Tall Stories’ The Gruffalo’s Child has returned to London for the festive season at the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue – the West End’s oldest surviving theatre. Created in 2006, this much-loved production has toured internationally and is directed by Tall Stories’ co-founder Olivia Jacobs.
There is something magical about a trip to the theatre at Christmas, and for many families, visiting West End venues like The Lyric is part of the tradition. But the venue is not the only draw. Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s bestselling picture book The Gruffalo’s Child (Macmillan Children’s Books, 2004) has been enjoyed by millions worldwide, and Tall Stories – founded in 1997 – has become synonymous with imaginative adaptations of Donaldson’s work, including The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom and The Smeds and the Smoos.
Joe Lindley & Hannah Miller, The Gruffalo’s Child- TallStories. Charlie Flint Photography 2025
Despite the powerhouses behind this piece, I was a little underwhelmed by this staging. It lacked the sense of magic I was hoping for, with key moments – such as the casting of the Big Bad Mouse’s shadow – feeling like they could have done so much more. The set design felt simple and stripped back. Perhaps in a smaller venue, this production might have met my expectations more closely – but we are at The Lyric, at Christmas, and I wanted to be enchanted and swept away…
The young audience was lively and chatty throughout – which is not unusual (or a problem) for children’s theatre – but I found they never truly settled into the story. Often, children become engrossed before long, but here that sense of absorption never quite happened. That said, the interactive moments with the audience were abundant and joyful.
Joe Lindley, The Gruffalo’s Child- TallStories Credit: Charlie Flint Photography 2025
The best bits now! The cast was excellent. Hannah Miller was endearing and brave as the Gruffalo’s Child, winning the audience’s support. Joe Lindley, playing the Gruffalo and the Predators (Snake, Owl and Fox), was clearly having fun, bringing lively humour to each character – these encounters were the highlight for us, cleverly expanding on the source material. Sabrina Simohamed provided narration and played the Mouse, while Robin Harris covered as Understudy/ASM.
There were some musical highlights too – the song about the Big Bad Mouse was the favourite, adding drama and energy to the storytelling, and it lingered in my head long after the show.
More importantly, Teddy’s verdict? He didn’t have a lot to say, but he loved the Big Bad Mouse’s shadow and wanted that bit to last longer, and he found the end sequence with the Mouse chasing after the Gruffalo’s Child too ‘screamy’.
The Gruffalo’s Child runs at the Lyric Theatre, London, from 28 November 2025 to 11 January 2026, before continuing its UK tour till 9 April 2026. We received complimentary tickets to the press performance on 30 November.