Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s Stick Man is one of my little one’s favourite books. The unfortunate misadventure in which Stick Man finds himself far away from home is one that pulls at the heartstrings of all age groups. What starts off as a regular morning jog ends in calamity when a dog wants to play fetch with him, a swan builds a nest with him, he gets lost at sea and he even ends up on a fire! As he gets further and further away from home the question arises: ‘How will Stick Man ever get back to the family tree in time for Christmas?’.
This charming and amusing story has been brought to life with gusto by a fantastic cast. Shaun Mendum (Stick Man), Eleni Papaioannou (Stick Lady Love) and Peter Shipway (Musician and Swing) pulled together a fantastic interactive performance which kept the young audience entertained and engaged. Stand out performances across the board, each cast member was so expressive and energetic that it would be difficult NOT to be enamoured by them all.
From the musical performances to the movement and motion on stage, they maintained our attention and captivated even the youngest members of the audience.
The stage design was quite simplistic and it would have been good to see the embodiment of Stick Man in full costume form but I can see why it wouldn’t have worked for this particular style of production. The use of sound and movement carried us along as Stickman experienced despair, confusion while he tried to find his way home. It was performed so well that if one hadn’t known the story, one would have been convinced that all was lost for Stick Man. Though it’s not sold as a Christmas story as such, this very much does bring the essence of Christmas alive with an underlying message of perseverance, hope and wonder.
Touching, funny and utterly original, Freckle Productions’ adaptation of Stick Man is a delight for the entire family.
Need to know: @StickManOnStage
- Stick Man Live on Stage at Bloomsbury Theatre until 11 Dec 2025
- