Pigtails Productions, Polka Theatre and Oxford Playhouse present
How to Hide a Lion
UK Tour: 8th September – 18th November 2018
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 Jung
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
Tour Dates
Sat 8th – Sat 15th Sept New Wimbledon Theatre
Sun 16th Sept Hertford Theatre
Tues 18th Sep Westcliff Palace
Wed 19th Sept Letchworth Broadway
Thurs 20th Sept Redbridge Drama Centre
Sat 22nd – Sun 23rd Sept Oxford Playhouse
Thurs 27th Sept Memo Arts Centre
Fri 28th Sept The Welfare Ystradgynlais
Sat 29th Sept Riverfront Newport
Sun 30th Sept HighTide Festival
Thurs 4th Sept Uppingham Theatre
Wed 3rd Oct Trinity Theatre
Fri 5th Oct Radlett Arts Centre
Sat 6th Oct Greenwich Theatre
Sun 7th Oct The Hawth Crawley, Studio
Tues 9th Oct Guildhall Arts Centre
Wed 10th Oct Lincoln Drill Hall
Thurs 11th Oct Mitchell Arts Centre
Fri 12th Oct The Neeld, Chippenham
Sat 13th Oct Chipping Norton Theatre
Sun 14th Oct Epstein Theatre
Wed 17th Oct Malvern Theatre
Thurs 18th Oct Taleisin Arts Centre
Fri 19th Oct Royal Spa Centre
Sat 20th Oct Lyric Hammersmith, London
Sun 21st Oct Broadway Theatre, Peterborough
Mon 22 – Tues 23 Oct Winchester Theatre Royal
Thurs 25th – Sun 28th Oct The Lowry
Tues 30th – Wed 31st Oct Hull Truck
Thurs 1st – Fri 2nd Nov Theatre Clywd
Sat 3rd Nov Roses Theatre Twekesbury
Sun 4th Nov artsdepot
Tues 6th Nov Rhodes Arts Centre
Wed 7th Nov The Beacon Wantage
Thurs 8th Nov The Albany Studio, Coventry
Fri 9th – Sat 10th Nov The Haymarket Basingstoke
Sun 11th Nov Kenton Theatre
Tues 13th Nov Stantonbury Theatre
Wed 14th Nov The Old Court Windsor
Thurs 15th Nov Ropetackle Arts Centre
Fri 16th Nov Burgess Hall
Sat 17th Nov Chequer Mead, East Grinstead
Sun 18th Nov Margate Theatre Royal