Jordan Eskeisa, Marienella Phillips, Chelsea Da Silva (The Enormous Crocodile), Precious Abimbola and Ciara Hudson in a scene from The Enormous Crocodile. Picture: Danny Kaan
TWO days gone, only two to go, so let’s make this review snappy.
He’s green, he’s greedy, he’s grumptious. Now he’s been transformed into a “crocmobile”, steered by Chelsea Da Silva through the heat and sounds of the Theatre Royal Jungle.
The Enormous Crocodile is a horrid, hungry yet still lovable anti-hero as Roald Dahl’s 12-page picture book is stretched into a 55-minute mischievous musical for age three upwards.
Cue bouncy music by composer Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab; humorous book and lyrics by Suhayla El-Bushra; luscious jungle greenery and fabulous costumes, bird plumage and scout camouflage by Fly Davis.
All topped off by Toby Olié’s puppetry, inventive, playful and never hiding the cast who are working them (Precious Abimbola, Jordan Eskeisa, Ciara Hudson and Marienella Phillips). The Jungle Juniors scout puppets are a particular delight, vaudeville in style, performed by actors on their knees.
The Croc of the title takes several forms: body parts in the swamp; a head, body and tail carried above the actors’ heads; the ‘crocmobile’ swaggering around the jungle. Then come assorted disguises as Croc brags about his “secret plans and (not-so) clever tricks”, only for his boastful buffoonery to be outwitted by fellow jungle creatures (exotic bird, nut-throwing monkey, very windy hippo and Trunky the elephant).
Director Emily Lim describes the show as “an explosion of radical joy”; Olié’s three words are “bombastic”, “gregarious” and “emotional”. Your reviewer most enjoyed the puppetry, especially the Egyptain Plover birds, picking at the Croc’s like dentists.
Plus points too: the new touring cast’s camaraderie; the audience participation and the Sizzle Like A Sausage finale as, spoiler alert, Da Silva’s defeated Croc returns, reduced to a green sausage and angel wings.
A sizzling sausage for such sizzling weather, how apt.
Roald Dahl Story Company, Leeds Playhouse and Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre present Roald Dahl’s The Enormous Crocodile, York Theatre Royal, today and tomorrow, 10.30am and 1.30pm.Age guidance: Three plus. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.
Dan Wood, left, Stephen Wright, Lotty Farmer, Rosa Burns, Hannah Shaw and James Dickinson in York Light Opera Company’s production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
A SNAPPY crocodile and a Man-Wulf, a spelling bee musical and the York Mystery Plays on wagon wheels keep Charles Hutchinson’s arty eye on the ball and off the football.
Musical of the week: York Light Opera Company in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, today to Saturday & June 30 to July 4, 7.30pm, plus 2.30pm Saturday matinees and 2pm Sunday matinee (28/6/2026)
NEIL Wood directs York Light in Rebecca Feldman, William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin’s musical account of six ‘mid-pubescents’ battling for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing stories from their home life, the tweens spell their way through a series of words hoping to never hear the bell that signals a mistake.
Cue a heart-warming message that highlights themes of friendship, identity and perseverance, all while celebrating the awkwardness and excitement of growing up. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.
Jordan Eskeisa, left, Marienella Phillips, Chelsea Da Silva (The Enormous Crocodile, front), Precious Abimbola and Ciara Hudson in Roald Dahl’s The Enormous Crocodile The Musical. Picture: Danny Kaan
Mischievous adaptationof the week:Roald Dahl Story Company in Roald Dahl’s The Enormous Crocodile The Musical, York Theatre Royal, tomorrow to Sunday, 10.30am and 1.30pm
ROALD Dahl’s Enormous Crocodile is weaving his way through the jungle in search of delicious little fingers and squidgy podgy knees. Only fellow jungle creatures can foil his “secret plans and clever tricks”, but they need courage aplenty to stop this greedy, grumptious, horrid brute.
