Tales From Acorn Wood at artsdepot is a warm, engaging and visually playful introduction to theatre for young audiences, bringing Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s much loved stories delightfully to life through puppetry, songs and audience participation.
The enchantment begins before the performance itself, with giant butterfly and bird puppets suspended above the audience on fishing wires, fluttering gracefully through the stalls and up into the circle. It is an immediate invitation into the world of Acorn Wood and sets a joyful tone before a single story unfolds.
The production opens with Rabbit’s Nap, the first of four tales adapted for the stage. Poor Rabbit simply wants some peace and quiet but is endlessly interrupted by the bustle around her. Fox energetically chops wood, Tortoise unexpectedly revs the engine of a motorbike and a lively troupe of mice burst into a spirited musical number. The story is threaded together by The Song of Acorn Wood, a recurring musical motif that builds familiarity across the performance and carries a bouncy, wiggly energy perfectly pitched for its young audience.
Audience engagement is one of the production’s strongest elements. Children and adults are encouraged to stretch, join in and become active participants throughout, ensuring attention remains firmly held across the fifty five minute running time.
Fox’s Socks follows and transforms the familiar tale into a cheerful game of exploration. The search around Fox’s house for the missing socks is brought alive with playful staging and an infectious sense of curiosity. This theme of discovery continues into Hide and Seek Pig, where children eagerly count down from ten and delight in spotting animal friends hidden throughout the woodland setting. Vibrant visual screens add an extra layer of excitement, particularly for younger audience members scanning the stage for possible hiding places.
The final story, Postman Bear, provides a charming conclusion as Bear delivers letters to Squirrel and Mole, while moments such as the splendid slow motion tableau and the chocolate cake oven sequence enhance the cast’s playful chemistry and light hearted energy.
Whilst the production succeeds beautifully as an early theatre experience, some moments are notably loud for very young children. Ear defenders are strongly recommended and parents may wish to come prepared with snacks for the duration of 55 minutes.
Produced by the team behind Dear Zoo Live and Dear Santa, Tales From Acorn Wood Live on Stage captures the gentle warmth of the original books while embracing the interactivity of live performance. It is a sweet, accessible and energetic introduction to theatre that leaves its youngest viewers happily immersed in the magic of Acorn Wood.
Tales From Acorn Wood Live 2026 UK Tour runs until 27 December
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