The stage adaptation of The Gruffalo by Tall Stories is celebrating 25 years next year by heading out on a new UK tour in 2026, including a seven week run at the Lyric Theatre in London.
The Gruffalo live on stage invites young audiences into a world of joy, silliness and curiosity where everything is possible.
Based on Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s award-winning picture book, the show has been seen by over 3 million people, travelled to 18 different countries, and has been translated into 7 different languages.
The tour starts on 31 March 2026 with venues and dates to be announced. The Gruffalo will also play the West End’s Lyric Theatre in London from 17 July to 6 September 2026.
Produced by Tall Stories (The Gruffalo’s Child, The Smeds and The Smoos), The Gruffalo is directed by Olivia Jacobs.
The tour will include the Lowry in Salford from 3 to 6 July 2026, and with charity partner Read for Good the show will also be live-streamed into children’s hospitals around the UK.
Also marking 25 years of The Gruffalo on stage, Tall Stories and Bright Start Islington are launching The Gruffalo: A Mouse and his House, a free storytelling nature activity. This 30-minute interactive, imaginative promenade adventure, created by theatre director Rachel Lincoln, is inspired by The Gruffalo’s much-loved characters, and will launch in April 2026.
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 Gruffalo is playing at the Lyric Theatre in London from 17 July to 6 September 2026.
More about tickets to The Gruffalo
The Gruffalo’s Child in London
Playing in London this Christmas is The Gruffalo’s Child at the Lyric Theatre in London, from 28 November 2025 to 11 January 2026.
Book tickets to The Gruffalo’s Child
What They Said
Director Olivia Jacobs said in a statement: “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: “Back in 1999, Tall Stories was a tiny Fringe company and my day job was editing books for Macmillan Children’s Books. My co-director, Olivia and I were looking for an idea for a show for ages 3 and up – around the time that Macmillan was publishing The Gruffalo. We read the book and instantly fell in love with it! And then we were delighted when Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler said we could adapt their book for the stage – way before it became famous. 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. 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.”
Lyric Theatre, London
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