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The Tiger Who Came to Tea

Published Wednesday 10 September 2008 at 13:10 by Lisa Martland

It is a tall order adapting a bestselling children’s picture book for the stage. Even before the characters begin to tell the story, the production has to visually fit the bill and youngsters are harsh critics.

Lucky then that this adaptation of Judith Kerr’s delightful tale - a tiger visits little Sophie and her mother and stays for a rather large spot of tea - is in the safe and experienced hands of writer/director David Wood. While most of the audience is familiar with the book, he still has the knack of surprising them with imaginative touches as well as always encouraging audience participation.

This is achieved often by the introduction of ditties with actions for both the children and adults to join in with. There are one too many of these for my taste, but that was not the opinion of the very young kids seated around, who loved every minute.

Abbey Norman is charming as young Sophie. As her parents, Devon Black and Alan Atkins also never lose enthusiasm for their story, the latter doubling as a very convincing and well-mannered tiger.

Indeed special credit goes to set and costume designer Susie Caulcutt for not only interpreting the book’s gentle mood so well, but also creating a quite gorgeous feline costume. The simple but clever use of trickery when the tiger is gobbling up food around Sophie’s house is inspired.

Production information

By:
Judith Kerr, adapted by David Wood, who also directs
Management:
Nick Brooke Ltd and Kenny Wax Ltd

Production information can change over the run of the show.

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Run sheet

Bloomsbury London
August 28-30 2008
Pavilion Worthing
September 1- 2 2008
Greenwich Theatre London
September 4- 6 2008
Grand Opera House Belfast
September 11-13 2008
Venue Cymru Llandudno
September 17-19 2008
Key Peterborough
September 22-23 2008
Regent Stoke-on-Trent
September 25-27 2008
Wyvern Swindon
September 29-30 2008
New Victoria Woking
October 2- 4 2008
Pavilion Bournemouth
October 6- 7 2008
King's Glasgow
October 9-11 2008
Princess Torquay
October 14-15 2008
Richmond Theatre Richmond-upon-Thames
October 16-18 2008
Arts Cambridge
October 23-25 2008
Point Eastleigh
October 27-28 2008
Theatre Royal Brighton
October 30-November 1 2008
Winter Garden Eastbourne
November 3- 5 2008
Guildhall Preston
November 6- 8 2008
Oakengates Telford
November 10-11 2008
Churchill Bromley
November 13-15 2008
Grove Dunstable
November 17-18 2008
Civic Darlington
November 20-22 2008
Haymarket Basingstoke
November 24-25 2008
Playhouse Edinburgh
December 12-27 2008
Empire Sunderland
February 2 2009
Everyman Cheltenham
February 4- 7 2009
Alban Arena St Albans
February 16-17 2009
Opera House Buxton
February 28-March 1 2009
Civic Chelmsford
March 5- 7 2009
Milton Keynes Theatre Milton Keynes
March 12 2009
Auditorium Grimsby
March 30-31 2009
Harrogate Theatre Harrogate
April 2- 4 2009
Byre St Andrews
April 7- 8 2009
Theatre Royal Newcastle-upon-Tyne
April 15-18 2009
Yvonne Arnaud Guildford
April 23-25 2009
White Rock Hastings
April 27-28 2009
New Wimbledon London
April 30-May 2 2009
Courtyard Hereford
May 5- 7 2009
Palace Newark
May 8- 9 2009
Grand Opera House York
May 12-13 2009
Playhouse Oxford
May 14-16 2009
Broxbourne Civic Hall Hoddesdon
May 19-20 2009
Brewhouse Taunton
May 26-27 2009
Palace Southend-on-Sea
May 28-30 2009
Orchard Dartford
June 1- 3 2009
Theatre Royal Winchester
June 5- 7 2009
Leas Cliff Hall Folkestone
June 8- 9 2009
Lighthouse Poole
June 11-14 2009
Northcott Exeter
June 15-16 2009
Playhouse Weston Super Mare
June 20-21 2009
Beck Hayes
June 22-23 2009
Arts Cambridge
June 25-28 2009
Belgrade Coventry
July 2- 4 2009
Maltings Berwick-upon-Tweed
July 7- 8 2009
Repertory Dundee
July 10-11 2009
Opera House Jersey
July 16-19 2009
Rose Kingston-upon-Thames
July 21-23 2009
Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds
July 24-25 2009
Theatre Royal Windsor
July 29-August 1 2009
Hall for Cornwall Truro
August 12-16 2009
Alban Arena St Albans
April 7- 8 2011
Town Hall Birmingham
April 19-22 2011
Victoria Halifax
May 8- 9 2011
Landmark Ilfracombe
May 21-June 22 2011
Haymarket Basingstoke
June 2- 5 2011
De Montfort Hall Leicester
June 8-10 2011
Pavilion Bournemouth
June 14-15 2011
Fairfield Halls, Ashcroft Croydon
June 22 2011
Devonshire Park Eastbourne
July 1- 2 2011
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