Equipped with Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab’s tunes, Suhayla El-Bushra’s rib-tickling book and lyrics and Tom Brady’s additional music and lyrics, the dastardly family adventure has been developed and directed by Emily Lim, working in tandem with co-director and puppetry designer Toby Olié. Chelsea Da Silva, Precious Abimbola, Jordan Eskeisa, Ciara Hudson, Marienella Phillips and actor-musician René Francalanza star.Age guidance: Three plus. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.
Stewart Lee’s illustration for Stewart Lee vs The Man-Wulf, on tour for three nights at Grand Opera House, York
Comedy gigs of the week: Stewart Lee vs The Man-Wulf, Grand Opera House, York, tomorrow to Saturday, 7.30pm
AFTER a five-night Theatre Royal run in the fledgling days of Stewart Lee vs The Man-Wulf in January 2025, the contrarian comedian returns to York for three more nights of testing whether the beast inside us all can be silenced with the silver bullet of Lee’s scalpel-sharp stand-up?
Lee will play the same material three ways: first up, telling liberal jokes in a liberal way, then, after a screaming transformation into the Man-Wulf, reactionary jokes in a reactionary way post-interval and, finally, wolf’s head removed, reactionary jokes in a liberal, left-leaning way. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.
The Moorlands Blues Band: Playing at Milton Rooms, Malton
Blues gig of the week: Ryedale Blues Club presents The Moorlands Blues Band, Milton Rooms, Malton, tomorrow, 8pm
IN The Moorlands Blues Band, the powerhouse blues ensemble founded by seasoned musicians Giuseppe Vitale and Rod Mackay is joined by Owen Houlston on voice and guitar. In high-energy performances of soulful depth, they play everything from the rawness of Old Delta Blues to the swing of Jump Blues and the gritty soul of Chicago Blues. Box office: 01653 696240 or themiltonrooms.com.
Karl Mullen: Everything from Chopin to Oasis, via Led Zeppelin and Les Dawson, at The Old Paint Shop
Cabaret gig of the week: The Old Paint Shop presents Karl Mullen, York Theatre Royal Studio, Friday, 8pm
AFTER two Old Paint Shop gigs last year, Karl Mullen, upright-piano busker, Phoenix Inn fixture and Leeds Piano Competition Pub Piano Champion, completes his hat-trick, serving up his energetic take on everything from Chopin to Oasis, via Led Zeppelin and Les Dawson, packed with outrageous and heartfelt stories from decades of gigging. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.
Coastal gig of the week: Pete Tong, Ibiza Classics, TK Maxx presents Scarborough Open Air Theatre, Friday, gates open at 6pm
FROM the sun-soaked shores of Ibiza to the world’s biggest stages, Pete Tong has redefined live dance music over more than 30 years of pushing boundaries and supporting new talent.
After celebrating the tenth anniversary of Ibiza Classics with four sold-out nights at the Royal Albert Hall, he heads to the Yorkshire coast with The Essential Orchestra, having first visited Scarborough Open Air Theatre in 2023. Box office: scarbroughopenairtheatre.com.
Becky Hill: Performing after Saturday’s race meeting on Knavesmire
Under starter’s orders: Becky Hill, Summer Music Saturday, York Racecourse, Saturday, first race at 1.20pm
BECKY Hill, two-time BRIT Award winner for Best Dance Act, opens the summer of post-racing concerts at York Racecourse, promising a high-energy performance on the “Glastonbury-style stage” after seven races. For her set list, she can pick from such hits as Gecko; Back & Forth; Wish You Well; Lose Control; Better Off Without You; Heaven On My Mind; Remember; My Heart Goes; Run; Crazy What Love Can Do; History and Disconnect. For race-day tickets, go to: yorkracecourse.co.uk.
York Mystery Plays: Returning to streets of York on June 28 and July 5
Theatrical event of the week: The York Mystery Plays, streets of York, June 28 and July 5, 10.30am to 4.50pm; Sunset In The Shambles Market, June 30 and July 1, 7.45pm
THE four-yearly staging on the York Mystery Plays on pageant waggons take place at four locations across the city: free viewing at the Minster Refectory Gardens, Deansgate, (from 10.30am) King’s Square (from 11.10am), St Sampson’s Square (from 11.50am) and ticketed seats at Dean’s Park (from 12.30pm). Ten core plays will be complemented by further extracts to tell the story from The War In Heaven to Doomsday. For full details, go to: yorkmysteryplays.co.uk.
