes, the dramatic storytelling will begin -

Fairies too!

usually pretty quickly since, as Kate says, 'You've got a bunch of energetic five-year-olds just dying to get acting'. They will act out the story using music, narration and props.

After tea, the party continues with traditional party games such as Pass the Parcel. Games vary according to the venue, and at the end of the two hours, everyone goes home with a nice prize, each individually wrapped.

Purple Rose of Cairo

For the murder mystery parties Kate arrives with bags and bags of costumes, make-up, handbags, hats - including some dramatic large-brimmed hats donated by Vanessa Feltz - and other props. They then rehearse a complete play. After three hours, the 'company' are ready to perform their dastardly doings for their parents.

Kate writes the plays herself, injecting plenty of humour as well as thrills and chills; a recent storyline, the Supermodel Murder, was set on a fashion shoot in Tunisia, with characters to amuse parents as well as children. The plays are all carefully planned out - so there's no need to worry about marauding kids running around the house. Other themes appeal to different groups: horsey girls might prefer the 'Great Harrogate

Horse-Robbery', while boys go mad for the 'James Bond Saves the World'.

Call Kate Gielgud on 0208 964 5490.

Kids Out August 1999