The Snail and the Whale

Tall Stories, the company behind the West End production of The Snail and the Whale, has been well known since its inception in 1997 for bringing some of the best children’s shows to the stages of London. Shows such as The Gruffalo, The Snow Dragon, and Room on the Broom have won critical acclaim for their characteristic inventiveness and appeal. With artistic directors Olivia Jacobs and Toby Mitchell at its helm, the company has performed in some of the most sought after venues at cities ranging from New York to Sydney.
The Snail and the Whale has won several accolades including the Best Pre-School Book Award in 2004, the Blue Peter Award in 2005, and a Giverny award in 2007. In fact, the story became so popular amongst children that it was adapted for various mediums including board books, jigsaw puzzles, sticker books, audiobooks, and the stage. This winter, the stage adaptation of The Snail and the Whale is set to feature at the Apollo Theatre.

The Story

An ambitious snail, which lives on a rock near the docks, is intent on travelling the world and witnessing its many wonders. After an advert titled ‘lift wanted around the world’ is published, a humpback whale offers to take the tiny snail across the sea and straight to the horizon. The snail gladly agrees, and thus begins an adventure. The two companions are thrilled by the sights they see as they travel the world. On one fateful day, the whale is disoriented by the raucous noise of racing speedboats, causing it to swim unwittingly onto the beach. With its friend stranded on the beach, the snail sets out to look for help. It finds a local school and manages to scrawl a message on the blackboard asking for help. The emergency services, the fire department, and the local populace of the town pitch in to save the whale by keeping it wet until the tide turns once more. The snail and the whale return to the docks from which they embarked on this epic adventure. After a narration of all the events that transpired on their travels, the other snails at the docks are thoroughly impressed, and the whale offers to take them all on a journey to see the world.

Good For

Family Audiences | Children | Lovers of Musicals

Reviews

“Tall Stories' adaptation of the much-loved children's book is a small but ingenious pleasure”

• The Guardian

“This amazing production showed how a story can take you around the world without ever leaving your room.”

• The Theatre Teen Reviews UK