Special midsummer performances of five plays will be held in Shambles Market on June 30 and July 1, introduced by the York Waits musicians before Pageant Master Dr Alan Heaven guides the audience through each play, from the Creation sequence to the End of Days in the interactive show Doomsday. These shows begin at 7.45pm and end as the dusk is deepening before 10pm. Tickets: ticketsource.com/york-festival-trust.
The Choir Of Man: Harmony singing to the max at Grand Opera House, York. Picture: The Other Richard
Foot-stomping musical celebration of the week: The Choir Of Man, Grand Opera House, York, June 30 to July 2, 7.30pm; July 3, 4pm and 8pm; July 4, 2.30pm and 7.30pm
SET in the on-stage pub The Jungle, The Choir Of Man is billed as “the best trip to your local you’ll ever have” as a cast of nine (extra)ordinary guys combine beautiful harmonies and foot-stomping singalongs with tap dance and soulful storytelling in an uplifting celebration of community and friendship.
The debut UK & Ireland tour cast features Gustav Melbardis as Maestro; Oluwalonimi (Nimi) Owoyemi as Poet; Levi Tyrell Johnson as Hard Man; Ben Mabberley as Joker; Rob Godfrey as Beast; Jack Skelton as Handyman; Joshua Lloyd as Barman; Sam Walter as Romantic and Aaron Pottenger as Bore performing Queen, Luther Vandross, Sia, Paul Simon, Adele, Guns N’ Roses, Avicii and Katy Perry hits. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.
Al Dunn, Matt Freeman and Nick Bunt in Oh Zeus! on Le Navet Bete’s fifth visit to York Theatre Royal. Picture: Mark Senior
A MYTHOLOGICAL farce and Lenny Henry at large, a snappy crocodile and a Man-Wulf, a spelling bee musical and a mirrored installation keep Charles Hutchinson’s arty eye on the ball and off the football.
Greek comedy of the week: Le Navet Bete in Oh Zeus!, York Theatre Royal, today, 2pm and 7.30pm
EXETER’S chaotic comedy specialists, Le Navet Bete, conduct a riotous ride through Ancient Greece, the Underworld and back in Oh Zeus! Written by director John Nicholson and company founders Al Dunn, Nick Bunt and Matt Freeman, this mythological farce finds the stability of Olympus being threatened by the marriage of Zeus’s daughter, Hebe, to a mere mortal, whereupon the King of the Gods hatches a plan to derail the wedding.
Expect physical comedy, outrageous jokes and fast-paced pandemonium as Dunn, Bunt and Freeman play 40 characters between them. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.
Beverley Knight: Born to perform at York Barbican. Picture: Lewis Shaw
Recommended but sold out: Beverley Knight, Born To Perform, York Barbican, tonight, 7.30pm
QUEEN of British soul Beverley Knight shares stories from her life on stage, as well as performing her biggest hits, musical theatre favourites and cherished songs that have inspired her on her 20-date UK tour.
“Born To Perform is me taking you on a journey through my life on both music and theatre stages, using my memories and of course my songs. I’m stripping back my sound so the audience can lean in a little closer and really hear my soul,” says Knight, whose hits include Made It Black, Greatest Day, Get Up, Shoulda Woulda Coulda, Gold, Come As You Are, Keep This Fire Burning and Piece Of My Heart. Her special guest is Gabriella Cilmi. Box office for returns only: yorkbarbican.co.uk.
Anastacia: Playing Scarborough Open Air Theatre on Not That Kind tour
Coastal gigs of the week: TK Maxx presents Scarborough Open Air Theatre, Skunk Anansie & Garbage, tonight; Anastacia and Heather Small tomorrow, gates 6pm
SKUNK Anansie and Garbage play Scarborough on a six-date tour. Formed in London in 1994, fronted by Skin, Skunk Anansie blend hard rock with political and social themes; American alternative rock band Garbage, fronted by Scottish singer Shirley Manson, combine rock, electronica and pop influences.
