There is a chance to catch the musical adaptation of The Gruffalo’s Child at Greenwich theatre on 28-30 August, kicking off a new season of shows for children throughout the autumn.
Tall Stories’s production of The Gruffalo’s Child – the sequel to the popular The Gruffalo – is adapted from Julia Donaldson and Axel Sheffler’s award-winning book and directed by Michael Cabot. One wild and windy night, the Gruffalo’s child ignores her father’s warning and tiptoes out into the snow. After all, the Big Bad Mouse doesn’t really exist, does he?
In a new commitment to children’s programming, the Greenwich’s season of children’s shows continues on Saturdays throughout the autumn. The new Director of the theatre, James Haddrell, commented: “I have always believed that we should programme more theatre for children at Greenwich, and having now taken over as Director I can put that into place. There is nothing more magical than a piece of performance which transports a theatre full of people to another place, and in many ways children are the best candidates for that experience… Children have better imaginations than any of us, and I’m committed to offering the youngest theatregoers more and more opportunities to indulge that imagination.”
The series of one-off performances begins on 22 September with Over The Moon, the story of a little girl who wants to play with the moon. During her search over fields and under ponds, she meets a solitary cow and is swept along by a silvery fish. The closer she gets, the thinner the moon becomes. Something is eating it up, slice by slice. Can she save it in time?
The Crow Show presents Tales From Tibet, The Jewel In The Lotus on 6 October. These Tibetan stories from the roof of the world are brought to life for children with the help of puppets, music, shadows and laughter – and maybe a glimpse of a yeti.
On 3 November The Flying Gorillas brings musical show Rocket Frog to the Greenwich. In a world filled with tap dancing rats and snoring Mexican hats, five musicians strive to play their music, but the shadowy figure of the Rocket Frog is determined to cause chaos. The show is performed by musicians from Argentina, China and the UK and features Argentinean dance and music, and a plethora of interesting instruments. A special workshop for theatregoers aged 7-11 will take place prior to the performance. For more information and booking details visit www.greenwichtheatre.org
The autumn line-up of Saturday shows ends on 10 November with Hansel And Gretel And The Glorious Glasses Of Glee, a show packed with songs, silliness, puppets and participation, based on the classic fairytale characters. All is not well in the woods. Gretel is ghastly, Hansel is nowhere to be seen and the not-so wicked Lulu Witchy Woo has developed a penchant for eating the under-10s.
Family entertainment continues over the Christmas season with Greenwich’s pantomime, Dick Whittington (4 December 2007-5 January 2008). Following last year’s Sleeping Beauty, writer and pantomime dame Andrew Pollard returns with his version of the classic panto which tells of the young Dick Whittington and his quest to become Mayor of London.
CB