Review |The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Theatre Royal Winchester: ‘Delightfully charming’

The beautiful illustrations of Eric Carle, and his simple but delightful stories, were brought to life by a small crew of four and their puppets on Sunday, October 17.

Four of Carle’s stories were told - opening with Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? which was written by Bill Martin Jr and illustrated by Carle, before moving on to 10 Little Rubber Ducks, then The Very Lonely Firefly and closing with possibly his most famous and certainly his most recognisable story The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

All four stories were captivating, the menagerie of puppets charming, the music just right for little ears. Every minute of this show has been planned with younger audiences in mind. It’s not fast, not loud, not overwhelming - and most importantly for a show that stars a grizzly bear - not scary.

It’s just the right pace for younger fans. And delightfully charming for adults.

By the last story, scores of children were joining in with the words. If you’ve ever read any of Eric Carle’s stories with your children, then this show is a delight to watch.

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The Theatre Royal also made for a great setting, with its small but historic 400-seat auditorium the ideal size, plus its recently redeveloped cafe bar and proximity to the city centre.

The whole package made for a great family day out.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show, created by Jonathan Rockefeller, is on tour through October and November. Go to hungrycaterpillarshow.com/