In 1999, Author Julia Donaldson and Illustrator Axel Scheffler released The Gruffalo - a picturebook with rhyming couplets telling a story about a little mouse making a life for itself in a deep, dark wood, and outsmarting several predators in the process. The book was both an instant and enduring success, and to date, it has sold over 13 million copies worldwide. Now, this Christmas season, children see it brought to life in a brand-new adaptation at the Mill Arts Centre.
Tall Stories, the production company behind this delightful show, have been performing The Gruffalo since 2001, but this marks the premier of a new version that aims to centre British Sign Language. And sure enough, the BSL integration here is anything but an afterthought: The Mouse is played by deaf actress Mia Ward (in an infectiously joyful, expressive performance) and there’s never a moment where lines are spoken and not also signed. Crucially,
the element doesn’t feel tacked on, but rather like a truly organic aspect of the blocking and character design.
The set is a well-put-together woodsy scene - a shoutout to lighting designer James Whiteside for some very evocative mood lighting. The costumes are minimalist - a tail, a nose, a vest. This allows for quick changes between scenes, and props must go to Katie Erich, who convincingly conjures three very different predators: a slickly charming Londoner fox, an upper-crust owl pilot, and a bold, maraca-shaking snake. Meanwhile, the Gruffalo, played by an exuberant Adam Jay-Price, is the right mix of scary, silly and compelling.
Stretching a 700-word story to a 55-minute show is a challenge, but one Tall Stories meets using song, music and movement. Each character gets their own charming introduction song, and the plot has a pleasing repetition to it which feels cosy rather than tedious. By the end, nearly everyone was dancing in their seats.
As an aside - I used to work in a bookshop, and staff would occasionally dress up as children’s book characters for special occasions. One year, the company ordered a Gruffalo Costume - and let me tell you: it was monstrous. Six feet tall, with a head the size of a small child. It did look exactly like the book character, but it was nearly impossible for the wearer to convey any emotion. By contrast, the stylings here leave the performer’s face visible and unencumbered (aside from the Gruffalo’s signature wart), and while less instantly impressive, this keeps the Gruffalo as more of a character than just a visual gag. This seems eminently wise.
Another wise choice on the part of the production was to slowly amp up the levels of audience interaction throughout. Fun songs and goofiness abound right from the start, without being over the top, and at a little over the halfway point, when attention spans may have started to wane, the kids are encouraged to roar like the Gruffalo to scare off a predator. This kept the kids engaged without making participation too mandatory.
The message behind The Gruffalo, which is based on Chinese Folklore and could be classified as a ‘Trickster Story’ (in which a character uses their opponent’s fears against them to reach their goal) remains a thrilling and empowering one for kids. The Mouse is small and seemingly powerless but uses bravery and cleverness to stay out of harm’s way. The three performers play their characters with warmth and sincerity, never drifting into cloying theatrics.
The Gruffalo would make a fantastic festive trip out, particularly for kids between 5-9. It’s long enough to feel like an ‘event’ to youngsters without losing their attention, and while humorous and playful throughout, there’s enough in the way of a thoughtful plot to engage older audience members too. A winning new adaptation.