The Gruffalo

Last time we were in London we took the kids to see Room on the Broom.  I had actually wanted to take them to see The Gruffalo, not because I knew what The Gruffalo was, or had ever read it, but because their were posters for it everywhere, and they promotional posters all indicated it got GREAT reviews.  It had closed for the summer, and wasn't opening again until after we left, so we had to settle for Room on the Broom, based on another children's book by the same author and illustrator of The Gruffalo, and it was perfect for us.  We still love reading Room on the Broom.  So, when we started talking about picking a kids show to see this time, I said, maybe The Gruffalo is playing, and it wasn't long before we saw a poster for it in a tube station.  So, naturally when we went to the Apple store in Covent Garden I looked it up on one of their computers, located the theatre, and we went and bought tickets.

Then we bought the book and started reading it at bedtime.  Very cute story about a mouse who invents a "gruffalo" to frighten all the creatures in the deep dark wood who want to eat him, then comes face to face with the gruffalo and figures out a very clever way to prevent the scary gruffalo from eating him too.

The kids enjoy the book, and were very excited about our trip to see The Gruffalo, until the morning we were supposed to go, and then Carolina Grace decided she did not want to go that day, she wanted to go tomorrow.  When we finally sat down in our seats, this is what Carolina looked like.

However, before the show started she was smiling again,

and so was Con, who requested I take his picture too.

The show started and it was so super cute, worth all the acclaim definitely.  It's a cast of just three; its really very simple, but wonderful.  Adorable songs! It's interactive with the kids (they get to shout out some lines from the books, which kids in the UK know really well!  Adorably, we saw at least three kids there in their Gruffalo costumes, and another one in her "mouse" costume, on top of all the little english children in their school uniforms.  precious!)  They just brought all the characters to life so adorably.  If you ever get a chance to see The Gruffalo, particularly with young kids, go go go!

Things were going really well, the kids were smiling and participating, and then it was time for the Gruffalo to come out, and Carolina Grace wasn't sure she could handle it.

In the end the Gruffalo was not too scary, and our morning was a smashing success, despite the teary start.