What is The Gruffalo?

Based on Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s much-loved picture book, The Gruffalo follows a quick-thinking Mouse as he takes a walk through the deep, dark wood. Along the way he encounters a hungry Fox, Owl and Snake, escaping each one by inventing a terrifying creature called the Gruffalo. But when the imaginary monster unexpectedly appears for real, Mouse must rely on his wits once again to stay one step ahead.

Tall Stories first brought the story to the stage in 2001, and 25 years later it remains one of the UK’s most successful family theatre productions. Running for around an hour with no interval, it’s designed for children aged three and up, making it an ideal introduction to live theatre.

Our Review

There aren’t many children’s stories as woven into British childhood as The Gruffalo. Rather than trying to reinvent a story that most preschoolers already know by heart, Tall Stories celebrates that familiarity – and it’s one of the reasons this production still feels so special 25 years on.

We visited with our four-year-old daughter, and within minutes it was clear she wasn’t just watching the show – she was part of it. Like so many of the children around her, she whispered the famous lines before the actors said them, proudly shouted out the answers and beamed whenever she recognised what was coming next. It felt less like watching a theatre production and more like sharing a giant bedtime story with hundreds of other families.

Performed by a cast of just three, the show is wonderfully inventive. The actors slip seamlessly between multiple roles, each character feeling completely distinct. The Fox is played like a loveable East End market Trader, full of confidence and quick-fire patter, while the Owl was delightfully eccentric. Snake, meanwhile, slithers onto the stage in head-to-toe snakeskin with all the loose-limbed confidence and funky charm of a Happy Mondays frontman. It’s an unexpectedly funny characterisation that has the adults laughing just as much as the children. Together, those larger-than-life performances breathe fresh life into a story that families know and love.

The production stays remarkably faithful to Julia Donaldson’s original story, which is exactly what most families will want. The songs are catchy, the storytelling is easy to follow and everything feels reassuringly familiar. If we had one small criticism, it’s that the show is very much aimed at its core audience. Older siblings will still enjoy it, but there are fewer moments that really stretch children beyond the early primary years. For preschoolers, though, it’s beautifully judged.

The Lyric Theatre is also a wonderful setting for a first West End visit. It feels grand enough to make the occasion special without ever becoming overwhelming. And despite all the build-up, the Gruffalo himself is far less frightening than his reputation suggests. Any pre-show nerves quickly melt into delight when he appears on stage – and even more so when he wanders through the audience.

Looking around the auditorium, I loved seeing grandparents, parents and children all laughing together. Few children’s stories have been passed from one generation to the next quite like The Gruffalo, and this production captures that shared magic beautifully.

Our Verdict

Twenty-five years after Tall Stories first brought The Gruffalo to the stage, it’s easy to see why families continue to return. This isn’t a production that relies on flashy effects or modern gimmicks. Instead, it trusts the strength of Julia Donaldson’s storytelling, the imagination of its performers and the enthusiasm of an audience who already knows every twist and turn.

Warm, funny and full of heart, The Gruffalo remains one of the very best first theatre experiences for preschoolers. If you’re looking to introduce your child to the magic of the West End, there are few productions that do it with quite so much charm. It’s a show that has delighted families for 25 years, and judging by the smiles around us, it will continue to do so for many more.

READ NEXT: Looking for more Julia Donaldson theatre? Read my review of Zog at Cadogan Hall.