A Review: What the Ladybird Heard
A lovely stage adaptation of Julia Donaldson’s popular children’s book “What the Ladybird Heard” with music, dancing, and fun for the whole family.
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In this house, we’re a big fan of Julia Donaldson’s children’s books. From the Snail and the Whale, Stickman, Gruffalo, and of course, What the Ladybird Heard, these classics are always on nightly reading rotation. There is rarely a day when we go without watching or playing with one of Julia Donaldson’s beloved characters. I lost count of how many “stickman” Lady Yeya has picked up from the local park. If you have young children, I’m sure Julia Donaldson is a household name in your house too. If not, you can get this wonderful book from Amazon.
It turns out that a stage performance of What the Ladybird Heard was at the West End over the summer. So thrilled to take Lady Yeya to her first West End show, we read the book every night for a week until she nearly memorised every line.
What the Ladybird Heard Live at The Palace Theatre
The storyline goes Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len have a deceitful plot to steal the farmer’s fine prize cow out of her stable. Unbeknownst to the robbers, the quiet ladybird, who never before said a word, overheard their cunning plan. The clever ladybird forms a plan to save the fine prize cow with the help of her fellow farm animals. Together, the red hen, the duck, the goose, a wholly sheep, a hairy hog, a handsome horse, a dainty dog, and a cat that meows and a cat that purrs, tricked the two robbers in the middle of the night. Falling into the duck pond, the two cunning robbers were caught and taken away by the police. The quiet ladybird, who never before said a word, saves the day and of course, the fine prize cow.
Those familiar with the book, it contains 32 pages beautifully illustrated by Linda Monks. I was wondering how the producers were going to adapt What the Ladybird Heard into a 60 minute live production at the Palace Theatre.
A Lively and Colourful Production
Lively and colourful just like the picture book, the main backdrop was the farmyard where the ladybird and her fellow farm animals live. The singing and music by the cast: the farmer, Hefty Hugh, Lanky Len, and Lily, who was not a character in the book, was beautiful. I love the use of puppetry to depict the farm animals which worked really well without being too cheesy. Overall, the whole production was brilliantly put together, integrating all the rhymes from this popular children’s book. It was great fun and highly entertaining for the kiddos and parents alike.
The West End production at the Palace Theatre ended on the 29th August. However, the cast of What the Ladybird Heard is on tour around the U.K. If you are based in London, the cast will be live on stage in Bromley and North Finchley in October. I highly recommend What the Ladybird Heard if you haven’t seen it. We look forward to seeing the stage production of Stickman over the festive period.
