Zog soars into Salford to bring some dragon-sized fun to Lowry from 14–19 April

Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s much-loved story Zog flies onto the Lowry’s Quays Theatre stage from 14–19 April for the Easter holidays, as part of a major UK and Ireland tour.

First staged in 2020, Freckle Productions’ adaptation of Zog has become a family favourite, delighting young audiences with its mix of live music, puppetry, and laugh-out-loud storytelling. With joyful songs by Joe Stilgoe, puppets designed by Little Angel Theatre, and direction by Ryan McBryde that brings Donaldson and Scheffler’s world vividly to life, Zog is a theatrical treat for all ages.

‘I’m not braggin’ but I’m a dragon’

Zog is the keenest dragon in Madam Dragon’s school. He’s also the most accident-prone, flying into trees, and even setting his own wing alight. Thankfully, a kind girl comes along to patch up his scratches and scrapes – but can she help him with his biggest challenge yet, so that he can finally win a golden star?

ZOG will be brought to life by an incredibly talented cast, with Samuel John Taylor (Stiletto, Charing Cross; Pirates of Penzance, UK Tour) as ‘Zog’, Jess Lobo (Rapunzel, Watermill Theatre; The Museum of Marvellous Things, UK Tour) as ‘Pearl’, Lotti Brogan (The Witches of Eastwick, Sondheim Theatre) as ‘Madam Dragon’ and ‘Governess’, Hugh Cotton (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, UK Tour) as ‘Cedric’ and ‘Gadabout’, Lee Beka Harper (I Was A Teenage She-Devil, Edinburgh Fringe) as ‘Nell’ and Swing, and Daniel Noah (The Wizard of Oz, Icon of the Seas; Grease, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line) as Swing.

Jennifer Sutherland, Executive Producer at Freckle Productions, said, “At Freckle we love bringing Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s stories to life on stage, and Zog has been a joy to share with families over the years. Following the 15th anniversary of the book in 2025, we’re delighted to continue the celebrations with a UK tour in 2026 and a summer season at Cadogan Hall. And without giving too much away, fans can also look forward to more adventures ahead when Zog and the Flying Doctors takes off on tour in 2027.”

Zog is written by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, brought to life with music and lyrics by Joe Stilgoe, direction from Ryan McBryde, musical direction and orchestrations from Paul Herbert, choreography by Katie Beard and set and costume design by Katie Sykes. The creative team is completed by puppetry director Edie Edmundson and associate choreographer Heather Scott-Martin.

Zog is adapted from the book by Julia Donaldson, the multi award-winning author of some of the world’s best-loved children’s stories including The Gruffalo and Stick Man. Julia is best known for her popular rhyming tales, especially those illustrated by Axel Scheffler, which together have sold over 75 million copies and been published in more than 100 languages.

First published in 2010, Zog quickly became a family favourite, winning the Galaxy National Book Award that year and going on to sell over 4.8 million copies worldwide. In 2018, Magic Light Pictures premiered the animated film version of Zog on BBC One, broadcast at primetime on Christmas Day, with an all-star cast including Sir Lenny Henry, Tracey Ullman, Rob Brydon and Kit Harington. The half-hour special delighted millions of viewers and cemented Zog’s place as a modern classic.

The book celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2025, making the 2026 tour a roaring, soaring milestone event to celebrate everyone’s favourite dragon.

ZOG plays at The Lowry, Salford Tue 14 Apr 2026-Sun 19 Apr 2026. Tickets are available here.