Turning a warts 'n' all, 10-minute cartoon kids TV show into a one-and-a-half hour stage production is no mean feat, especially when you're trying to retain the same young audience and attract the parents as well.
Horrid Henry, to the uninitiated (ie those without young kids), is a publishing and television phenomenon.
The series has been published in 25 languages, the English version takes up half the bookshelf space in the bedrooms of my own kids and auth
or Francesca Simon has become the fledgling fart powder generation's answer to J K Rowling.
The job of turning kids' TV mayhem into family theatrical entertainment was left in the capable hands of award-winning writer and director John Godber, artistic director at Hull Truck Theatre Company.
The fast-paced production left Ewan, my often fidgety four-year-old, spellbound from beginning to end.
Granted, the second half was far more aimed at audience participation and felt far more like an adrenalin-charged teen punk rock show complete with devil signs, but my seven-year-old daughter Lowri's only complaints was Horrid Henry's age – "he looks a bit too old, Daddy" .
All in all it was a slick adaptation making its stage debut and it certainly wooed the packed Lyceum that was there to enjoy the start of a run that's set to run nationwide.
Horrid Henry – Live and Horrid, runs in Sheffield until mid-September.
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