The Baddies is probably the least known of the beloved children’s books transferred to the stage, but that didn’t diminish the enthusiasm of an audience of young literary lovers and their just as engaged grown ups.
It began inside a cosy little tree stump where a very sweet rodent family, a mouse mama and her magical gang of little mice, are tucking into tea.
A super scene, which saw lovely bubbles pop out of the porridge and graters, pots and utensils used as musical instruments, set the scene for a remarkable hour of magic.
After several attempts saw her nod off, much to the amusement of knowing families in the audience, Mama Mouse began a bedtime story with a difference – that of a ghost, a watch, a troll and a little girl.
The three baddies, which are just the right level of dastardly so as to not be terrifying for tots, assume they will easily scare off their very sweet new neighbour. But she’s having none of it.
In their attempts to spook the little girl, there are lots of memorable moments, mostly of the musical variety. I particularly enjoyed the ghost limbo and ‘if you’re a baddie and you know it, clap your hands’, which encouraged plenty of audience participation.
In a slight twist on the usual children’s story book fodder, it’s a show that celebrates being bad. But, rather than teach bad habits, it simply has a lot of fun with some rather comical and misunderstood rogues.
It’s full of spirit, with clever lyrics and an inventive revolving set design which really brings the story to life.
These charming Julia Donaldson adaptations, regular visitors to Mayflower Studios, really are the perfect introduction to theatre for young children.
The Baddies runs until Saturday. Tickets from mayflower.org.uk
