Tall Stories (creators of The Gruffalo and Room on the Broom) kick off a summer residency at the Lyric Theatre with their adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s The Smeds and The Smoos. The brand new Bedfordshire branch of the Family Stage ventured into London for their inaugural reviewing mission to check out this fun production that promises 60 minutes of musical fun for children aged 3 and up. Here’s what we thought….
Firstly, a quick bit about the theatre. The Lyric Theatre ‘Nimax Kids’ were really welcoming and yes you can check in your folded up stroller/pram! The bar snacks could do with a daytime overhaul for young families in my view but Teddy (3 and 3/4) was delighted to get posh popcorn. Just going into the theatre is a bit of a treat; the incredible high ceiling, the fancy light and the excitement of being in a West End theatre set us all up for a good time.
The colourful stage is set on a far-off planet, and through the ensemble cast of four we quickly learn that Smeds and Smoos can’t be friends – they are just so different! Through a series of songs and sequences, a young Smed called Janet (Felicia Akin-Tayo) and a young Smoo called Bill (Antony Lam) meet and eventually fall in love, before being forced to run away together on a rocket.
The whole cast bring a high energy commitment to the story, with Patrick Bridgeman possibly having the most fun with his comedically cantankerous Grandfather Smed. The show is interspersed with moments of audience participation – a game of hide and seek, whilst an easy win, is still a win with the audience. Our favourite interaction was probably getting watered. (If you’re in the stalls you will probably get a little bit wet!)
The storytelling occasionally feels a little flat, especially during Janet and Bill’s woodland scenes (according to Teddy too), but the fun really starts when Grandfather Smed and Grandmother Smoo (Abbey Norman) get on a rocket and go on an adventure in search of Bill and Janet. We all agreed that the sequences zooming through space to different planets were really entertaining and had us all absorbed in the show.
The fantastical puppets from puppet designer Yvonne Stone are true to the book. They delighted and intrigued Teddy, who was perched on the edge of his seat watching intently for this whole section. There was a pacey closing sequence with all the ingredients you’d expect – The Smeds and the Smoos have learned to appreciate and respect their differences (yippee!), there’s a high-energy celebration, a gentle close and a final hurrah where everyone gets to clap along!
When I told Teddy we were going to watch this show, his first concern was “Will it be scary?” and no, it’s not scary at all. If you’re looking for a fun first theatre experience in London’s West End then this might be for you – A beloved story, impressive venue, striking set design, super puppets and spirited performances from the ensemble will safely do the job.
The Smeds and The Smoos is on now at The Lyric Theatre from Friday 18 July to Sunday 7 September, 2025 and then on a tour of regional theatres this autumn. We received complimentary tickets to the press performance on Saturday 19 July.