Stage lights/toy theatre ideas please

[Christmalights]

DS (7) loves putting on shows. He’s not bothered by the acting but constantly wants to set up stages and run shows, especially the lights for it. It stems from the panto last year where he spent the entire time looking back at the special effects booth rather than the stage. Does anyone have any ideas of what I could get him related to this. We have a very small house and garden so a small stage or similar wouldn’t really work. Thank you for any ideas

lights
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Latta-Alvor-Parties-Activated-Control/dp/B07BN9SH4J/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=mini+stage+light&qid=1695467552&sr=8-6

stand
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tiger-T-Bar-Lighting-Stand-Photography/dp/B002UP9OFK/ref=pd_day0fbt_sccl_1/260-6614313-8046235?pd_rd_w=lSruv&content-id=amzn1.sym.bfe06781-69ca-4a3a-9842-e535d2f2ae0e&pf_r Contact Us – Pip & Nut dp=bfe06781-69ca-4a3a-9842-e535d2f2ae0e&pfrdr=1F9AFZ6R4MM1WEMRKM3R&pdrdwg=BPTrp&pdrdr=da4c168b-bfca-47a6-9b9e-7f0362e176c5&pdrd_i=B002UP9OFK&psc=1

Backdrop
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rendering-Photography-Backdrops-Background-Decoration/dp/B07NYNQG7P/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=theatre%2Bstage%2Bbackdrop&qid=1695467725&sr=8-3&th=1

or v expensive stage set up.
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1072583597/haus-projekt-theatre-childrens-playhouse?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_uk_en_gb_a-toys_and_games-toys-play_tents_and_playhouses-play_tents&utm_custom1=k_CjwKCAjwmbqoBhAgEiwACIjzEI9Ecb75mtYDILAi0Ia8OaCqGOgL1yB5Yr_u7Y0Z_gt_lR-jZZ_c0xoCFn4QAvD_BwE_k&utm_content=go_6479719679_78113903019_380846598208_pla-317092176463_c__1072583597engb_142130727&utm_custom2=6479719679&gclid=CjwKCAjwmbqoBhAgEiwACIjzEI9Ecb75mtYDILAi0Ia8OaCqGOgL1yB5Yr_u7Y0Z_gt_lR-jZZ_c0xoCFn4QAvD_BwE

Wow thank you so much smokeme. I had no idea these things existed and I’ve been looking for ages! Im really grateful thank you!!

Have a look at what your local theatre provides for young people, i'd also recommend the backstage and touch tours, and let them know in advance he's interested in technical theatre, they'll be thrilled and likely very accomodating!

Highly recommend the 'national theatre: all about theatre' book it's wonderful and so well done

Benjamin Pollock’s Toyshop website or their Covent Garden shop

Can I PM you? I have a toy theatre for sale, working spotlight, footlight and everything.

Bit of a long shot but there's an incredible 'working' toy theatre by Bluebird ('magical theatre') from the 90s we picked up an incomplete one from a tip shop years ago and it's amazing, foot and spotlights that work and can be dimmed and have colour gels added you can make your own backdrops and scenery etc, the characters move via magnets you can control from behind (we had to make our own!). There's at least one on eBay (not ours!) it's incredibly robust for its age and has been really well played with by my three children (as well as whoever had it first!)

Thanks so much for all of the ideas/suggestions, please do pm me. I’ll have a look for the bluebird one too, it sounds ideal. I liked the look of the theatres on the Benjamin pollock website recommended above but it’s really the lights etc that he loves.

we went to the open day at our local theatre and they were brilliant. He’s very shy and finds it difficult to speak to people he doesn’t know but he was chatting away in minutes with them. They treated him like an equal and answered his questions seriously. They said to contact them when he does work experience and he can go there. He’s just got about 8 years to wait!

Thanks again for taking the time to make suggestions etc. I was at a loss and he doesn’t really ask for much so I’d like to get him something he’d love.

He sounds like me at that age when my dad used to do lights as a hobby and I would go along and help (as much as a small child can help!)

When he goes to secondary school, if he’s still interested, see if there’s a local school with a drama club where the kids get involved with backstage- dad used to volunteer and taught so many people who went on to do it professionally.

(I now do still actually work in theatre but not in lighting!)

It’s lovely to hear about very young people who are interested in technical theatre.

He sounds wonderful! I got into theatre work in a similar way and still love it. If he's particularly into lights perhaps a simple angle poise desk lamp (or two!) with a selection of coloured gels (colored clear plastic sheets) and some home made gobos (pretty much just card cut like a stencil to make a pattern/ shape/ rain etc) you could hold it in place with a few strong magnets and he could use those to create scenes shadows/ effects to play with moving them closer/ further/ playing with shadows of figures/ set etc.
I hope that makes sense.. obviously supervise in case the bulbs get hot but I think you'd be okay with led

Oooh would actually suggest the IKEA bulb with the little dimmer remote for the angle poises too to give him more control and be able to focus them.. might be getting carried away now though!

This. It’s the real deal.