Chicago singer Anastacia heads to the Yorkshire coast to perform I’m Outta Love, Paid My Dues and Left Outside Alone et al on her Not That Kind tour. London soul singer Heather Small, of M People fame, is her special guest. Box office: scarboroughopenairtheatre.com.
York artist Ric Liptrot’s illustration for tomorrow’s 2026 Bishy Road Street Party
Community event of the week: Bishy Road Street Party, Bishopthorpe Road, York, tomorrow, 11am to 4pm
CELEBRATING community spirit and independent shops, Bishopthorpe Road Traders Association’s 2026 Bishy Road Street Party combines live music, family activities and food and drink, plus street vendors and community stalls. The main stage plays host to performances by Yorkshire Voices (11am), Third Parallel (11.45am), Gaia On Fire (Juno, 12.30pm) and Bargestra (1.30pm), climaxing with headline sets by the Yorky Pud Street Band (14.15pm) and The Unnamed Band (3.15pm).
Look out for five children’s performances and interactive sessions, with appearances from Evergreen Explorers (11am), Professor Dan (12 noon), Baby Band (1pm), Elevate Dance Sessions (2pm) and Josh Benson (3pm). A children’s zone, featuring face painting, mud kitchen, crafts, hair braiding and balloons, will be set up on Ebor Street and entertainment will be spread across the event space. Charities, artists, makers and community groups offer games, activities and information. Free to attend; no booking required.
Artist and designer Es Devlinin the Temple of the Fours Winds at Castle Howard. Picture: Rick Walker, PA Media
Installation of the week: Es Devlin, Library Of The Four Winds, Temple of the Four Winds, Castle Howard, near Malton, until September 27
AS part of the Vanbrugh 300 celebrations at Castle Howard, artist and designer Es Devlin responds to Sir John Vanbrugh’s visionary architecture with her luminous installation Library Of The Four Winds, a new mirrored sculpture that takes over the Temple of the Four Winds in honour of the National Year of Reading.
The temple’s original use as a place for refreshment and reading was Devlin’s starting point for a central sculpture made up of hundreds of books, curated from the personal libraries of Vanbrugh and Devlin. The temple is encompassed by four concentric tables where the public can read, draw, talk, eat and listen. The space will host events throughout the summer. Tickets: castlehoward.co.uk.
The many faces of Lenny Henry: Actor, comedian, fundraiser and stand-up anedoctalist
Talk of the week: Lenny Henry, Still At Large, Grand Opera House, York, June 23, 7.30pm
PART stand-up, part storytelling and part conversation with himself and with you, Still At Large finds Lenny Henry returning to the experiences that shaped him while also exploring the ideas, challenges and creative sparks driving him today.
From The Lenny Henry Show and Chef! to dramatic performances in Othello and The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power, he traces the roles, characters and moments that have defined his six-decade career and shares what continues to inspire him as he reflects on a life lived out loud. On show will be the many versions of Lenny: actor, impressionist, comedian, fundraiser and stand-up anecdotalist. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.
Dan Wood, left, Stephen Wright, Lotty Farmer, Rosa Burns, Hannah Shaw and James Dickinson in York Light Opera Company’s The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Musical of the week: York Light Opera Company in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, June 24 to 27 & June 30 to July 4, 7.30pm, plus 2.30pm Saturday matinees and 2pm Sunday matinee (28/6/2026)
NEIL Wood directs York Light in Rebecca Feldman, William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin’s musical account of six ‘mid-pubescents’ battling for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing stories from their home life, the tweens spell their way through a series of words hoping to never hear the bell that signals a mistake.
Cue a heart-warming message that highlights themes of friendship, identity and perseverance, all while celebrating the awkwardness and excitement of growing up. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.
