This week little London theatre goers will finally get the chance to see Freckle Productions‘ newest Julia Donaldson stage show – The Baddies! Fresh from its world premiere at the Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh and a quick stopover at Warwick Arts, we caught the show at The Rose Theatre, Kingston ahead of its UK tour.
Based on the much loved picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, the story follows the antics of three undesirables – the ancient Ghost, the Witch and the Troll. So consumed with being bad, the hapless trio are bemused when a resolutely brave little girl moves into town seemingly immune to their scaring. Egged on by Mama mouse, the three compete to steal her spotty hanky and prove their spooky credentials.
There are some top performances to marvel. Our favourite was the flamboyantly dramatic ghost played by James Stirling who we also loved in ‘Zog and the Flying Doctors’ this summer. We were also impressed by the eye-popping high notes piped out by Yuki Sutton as the girl and of course all is tied together by the practically perfect in every way Mary Poppins narrator Mama Mouse (Lottie Mae O’Kill).
The show is slick and shiny with impeccable attention to detail and styling. Joe Stilgoe’s lyrics continue to permeate for days and I can still recite the catchy “we are the greatest Baddies..’ This is a quality show with an all singing all dancing Disney feel and sugared moral messages of being kind and accepting one another – perfect for the target audience.
What age is The Baddies Live for?
The Baddies is aimed at all ages from 3+. I took my three boys aged 5,7 and 8 and although all enjoyed (the show lasts a very watchable 1hr) I would say the older two were pushing the upper limit of the target audience. (This could also be in part due to both central characters being female and resounding themes of motherhood – sadly not so cool for my Minecraft obsessed 8 yr old!) I would say ages 3-6 yrs is the sweet spot.
The Baddies Live is currently showing at The Rose Theatre until 3rd November and will tour the UK throughout 2025. Check out more Julia Donaldson stage shows and Christmas Theatre shows.
