Melbourne Reviews

The Tiger Who Came to Tea is a roaring success when it comes to entertaining its young audience. This is no mean feat. Young children are a tough crowd.

Nevertheless fifty minutes of fun-filled frolics are provided by David Wood and the UK family theatre company, KW and NB Ltd.

The book, The Tiger Who Came to Tea was written and illustrated by Judith Kerr more than 45 years ago and still sells today. It tells of a little girl, Sophie, who is having tea with her mother when a Tiger turns up and guzzles the lot.

Director and adapter Wood has taken the popular children’s book and turned it into an engaging show with songs, dance and timely audience participation.

Matthew Dudley is a giant success as the comic relief in his roles as Daddy, the Milkman, Postman and particularly as the Tiger.

Abbey Norman is a diminutive and delightful Sophie and Jenanne Redman is an animated Mummy.

Together the trio keeps its child audience enthralled much to the delight of parents and other adult caretakers.

The Tiger, of course, is the highlight of this theatre piece. Costume Designer Susie Caulcutt deserves special mention for her terrific Tiger costume which dazzles with its orange, black and white fur and stunning head. It is Dudley who then brings the Tiger to life without uttering a word. He struts, prances and generally engages his pintsize audience throughout his time on stage.

This quaint and quirky show deserves the rowdy audience that it gets and makes the most of it.


Arts Centre Melbourne presents KW & NB Ltd’s
The Tiger Who Came to Tea
Adapted for the stage by David Wood OBE | based on the book by Judith Kerr

Venue: Arts Centre Melbourne, Playhouse
Dates: 2 – 18 January 2015
Bookings: artscentremelbourne.com.au