Jordan Eskeisa, left, Marienella Phillips, Chelsea Da Silva (The Enormous Crocodile, front), Precious Abimbola and Ciara Hudson in The Enormous Crocodile. Picture: Danny Kaan
Mischievous adaptationof the week:Roald Dahl Story Company in Roald Dahl’s The Enormous Crocodile The Musical, York Theatre Royal, June 25 to 28, 10.30am and 1.30pm.
ROALD Dahl’s Enormous Crocodile is weaving his way through the jungle in search of delicious little fingers and squidgy podgy knees. Only fellow jungle creatures can foil his “secret plans and clever tricks”, but they need courage aplenty to stop this greedy, grumptious, horrid brute.
Equipped with Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab’s tunes, Suhayla El-Bushra’s rib-tickling book and lyrics and Tom Brady’s additional music and lyrics, the dastardly family adventure has been developed and directed by Emily Lim, working in tandem with co-director and puppetry designer Toby Olié. Chelsea Da Silva, Precious Abimbola, Jordan Eskeisa, Ciara Hudson, Marienella Phillips and actor-musician René Francalanza star.Age guidance: Three plus. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.
Stewart Lee’s poster illustration for Stewart Lee vs The Man-Wulf, on tour for three nights at Grand Opera House, York
Comedy gigs of the week: Stewart Lee vs The Man-Wulf, Grand Opera House, York, June 25 to 27, 7.30pm
AFTER a five-night Theatre Royal run in the fledgling days of Stewart Lee vs The Man-Wulf in January 2025, the contrarian comedian returns to York for three more nights of testing whether the beast inside us all can be silenced with the silver bullet of Lee’s scalpel-sharp stand-up?
Lee will play the same material three ways: first up, telling liberal jokes in a liberal way, then, after a screaming transformation into the Man-Wulf, reactionary jokes in a reactionary way post-interval and, finally, wolf’s head removed, reactionary jokes in a liberal, left-leaning way. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.
Karl Mullen: Playing everything from Chopin to Oasis, via Led Zeppelin and Les Dawson, at The Old Paint Shop
Cabaret gig of the week: The Old Paint Shop presents Karl Mullen, York Theatre Royal Studio, June 26, 8pm
AFTER two Old Paint Shop gigs last year, Karl Mullen, upright-piano busker, Phoenix Inn fixture and Leeds Piano Competition Pub Piano Champion, completes his hat-trick, serving up his high-energy take on everything from Chopin to Oasis, via Led Zeppelin and Les Dawson, packed with outrageous and heartfelt stories from decades of gigging. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.
In Focus: Prima Choral Artists, Under One Sky, National Centre for Early Music, York, Sunday, 21/6/2026, 5pm & 7.30pm
Prima Choral Artists; poster for Sunday’s concerts at the double on Father’s Day
PRODUCER and artistic director Eve Lorian leads Prima Choral Artists in a compelling journey through global vocal traditions in two concerts on Sunday at the National Centre For Early Music, St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, York.
Under One Sky is a signature programme by this Polish-born, York-based choral director, who has consistently introduced unique concerts and explored new territory for York choirs for nearly two decades.
Eve’s latest artistic compilation is designed to celebrate the relationship between musical language, cultural identity and vocal technique, while recognising the unifying nature of the choral canon. Spanning a wide geographical and cultural spectrum, the repertoire highlights distinctive approaches to tone production, ornamentation, rhythm and ensemble cohesion.
Sunday’s programme opens with Sakura, a Japanese folk melody characterised by its pentatonic modality and lyrical phrasing. The Bulgarian works Kaval Sviri and Dilmano Dilbero exemplify the highly resonant, open-throated “white voice” technique, and this vocal aesthetic continues in Serbian folk music, where dance-derived rhythms and communal expression are central.
Folk traditions of the North Atlantic are represented through the French-Canadian J’entends le Moulin, with its rhythmic drive, alongside Wild Mountain Thyme and Gaelic Song Of The Boatman, which reflect the modal inflections of Scottish and Gaelic song traditions.
