The Tiger Who Came to Tea, Cadogan Hall

Judith Kerr's popular children's book The Tiger Who Came To Tea can be read to sleepy kiddies in under three minutes. So you can imagine that stretching the novel out into a one hour performance in the West End is a pretty challenging theatrical mountain to climb. But climb they do, all the way up to the stratospheric heights of an Olivier Award Nomination.

This is the story of a hungry tiger, who arrives at Sophie's door just as she's sitting down to breakfast and needs to be fed.

The musical, written by 'national children's playwright' David Wood and touring since 2008 features new story lines, original music and interactive segments that encourage the participation of the children in the audience.

Prepare to meet a number of characters barely mentioned in the original story, who here get whole mayhem filled scenes, such as when the postman and the milkman and Daddy who forgets his keys and blunders about putting tea cosies on his head where his hat should be.

Experience magic, clumsy chaos and plenty of mayhem with kiddies of all ages at Cadogan Hall this summer.

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The Tiger Who Came to Tea, Cadogan Hall review: ★★★★★

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Last summer, Culture Whisper reviewed The Tiger Who Came to Tea when it was on at the Lyric Theatre and gave it three stars. We fell in love with the truly brilliant props that have the audience of kiddies gasping each time a tray full of sandwiches disappeared in seconds or an entire fridge was emptied as the tiger passed in front.

Best of all the acting and singing from Abbey Norman as Sophie, Benjamin Wells as Daddy and Jenanne Redman who took to the stage the night we went to see it, and infused enthusiasm and surprise into even the bland moments deigned to help tiny toddlers understand the plot.

Parents beware however: there are many repeated scenes and added elements including such things as 'tigerobics', which may have been fun for children itching to get involved in the action but where somewhat toe-curling for the adults.

David Wood is the country’s leading writer and director of plays and musicals for children, whose many successes include: The Gingerbread Man, Guess How Much I Love You, eight Roald Dahl adaptations including West End hits The BFG, The Witches and George’s Marvellous Medicine; and the Olivier Award winning Goodnight Mister Tom.

We have our fingers crossed that this adaptation of the children story will be just as good – indeed even better – than it was last summer.

Suitable for ages 3+