REVIEW: The Gruffalo's Child

The Gruffalo’s Child

The Grand Theatre

Basaed on the now-famous follow-up to smash hit Children’s book The Gruffalo, it was always going to be difficult to transform a 10-minute read into an hour-long stage production.

However, the three-strong cast of this production, aimed squarely at younger children, pulled it off with aplomb.

The natural, almost song-like cadence of the book is a firm Julia Donaldson and Axel Sheffler favourite in our household.

And that can’t be replicated on stage, or the show would be over in a flash.

Instead we get the tale interspersed with some song and silly set pieces, bringing about a different feel, but an enjoyable take on the tale none the less.

Sophie Alice is perfect as the titular character, a young actress playing a baby Gruffalo, trying to find her way in the world.

Catriona Mackenzie is the Mouse and narrator, proving lively as the Mouse. In a theatre packed with children, more gravitas needs to be given to her narrator’s lines – the ones from the actual book, but she turns in a good performance.

Star turn though is Andrew Mudie, performing as an exotic snake, Scottish Owl and Cockney Fox, as well as the Gruffalo.

A wonderful tale, pitched perfectly for little ones, with a spot-on running time of an hour.

CHRIS DIXON