Prima Choral Artists’ founder, producer and artistic director Eve Lorian
The programme broadens even further afield through Yeish Kochavim (Hebrew), Evohé (Venezuela) and Dao Mai Fan Ye’ (Mandarin), each illustrating the interaction between text, rhythm and collective energy within their respective traditions. These works foreground the role of music in both ritual and communal celebration.
The final section centres on vocal traditions from the Torres Strait Islands and Southern Africa. Sesere Eeye reflects oral transmission practices and community-based performance, while Ngothando, Ndikhokhele Bawo and Papaoutai demonstrate the harmonies and call-and-response structures that are foundational to many African musical forms.
Eve’s diligent research has brought together this sparkling burst of music with the support of a choir who are no strangers to world music and singing in multiple languages.
“We have always been proud of our multi-cultural, international identity,” says Eve. “Music has always been a unifying force for good. These concerts, celebrating unity through diversity, represent a truth that sometimes only music can express.”
Giving a brief glimpse into the creative process behind these events, she adds: “Selecting the music takes weeks upon weeks of research and listening. I thrive on fresh choices, on presenting the unexpected – and these pieces are far from the standard choral repertoire.
Prima Choral Artists in concert under Eve Lorian’s direction
“But the title came so naturally: Under One Sky says everything that we mean to convey in these two performances!”
International connections for Eve and Prima Choral Artists are not merely constrained to concert programming. For more than a decade, Eve has led the way in introducing outstanding overseas opportunities for York choirs.
This commitment continues this summer with a concert tour to Prague from July 8 to 13 to take part in the International Choir and Orchestra Festival (Prague Festival 2026, July 9 to 13).
On September 6, Eve will welcome the Norwegian choir Fanakoret, from Bergen, for a Friendship performance with Prima Choral Artists at St Olave’s Church, Marygate, York, at 5pm.
“Before these opportunities comes the unmissable chance to join Prima on Father’s Day on Sunday at the National Centre For Early Music with the two time slots designed to complement everyone’s plans and make for a truly special weekend celebration,” she says.
Tickets are available from www.primachoral.com; with limited seating available, booking is recommended.
Ciara Hudson, left, Jordan Eskeisa and Chelsea Da Silva in Roald Dahl’s The Enormous Crocodile The Musical, on tour at York Theatre Royal. Picture: Danny Kaan
HE’s greedy, he’s grumptious, he’s horrid! Welcome to the lovable anti-hero world of The Enormous Crocodile, a mischievous musical adaptation of Roald Dahl’s snappy book, on tour at York Theatre Royal from June 25 to 28.
Equipped with Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab’s tunes, Suhayla El-Bushra’s rib-tickling book and lyrics and Tom Brady’s additional music and lyrics, the dastardly family adventure has been developed and directed by Emily Lim, working in tandem with co-director and puppetry designer Toby Olié, with set and costume design by Fly Davis.
Originally co-produced by the Roald Dahl Story Company, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and Leeds Playhouse, The Enormous Crocodile will be performed in York by the tour cast of professional theatre debutant Chelsea Da Silva, Precious Abimbola, Jordan Eskeisa, Ciara Hudson, Marienella Phillips and actor-musician René Francalanza.
“The tour has been going really, really well,” says puppetry designer Toby Olié. “The book was written for age three upwards, but we wanted to make a show that parents and carers could enjoy as much as children. I genuinely think that anyone can see this show.
Toby Olié: Puppetry designer and co-director of The Enormous Crocodile The Musical. Picture: Steve Tanner
“Because I work in puppetry, I try to make work that hits the sweet spot, like Pixar’s work. It’s an inclusive, family-friendly piece that our director [Emily Lim] describes as ‘an explosion of radical joy’. It’s bombastic, it’s gregarious but it’s still emotional.”
Toby was first approached to be involved in the musical production in early 2020, but then the Covid-19 pandemic intervened. “We had lots of Zoom meetings that year, but the show didn’t open until December 2023 at Leeds Playhouse, where it was their Christmas show for children,” he says.
“It’s then gone to Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, in London, and last autumn it went to Minneapolis and Los Angeles over Christmas. So there’s a hunger for it as a beloved book and a stage adaptation that feels entertaining and something for everyone in the family.”
