Having first roared into life at Polka Theatre and Oxford Playhouse in 2016, Helen Stephen’s much-loved children’s story How to Hide a Lion will now embark on its first national tour, enchanting young audiences around the UK. Adapted and directed by Peter Glanville, this magical play features dazzling puppets and lively jazz by acclaimed jazz and cabaret artist Barb Jungr.
With playful humour and lots of roars, How to Hide a Lion tells the story of Iris, a little girl who develops an unexpected friendship with a lion. When the lion is chased out of town, Iris helps him to find somewhere to hide. Join Iris on her mission to squash her new friend into a variety of sneaky tight spots, as the misinformed town folk try to track him down.
Adapted from Helen Stephen’s award-winning first book, which has now been sold in fourteen languages worldwide, the central character of Iris is lovingly based on Stephen’s own daughter.
Peter Glanville comments, It has been a pleasure to adapt Helen Stephen’s captivating tale with the talented composer Barb Jungr. The show was a roaring success at Polka and I’m delighted that Pigtails Productions are taking this production out on a national tour. The story of this young girl who is the only person in town to befriend a kind Lion is a heart-warming tale of friendship and acceptance of the outsider – a strong social message in the world we live in. Barb Jungr’s ‘cool’ jazz score brings a joyful quality to the musical alongside beautifully designed puppets that magically bring the beautiful book illustrations to 3D life. Whilst Polka present theatre at their base in Wimbledon all year round, we are keen to reach audiences across the country. This UK tour will allow us to share our expertise in creating world-class theatre.
Staying true to the terrific tale and delightful drawings, with an extra pawful of stagey sprinkles... this makes for a very classy production (Curious Mum).
Generously supported using public funding by Arts Council England.
Running time 50 minutes
Twitter @polkatheatre, @pigtailspro, @OxfordPlayhouse, #HowToHideALion
Website https://www.pigtailsproductions.co.uk/how-to-hide-a-lion
Age recommendation 3+
Director and Adaptor Peter Glanville
Composer Barb Jungr
Set Designer Laura McEwen
Puppet Designer Samuel Wyer
Lighting Designer Will Evans
Performers Stephanie De Whalley and Gilbert Taylor
Tour Dates
Sat 8th – Sat 15th Sept New Wimbledon Theatre
The Broadway, Wimbledon, London SW19 1QG
Sun 16th Sept Hertford Theatre
The Wash, Hertford SG14 1PS
Tues 18th Sep Westcliff Palace
430 London Rd, Southend-on-Sea, Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 9LA
Wed 19th Sept Letchworth Broadway
Eastcheap, Letchworth Garden City SG6 3DD
Thurs 20th Sept Redbridge Drama Centre
Churchfields, South Woodford E18 2RB
Sat 22nd – Sun 23rd Sept Oxford Playhouse
11-12 Beaumont St, Oxford OX1 2LW
Thurs 27th Sept Memo Arts Centre
Gladstone Road, Barry, CF62 8NA
Fri 28th Sept The Welfare Ystradgynlais
Brecon Rd, Ystradgynlais, Swansea SA9 1JJ
Sat 29th Sept Riverfront Newport
Newport, NP20 1HG
Sun 30th Sept HighTide Festival
The Mix, Walthamstow Town Square Gardens, E17 7JN
Thurs 4th Sept Uppingham Theatre
32 Stockerston Rd, Uppingham, Oakham LE15 9UD
Wed 3rd Oct Trinity Theatre
Church Road, Royal Tunbridge Wells, TN1 1JP
Fri 5th Oct Radlett Arts Centre
Aldenham Ave, Radlett WD7 8HL
Sat 6th Oct Greenwich Theatre
Crooms Hill, London, SE10 8ES
Sun 7th Oct The Hawth Crawley, Studio
Hawth Ave, Crawley RH10 6YZ
Tues 9th Oct Guildhall Arts Centre
St Peter's Hill, Grantham NG31 6PZ
Wed 10th Oct Lincoln Drill Hall
Free School Ln, Lincoln LN2 1EY
Thurs 11th Oct Mitchell Arts Centre
40 Broad St, Stoke-on-Trent ST1 4HG
Fri 12th Oct The Neeld, Chippenham
High St, Chippenham SN15 3ER
Sat 13th Oct Chipping Norton Theatre
2 Spring St, Chipping Norton OX7 5NL
Sun 14th Oct Epstein Theatre
85 Hanover St, Liverpool L1 3DZ
Wed 17th Oct Malvern Theatre
Grange Rd, Malvern WR14 3HB
Thurs 18th Oct Taleisin Arts Centre
Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PZ
Fri 19th Oct Royal Spa Centre
Newbold Terrace, Leamington Spa, CV32 4HN
Sat 20th Oct Lyric Hammersmith, London
The Lyric Centre, King St, Hammersmith, London W6 0QL
Sun 21st Oct Broadway Theatre, Peterborough
46 Broadway, Peterborough PE1 1RS
Mon 22 – Tues 23 Oct Winchester Theatre Royal
Jewry St, Winchester SO23 8SB
Thurs 25th – Sun 28th Oct The Lowry
Pier 8, The Quays, Salford M50 3AZ
Tues 30th – Wed 31st Oct Hull Truck
50 Ferensway, Hull HU2 8LB
Thurs 1st – Fri 2nd Nov Theatre Clywd
Raikes Ln, Mold CH7 1YA
Sat 3rd Nov Roses Theatre Twekesbury
Sun St, Tewkesbury GL20 5NX
Sun 4th Nov artsdepot
5 Nether St, North Finchley, London N12 0GA
Tues 6th Nov Rhodes Arts Centre
1-3 South Road, Bishop's Stortford CM23 3JG
Wed 7th Nov The Beacon Wantage
Portway, Wantage OX12 9BX
Thurs 8th Nov The Albany Studio, Coventry
Albany Road, Coventry CV5 6JQ
Fri 9th – Sat 10th Nov The Haymarket Basingstoke
Wote Street, Basingstoke RG21 7NW
Sun 11th Nov Kenton Theatre
21 New Street, Henley-on-Thames RG9 2BP
Tues 13th Nov Stantonbury Theatre
Stantonbury, Milton Keynes MK14 6BN
Wed 14th Nov The Old Court Windsor
St Leonard's Road, Windsor SL4 3BL
Thurs 15th Nov Ropetackle Arts Centre
Little High Street, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex BN43 5DZ
Fri 16th Nov Burgess Hall
One Leisure St Ives, Westwood Road, Saint Ives, PE27 6WU
Sat 17th Nov Chequer Mead, East Grinstead
De La Warr Rd, East Grinstead RH19 3BS
Sun 18th Nov Margate Theatre Royal
Addington Street, Margate CT9 1PW
