THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR SHOW Adds New Dates On UK Tour

New dates have been announced for the 2026 leg of the UK tour of Eric Carle's timeless classic THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR SHOW. The tour will begin at Harrogate Theatre on Monday 16 February 2026 running through to Saturday 11 April 2026.

THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR SHOW stars Abigail Bailey (Hayley in To Sleep, UK tour; Black Snow, Curious Theatre; High School Never Ends, Waterloo East), Oliver Davis (Life of Pi, Asia Tour; Out of the Deep Blue, International Tour; A Christmas Carol, International Tour) Connor Keetley (Hansel & Grettel, Creation Theatre; Madagascar the Musical, UK & International Tour) and Amber Wadey (The Little Prince/Egg & Spoon, UK Tour; A Christmas Charol/The Snow Queen, UK Tour).

THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR SHOW has been dazzling audiences around the globe for over seven years, faithfully bringing to the stage Eric Carle's timeless classics. Created by Jonathan Rockefeller, this production of the critically acclaimed show features a menagerie of over 75 magical puppets. The production faithfully adapts four stories by author/illustrator Eric Carle: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, 10 Little Rubber Ducks, The Very Busy Spider and of course, the star of the show – The Very Hungry Caterpillar. 

The best-selling children's book The Very Hungry Caterpillar has delighted generations of readers since it was first published in 1969 selling more than 48 million copies worldwide. Brown Bear, Brown Bear - now celebrating 50 years – has sold more than 18.2 million copies. THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR SHOW is a vibrant celebration of Eric Carle's adored classics and the perfect way to introduce children to live theatre.

Suitable for all ages, the show faithfully adapts four stories by author/illustrator Eric Carle: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, 10 Little Rubber Ducks, the magical Christmas story Dream Snow and, of course, the star of the show, The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

The late Eric Carle said it best: I am happy the performances will be enjoyed by many and that the colourful characters will bring comfort and joy to all who see the stories that have been so carefully produced. It is uplifting to see such beautiful and cheerful works inspired by my characters! I hope my books - and this show - will inspire you and your imagination.

THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR SHOW was created by Jonathan Rockefeller. The UK Associate Director is Sophie Hirst.

Tour Dates

Here are your cleaned-up tour dates with full links kept and formatting consistent:

17–18 February
Harrogate Theatre
https://harrogatetheatre.co.uk

19–20 February
Castle Theatre, Wellingborough
https://parkwoodtheatres.co.uk/castle-theatre

21–22 February
Chester Storyhouse, Chester
https://storyhouse.com

25–26 February
Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury
https://theatresevern.co.uk

27–28 February
Wyvern Theatre, Swindon
https://trafalgartickets.com/wyvern-theatre-swindon/en-GB

1–2 March
South Hill Park Arts Centre, Bracknell
https://southhillpark.org.uk

5–6 March
Pentland Theatre, artsdepot
https://artsdepot.co.uk

7–8 March
Blackheath Halls
https://blackheathhalls.com

10–11 March
The Courtyard, Hereford
https://courtyard.org.uk

13–15 March
EM Forster Theatre, Tonbridge
https://emftheatre.com

17–18 March
Swan Theatre, Worcester
https://worcestertheatres.co.uk

19–20 March
South Mill Arts
https://southmillarts.co.uk

21–22 March
Palace Theatre, Southend
https://trafalgartickets.com/palace-theatre-southend/en-GB

24–26 March
Royal & Derngate, Northampton
https://royalandderngate.co.uk

28–29 March
Harrow Arts Centre
https://harrowarts.com

30–31 March
New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich
https://www.wolseytheatre.co.uk

1–2 April
Princes Hall, Aldershot
https://princeshall.com

4–5 April
MAC, Birmingham
https://macbirmingham.co.uk

7–8 April
The Spotlight, Hoddesdon
https://thespotlightvenue.com