The week leading up to seeing Julia Donaldson was spent reading through her books and, oh boy, there are a lot! Re-visiting our favourites, I was reminded of just what a versatile and prolific writer she is.
We knew to expect the Gruffalo, of course, and the Ladybird who heard (What the Ladybird Heard), but you'll forgive us a few nerves about whether our other favourites would be included in the stage act.
We were not disappointed. Zog made a welcomed appearance, we were squashed and squeezed and we were introduced to Jack and the Flumflum tree. Situated in a library, with the writer Julia Donaldson making an appearance, the stage show took us on a voyage of imagination, with some favourite stories acted and read aloud. It's not a high tech show; no whizzy lights or sound effects to comment on. What we were left with was good old fashioned fun.
Julia herself, along with husband Malcolm on the guitar, sister Mary doing her fair share of story telling and just two other cast members, all gamely took on a number of roles. We rollocked over the sea; some lucky children took part in dragon school and we all got very excited as we reached the time for the Gruffalo.
It's testament to Donaldson's good humour and the sense of fun that bubbles throughout the show that she hasn't tired of the Gruffalo: afterall, he is 17 this year!
My kids, along with the millions* of other pre-school and just-schoolers in the audience, sat forward in their seats, leaning in, as Julia took on the role of the mouse outwitting the Gruffalo. They revelled in calling out the bits they remembered, 'There's no such thing as a Gruffalo!'.
The show was followed by an impossibly long line, snaking right down to the theatre lobby from the Circle bar, as Donaldson made herself available for book signing. She must've been exhausted, but launched into the job looking as if she were made for it.
I return to my earlier description of the one act show, with singing, story telling and acting out: good old fashioned fun. And there's not much wrong with that!
The 3 year old's verdict
I thought I was tiny bit scared of that Gruffalo, but then I wasn't. It was good clapping and I did sing too. I love Zog best.
*or so it seemed.