THE last thing I wanted from Tall Stories was a pernickety stage reproduction of Julia Donaldson’s modern classic about the curious young Gruffalo’s search for the big bad mouse.

So I was captivated by this inventive and entertaining stage version of the story by the London children’s theatre specialists.

The mouse, present from the start as the narrator, tempts the little Gruffalo out from her dad’s cave into the deep dark wood using her Stick Man – a nice touch.

With only three in the cast, the Gruffalo also plays the three brilliantly-characterised predators.

The snake is interpreted as a Spanish flamenco dancer wearing a shiny tail coat, the owl is a Welsh RAF squadron leader and the fox is a wheeler-dealer in a fedora.

The original music is catchy and humorous and the fox’s Madness-inspired tune is particularly foot-stomping.

There is some great panto action involving the audience, and some lovely moments when the kids have to join in, describing the mouse’s scaly tail, eyes and whiskers.

I particularly liked the addition to Julia’s story when the mouse follows the Gruffalo’s child home in order to return her Stick Man.

This small company has done justice to the story, adding the kind of freshness and fun which only live theatre can bring.