The Gruffalo

The Gruffalo returns to the Jim Marshall Auditorium at The Stables on Tuesday 15 December, and it's staying through to Sunday 3 January. It's Tall Stories' musical adaptation of the Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler picture book, and this run marks the show's 25th anniversary.

If you know the story, you'll remember the plot: Mouse goes on a daring adventure in search of hazelnuts and crosses paths with a cunning Fox, an eccentric old Owl and a high-spirited Snake. Along the way, the tale of the scary Gruffalo becomes Mouse's best chance of not ending up as dinner. It's aimed at children aged 3 and up and their grown-ups, and the production runs about 60 minutes. Tall Stories are known for imaginative storytelling theatre, and the critics have been kind: The Sunday Times called it "an irresistibly charming tale told with refreshing simplicity", The Scotsman called it "an absolute delight" and Whats on Stage described it as "a master-class in timeless storytelling".

There are plenty of dates to choose from. In December, it plays on the 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30 and 31, with showtimes at 10:30am, 1:30pm and 3:30pm daily. The run also includes a few specific performances: a Relaxed Performance on Monday 21 December at 1:30pm; an Audio Described Performance on Tuesday 22 December at 1:30pm, with a free Touch Tour at 12:30pm for visually impaired audience members; and a BSL Integrated Performance on Wednesday 23 December at 1:30pm. Tickets are £18.50, which includes the booking fee.