Tall Stories’ adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s popular picture book The Snail And The Whale will hold a special gala performance in aid of military organisation Storybook Soldiers during its forthcoming festive run at the St James theatre.
Taking place on 15 December, the gala performance will raise money for the organisation that allows British military personnel to record stories for their children, enabling them to listen to a bedtime story from their mother or father even when that parent is absent.
The Snail And The Whale, which plays at the Victoria venue from 10 December to 5 January, is told through the eyes of a young girl who wants to travel the globe with her sea-faring father, an idea that came about when Tall Stories’ joint Artistic Directors Toby Mitchell and Olivia Jacobs read an article about Storybook Soldiers.
Suitable for children aged four and older, the production, which marks the Olivier Award nominated family theatre company’s latest collaboration with writer/illustrator duo Donaldson and Scheffler, combines storytelling and live music to tell the story of a snail who hitches a lift on the tail of a humpback whale. When the whale gets beached, the miniature mollusc must try to save his not so miniature friend before it’s too late.
This isn’t the only special performance scheduled during The Snail And The Whale’s run at the St James theatre, with a relaxed performance of the production also taking place on 19 December.
Designed for families living with autism and other learning disabilities, relaxed performances are adapted in a number of different ways, including adjusting light and sound levels, to allow individuals to see shows at the theatre in a more relaxed environment.
The Snail And The Whale is just one of Tall Stories’ hit productions to grace the capital’s stages this Christmas, with The Gruffalo playing at the Lyric theatre and My Brother The Robot playing at the Roundhouse over the festive period.