The Baddies, which played at the Atkinson Theatre last week, is a stage adaptation of the children’s book by Julia Donaldson of the same name. Aimed at children aged three and up, the one-act show bears all the hallmarks of carefully crafted musical theatre. The creative team at Freckle Productions are well practised at adapting Donaldson’s works, this being their sixth such project to run a national tour. That experience is evident in the production’s quality, particularly shining in the storytelling, music, and set design.
If you’ve read the book, you’ll recognise much of the dialogue and lyrics, seamlessly extended into a captivating hour-long performance that delights children and is both enjoyable and entertaining for adults too. Cleverly expanding the mouse character into Mama Mouse adds a framing device, as she tells the story of The Baddies to her three little ones at bedtime and becomes the narrator.
In the opening number, the three young mice are played by actors who later reappear as the Baddies. During the song, they fail to heed Mama’s advice about manners. This, combined with the double casting and set elements, adds additional layers to the tale which are subtly played upon throughout the show.
The music and lyrics by Joe Stilgoe reference both classic and contemporary musical theatre, with melodies reminiscent of Into the Woods, The Addams Family, and even Avenue Q.
While some of the show sets the original book to music with slight changes, the wholly original numbers stand out as catchy and engaging extensions of Donaldson’s universe.
Particularly charming are the opening number Sorry, Thank You, Please, the hilarious and surprising New Witch, and the impressive Where I Belong.
The visual design by Jasmine Swan is truly brilliant. Just as Stilgoe adapts and expands Donaldson’s words, Swan does the same with Axel Scheffler’s original illustrations.
The set is genius — from the blue spots motif in the Mouse House, which foreshadows the story’s resolution, to the revolving and transforming staging, it is never visually dull.
The costume and makeup design are pitched perfectly to remind children of the characters they know, while expanding them to fill the stage.
The performers make skilful use of simple but effective stagecraft — including puppetry and shadow projection — all bringing Donaldson’s fantastical world vividly to life.
The cast I saw for this touring production were excellent at bringing the characters off the page. Someone remarked to me that Lottie Mae O’Kill, as Mama Mouse, has a Julie Andrews quality — and it’s certainly true, she brought a grounded, reassuring presence and a beautifully clear voice to the role. The Girl is a lovely part, with a big solo number performed wonderfully by Georgie McSherry. Together, O’Kill and McSherry brought great heart and centred the shows plot.
The titular Baddies — played by James Stirling (Ghost), Rosie Meek (Witch), and Nic James (Troll) — expand on their book counterparts, remaining every bit as bad and boastful, with excellently executed harmonisation and choreography and plenty of humour for all ages. Stirling’s moment as the Witch’s cat was a particular highlight for me.
As we spend more time with the Baddies on stage, they deserve a proper ending — and the show delivers just that.
The Baddies is a joyful, inventive, and beautifully pitched production — faithful to its source while full of theatrical flair.
An ideal introduction to live theatre: charming, clever, and just the right amount of mischievous. The show balances humour and heart, gently exploring themes of kindness, courage, and change, without ever losing its sense of fun. The Baddies may be aimed at young children, but like the best family theatre, it leaves audiences of all ages smiling — and perhaps even humming a tune or two on the way home.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
