N Makwana

The Gruffulo book is great but the theatre play at The Lyric was disappointing. The best thing about was that it was only 1 hour long. The energy of the cast can't be faulted but there were too many songs and a lot of dialogue to pad out the play. The extra dialogue wasn't particularly engaging for children. However, the most disappointing aspect was the costumes. None of the characters looked like their animals. The snake was basically a 80s disco outfit and the Gruffulo looked like a plump chicken. It was a let down. To add salt, the lack of engagement meant some kids in the audience lost interest and therefore had to put up with their parents talking loudly. No-one expects silence in a children's play but this was excessive compared to many others.