Great turn out as The Gruffalo’s Child is brought to life in stage show

Tall stories: The Gruffalo’s Child, at the Corn Exchange, from Thursday, March 14, to Saturday, March 17

Review by ROBIN STRAPP

JULIA Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s The Gruffalo’s Child is lovingly brought to the stage by Tall Stories theatre company in this adaption by Toby Mitchell.

The Corn Exchange was filled with eager youngsters and their parents as they had a photo opportunity against a large painted cut out of the Gruffalo. Upstairs in the balcony bar the budding young artists participated in a workshop, colouring outlines of the Gruffalo. All great pre-show fun.

Isla Shaw’s beautiful set created the mysterious dark wood with snow covered trees that cleverly moved to form the various enchanting scenes.

The mischievous Gruffalo’s Child was flawlessly played on the day of the review by understudy Pip Simpson, seeking an adventure to explore beyond the safety of her home and venture into the unknown dangers of the wood. Her father warns her to beware of the big, bad mouse. Headstrong, she defies his advice... and so the quest begins.

Harriet Waters is an engaging narrator, helping the storyline develop and also morphs into an adorable small mouse who’s certainly not terrifying. But will the Child find the big bad mouse?

The Gruffalo (Samuel Tracey) is a caring, protective parent. He also skilfully plays the creatures that the Gruffalo Child meets in the dark, dark wood including the slinky snake dressed in a sparkling coat.

The sly fox, dressed ironically in a fur trimmed red coat, is always looking to make money and tries to auction the Gruffalo’s Child to the audience, who eagerly joined in the bidding.

John Fiber and Andy Shaw’s catchy songs had everyone joining in with enthusiasm and the rhyming story was easily accessible to the toddlers.

The choreography by Morag Cross was impressive if exhausting for the cast. Directed with pace and inventiveness by Olivia Jacobs this was a delightful family production.