Dame Julia Donaldson hopes Gruffalo stage show introduces children to theatre

Gruffalo creator Dame Julia Donaldson has said she hopes the stage show adaptation of her hit book helps to introduce both children and adults to live theatre.The children’s book about a clever mouse who outwits a fearsome monster with purple prickles all over his back was first published in 1999, and the theatre production celebrates its 25th anniversary this year with a run at the Lyric Theatre in London’s West End as part of a UK tour.Dame Julia, who was made a dame in the King’s birthday honours for services to literature earlier this year, told the Press Association: “It’s a nice link between theatre and and reading.“There must be a lot of people, I’m sure, who go and see the show because they know the book and like the book or books.The Gruffalo stage show celebrates 25 years (Craig