Toby’s brief was to make “playful and inventive puppets, where we don’t hide the actors”. “Everyone is on show as you watch five adults telling the story with puppets attached to them in many different forms,” he says.
Jordan Eskeisa, Chelsea Da Silva (The Enormous Crocodile), Marienella Phillips and Precious Abimbol in the jungle in The Enormous Crocodile. Picture: Danny Kaan
The “crocodile” of the title appears in three guises. “The first time you see him, he’s in the swamp, so you only see the parts that appear above the surface, like the Loch Ness Monster, so you see him first in mystery form,” says Toby.
“Then you see what we call the ‘crocmobile’, which is a huge body, with the head mounted on the steering wheel, in front of the actor, and a tail behind that misbehaves as the ‘crocmobile’ moves around.
“Then, because the crocodile has ‘secret plans and clever tricks’ to disguise him, he rebuilds himself in various devious forms, where he takes more risks and you won’t see him coming!”
Dahl’s 12-page picture book has been turned into a 55-minute play. “Nothing in the original book has been changed, and certainly in the adaptation, we were encouraged to make a story for everyone with characterisation that wasn’t pandering to early-age audiences,” says Toby.
“We knew we could embellish it for the stage show in an expanded opportunity to turn it into a full stage show, where the big part was deciding where the songs would fit in. The songwriters and musical director were rigorous in doing that, and for the directorial and design team it was about fleshing out the characters.
Jordan Eskeisa and Ciara Hudson with the Giant African Land Snails in The Enormous Crocodile The Musical. Picture: Danny Kaan
“We also realised you can’t just get children being ‘in the jungle’; we have to explain why they would be there, so we’ve enjoyed finding ways for the audience to meet the children before the crocodile does.”
The show has invented a scout group, the Jungle Juniors, led by an enthusiastic but haphazard teacher. “The children in the group are represented by ‘humanettes’: puppets that have their roots in vaudeville,” says Toby. “They have puppet arms, puppet legs, puppet torsos, but the actors’ heads, which gives them much more of a children’s scale that makes it look like the crocodile could eat them.”
In Dahl’s story, should you need a refresher course, the Enormous Crocodile is weaving his way through the jungle in search of delicious little fingers and squidgy podgy knees. Only the other jungle creatures can foil his “secret plans and clever tricks”, but they need courage aplenty to stop this greedy brute.
“Tonally, in finding the balance in the story, the songs, even the characterisation, you have to find the meeting point where the gleeful, evil buffoon meets the hungry, scary croc,” says Toby.
Jordan Eskeisa, Marienella Phillips, Chelsea Da Silva (The Enormous Crocodile), Precious Abimbola and Ciara Hudson in a scene from The Enormous Crocodile. Picture: Danny Kaan
“The audience are in that place where they think, ‘I sort of love the croc, but I’m scared of him too’, like Cruella de Vil or Captain Hook. The crocodile is the anti-hero figure, where the audience cheer when he’s defeated, but they think ‘where’s he gone?’, because they want to see him again.”
The show has changed with each iteration, including making changes to the storytelling. “This is an entirely new cast for the tour that joined at the start of the year. They’re funny, they can sing and they’re really good puppeteers, some with experience, some new to it, and it’s a show where the group dynamic really defines it, bringing their own slant to it,” says Toby.
New animal species have been added to the jungle puppets throughout the story. “I’m calling them ‘narrator characters’ who step out to engage with the audience,” says Toby. “We have frogs in the swamp; Plover birds, who pick the crocodile’s teeth – they’re the ‘dentist bird’! – who act like a Greek chorus and are on the audience’s side, which I felt we needed.
“There are Giant African Land Snails, with slimy sound effects to go with them, and two ‘Bush Babies’ [Galago] too. They’re like the gatekeepers of the story because, when you have an anti-hero antagonist, it feels important to have characters that ‘check in’ with you.”
The Enormous Crocodile The Musical, York Theatre Royal, June 25 to 28, 10.30am and 1.30pm. Age guidance: Three plus. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.
