Local mum of 3, Sharon Wallace reviews Tall Stories’ stage adaptation of the ever-popular Julia Donaldson tale at The Rose Theatre...
OUR VERDICT
This half-term has been a hectic one. We managed to cram so much in, so I’ll admit, I was looking forward to finishing off the week with a more relaxed visit to the theatre. The Gruffalo came to The Rose theatre this half-term, presented by Tall Stories. I can’t say that The Gruffalo has been one of our favourites of all the Julia Donaldson stories – up until now that is.
Attending a theatre performance with three lively under 5s is no easy undertaking, that’s for sure, so my hope is always for an entertaining show that can keep them engaged throughout. And this one certainly did the job.
We took our seats in anticipation as the cast of three appeared on stage. The impressive woodland set immediately captured the scene and transported us to the deep, dark wood where we joined Mouse on her daring exploration for hazelnuts.
Just as in the book, Mouse encounters some other hungry woodland creatures on her journey. Fox, Owl and Snake, all comically played by Jake Addley, are brought to life with humour and high energy. Fox is cunning, Owl is an eccentric old pilot and the vanity of the maraca-shaking snake had me laughing out loud. Costumes and props were superb and I’m sure there must have been a couple of quick costume changes there.
The role of narration was shared seamlessly between the actors as each took on their character roles. We laughed and danced along to the songs throughout. In fact, my three-year-old was out of her seat and giving it her all. The songs were catchy, but not in that annoying way where they stick in your head all day – thankfully.
Mouse successfully manages to see off all of her predators, with a bit of ‘roaring’ help from the young audience, before the start of the show eventually appears and briefly takes to the floor for a bit of audience participation.
This is a great, upbeat show dotted with songs, laughter and one-liners. It is touring now and I’d recommend catching a performance if you can.
Venue: The Rose Theatre, Kingston
Dates: June 2
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