Theatre News

Bear Follows in Footsteps of Gruffalo at Duchess


Michael Rosen’s popular picture book We’re Going on a Bear Hunt is coming to the West End later this year in an adaptation directed by Sally Cookson, which premiered last month at the Bristol Old Vic.

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt runs at the Duchess theatre from 8 July to 16 August 2009 and is produced by Kenny Wax Ltd and Nick Brooke Ltd, the same team behind The Gruffalo, which also recently ran at the Nimax-owned Duchess (See News, 21 Oct 2008).

Speaking to Whatsonstage.com, Wax confirmed that he will be producing more children’s shows at Nimax theatres over the coming months: “We will be bringing back The Gruffalo for a Christmas season … There are also plans afoot to bring Judith Kerr’s The Tiger Who Came to Tea, adapted and directed by David Wood, into one of the smaller Nimax theatres over Christmas too. Nimax are being fantastically supporting in our efforts to bring children’s theatre into the West End on a more regular basis.”

First published in 1989, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt follows a family’s excitement as
they wade, splash and squelch through a variety of imaginative
environments in search of a bear. Writer Rosen is the author of over
140 books, and is the current Children’s Poet Laureate.

Suitable for children aged three and over, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, like The Gruffalo, will run in a daytime slot at the Duchess – 11am Tuesdays to Fridays, 10.30am and 12pm on Saturdays, and 11am and 1.30pm on Sundays. It’s designed by Katie Sykes and features a score by Benji Bower.


– by Theo Bosanquet