The Gruffalo
The Gruffalo at the Lyric Theatre is a charming and engaging adaptation of the beloved children's book, brought to life by a talented trio of actors. This production masterfully showcases the transformative magic of theatre, making it an excellent introduction for young audiences. Tall Stories, who will be adapting Julia Donaldson’s Room on the Broom later this year, do a great job of staying truthful to the book while adding their own theatricality to proceedings.
One of the standout features of this performance is the seamless transitions made by the three actors as they switch between characters. Special mention must go to Elouise Warboys, who is utterly charming as the Mouse, Kemi Clarke, who has great fun multi-rolling as Fox, Owl, and Snake, and finally David Scotland, whose performance as the title character has the perfect presence and stays on the right line of scary and silly.
This clever and dynamic approach not only keeps the story lively but also provides an insightful look into the craft of theatre, illustrating how actors can inhabit multiple roles and create a vibrant world on stage. This element of the production is particularly effective in teaching young viewers about the versatility and creativity involved in theatrical performances.
Adding to the enchantment, each woodland animal that our Mouse encounters is given their own unique song. These musical interludes bring variety to the performance and keep the audience engaged. The parents were particularly entertained by the Fox’s Madness-type number.
However, the production's length does pose a slight challenge. At an hour long, it occasionally feels a bit stretched, and some of the younger audience members may find it difficult to maintain their focus throughout the entire show. Despite this minor drawback, the engaging performances and the overall charm of the adaptation generally manage to keep the restless moments at bay.
Overall, The Gruffalo proves to be a delightful introduction to the world of theatre, with plenty of audience participation, whimsical songs, and storybook magic. Even I was drawn into the story and awaited the title character’s arrival. Oh, silly old me, didn’t I know? There’s no such thing as a Gruffalo.
This show was reviewed on the 20th July 2024 at the Lyric Theatre, London where it runs until the 8th September 2024. Tickets available here: The Gruffalo - Lyric Theatre (thelyrictheatre.co.uk)
Review written by Alex Farley
AD/Gifted
Check out other reviews from Curtain Call Reviews and get in touch to have our reviewers head to your show.
We need your consent to load the translations
We use a third-party service to translate the website content that may collect data about your activity. Please review the details in the privacy policy and accept the service to view the translations.