Tall Stories’ much-loved stage adaptation of ‘The Gruffalo’ celebrates 25 years of inspiring young imaginations with a West End run, UK-wide tour, and live-streaming into hospitals

Adapted from Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s award-winning picture book, Tall Stories’ The Gruffalo live on stage invites young audiences into a world of joy, silliness and curiosity where everything is possible. Over 25 years, the show has been experienced by over 3 million people, travelled to 18 different countries, been translated into 7 different languages, and the Gruffalo has been performed by 37 actors.

Produced by Tall Stories (The Gruffalo’s Child, The Smeds and The Smoos, The Elmer Adventure, Wilde Creatures), The Gruffalo is directed by Olivia Jacobs. It is on a national tour to over 30 venues from 31 March 2026 and at the Lyric Theatre in London’s West End from 17 July 2026, with tickets from just £10.

The Gruffalo is adapted by Tall Stories from the picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler (Macmillan Children’s Books). The Gruffalo book was first published in 1999, and the theatre show premiered in the UK in 2001. It has been touring nationally and internationally ever since.

A classic ‘David and Goliath’ story, ‘The Gruffalo’ centres on a tiny creature outwitting a huge creature in this well-loved tale of curiosity, courage and imagination. The little Mouse is on a daring adventure in search of hazelnuts through the deep, dark wood. Along the way, Mouse meets the cunning Fox, the eccentric old Owl and the high-spirited Snake, each with a special story to tell – with catchy, clap-along ska, disco and rock inspired songs. To save himself from ending up as dinner for these hungry woodland creatures, Mouse shares tall tales of a terrifying Gruffalo who lurks in the deep dark wood.

The cast is announced as Rianna Kellman (‘Shut Up I’m Dreaming’, The National Theatre, ‘The Snowflake’, Polka Theatre) who will play ‘Mouse’, Niall Hemingway (‘The Tiger Who Came To Tea’ (UK Tour) is the ‘Gruffalo’, Jordan Cottle (‘Yara in the Wild Wood’, UK Tour and ‘The Hare, the Moon, and the River’) plays the ‘Fox, Owl and the Snake’ and the understudy is Adam Pritchard (‘Jack and the Beanstalk’, ‘Cinderella’ at Elgiva Theatre).

Developed over 28 years, Tall Stories’ original and distinctive storytelling theatre style welcomes everyone in with its playfulness, puppetry, songs, and humour. At the heart of the Tall Stories ethos is celebrating and inspiring imagination by crafting magic onstage, fostering a dynamic connection between performers and audiences, and transforming every show into a shared storytelling experience. Each Tall Stories production is created entirely in-house, ensuring its distinctive style and high quality, playful spirit is crafted to appeal to audiences aged three to 103.

Families are invited to rediscover the joy of storytelling, sparking creativity and inspiring children and grown-ups alike to keep playing, long after they leave the theatre. The stage show of ‘The Gruffalo’ was originally directed by Tall Stories’ co-founder, Olivia Jacobs.

Olivia Jacobs, the director of The Gruffalo, talks about how the company does it: “Each new production of The Gruffalo evolves a bit differently depending on the casting. We’re always seeking new ways to connect with our audience – and get them laughing. We encourage each performer to improvise, discover their personal take on the characters, and uncover new moments of imagination and magic. We experiment with new ideas to help give Owl a sense of flight, or to trace Mouse’s journey more vividly, or to add a more playful physicality to Fox that perfectly suits his confident, cheeky nature. Each actor who plays the Gruffalo brings something uniquely their own to the part, aiming to strike just the right balance between scary and funny to delight our audiences. The cast improvise elements of the show every day, and it’s the sense of playfulness, audience connection, creativity and unpredictable energy that make Tall Stories’ shows so special, and never the same twice.”

Julia Donaldson CBE said: “It’s wonderful that the Tall Stories theatre production of The Gruffalo celebrates its 25th birthday in 2026, and to think that over that quarter of a century millions of children have enjoyed the story through theatre. A live stage show is such a special experience for children, bringing the storybook characters to life in front of their eyes, igniting their imaginations and creating lasting memories.”

Axel Scheffler said: “It is wonderful to have Tall Stories’ stage play of The Gruffalo touring during its special 25th anniversary year. The book absolutely comes to life on the stage through the translation of the illustrations into the marvellous stage set and costumes, and the actors exploring each of the individual characters that they know well from the picture book. It is the perfect introduction to the experience of live theatre, and I hope it can be the start of a lifelong relationship with the arts.”

Toby Mitchell, Artistic Director and Co-founder of Tall Stories, said: “We were delighted when Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler said we could adapt their book for the stage – way before it became famous. We’ve always made our performances as affordable and accessible as we can, so it’s been amazing to have performed The Gruffalo to over three million children and their grown-ups over the last 25 years – creating lifelong memories. At Tall Stories, our mission is to put great tales on stage and ignite a creative spark in children – building imagination and confidence while simply having fun and joining in. The Gruffalo is the ideal way to do this.”

Live-streaming into children’s hospitals

Tall Stories’ The Gruffalo performances at the Lowry in Salford, in partnership with Read for Good, will be live-streamed to children’s hospitals across the UK. Staff, artists and play specialists will help recreate the magic of live theatre, with each child receiving a golden ticket and special keepsakes. This initiative continues Tall Stories’ commitment to widening access to the shows.

‘The Gruffalo: A Mouse and his House’ – outdoor storytelling

To mark 25 years of The Gruffalo on stage, Tall Stories and Bright Start Islington launch a free 30-minute interactive nature adventure. Created by director Rachel Lincoln, this imaginative promenade experience brings families into the park to explore habitats, storytelling and song, supporting early years development and community connection. It launches in April 2026.

Tara Wilkinson, Executive Director of Tall Stories, said: “These anniversary projects reflect our ambition to open up the wonder of storytelling theatre for all children, whether that’s exploring local green spaces together or bringing The Gruffalo to those who can’t access traditional venues. We’re proud to partner with Lowry and Read for Good to make that possible.”

The Gruffalo by Tall Stories plays at Cast Doncaster 31 March- 4 April. Tickets are available here