Children’s Christmas show by award-winning playwright comes to Nottingham

Kenny is best known for his Olivier-award-winning adaptation of The Railway Children. He has also won the Writers Guild Award for Best Play for Younger Audiences with Three Wise Monkeys.

Adored by the children of Nottingham for his adaptation of Flat Stanley, Lakeside’s 2014 festive show, Kenny once again brings Christmas magic to the Nottingham stage with his new take on the popular Aesop’s Fable.

Rated 4 stars by The Stage, The Boy Who Cried Wolf is set in a village of knitters where every jumper tells a tale.

Starring three talented actor-musicians, the show is filled with catchy songs created by Dominic Sales who has composed for Atomic Kitten and Opera North.

Audiences can expect a fun and cosy musical moral story featuring characters such as breakdancing sheep and a grumpy grandad all dressed in knitted clothes.

The show is created by Tutti Frutti, one of the UK’s leading children’s theatre companies. Different from a Christmas panto, this show is designed to engage little ones with a warming Christmas tale.

Director Wendy Harris said

“We are thrilled to bring this much-loved piece to Nottingham Lakeside as it works so well at Christmas time with its wintery setting.

This is a universal story of a boy unsure of where he fits-in ,set against the backdrop of tradition and expectation. Mike Kenny has worked with us over many years and his work is always injected with humour and insight.”

For years, Lakeside’s Christmas show has been revered by local families, and this year will be no different with all school performances already fully booked. Lakeside staff will be dressed in bobble hats and a Christmas menu will be available from the cafés to add extra Christmas magic.

Accompanying the show is also an exhibition of recycled and knitted materials including life-sized sheep made by local students at Strelley Academy with the help of local artist Michelle Reader.

It will also feature knitted bunting by local knitters and Lakeside staff members. The exhibition hopes to inspire a new wave of sustainable knitters and crafters this Christmas.

For ages 3+, The Boy Who Cried Wolf runs from Saturday 9 – Sunday 31 December at Lakeside Arts, Nottingham with tickets starting at £10.50. You can book online at lakesidearts.org.uk/ChristmasWolf

Following their run in Nottingham, the show will then tour to America.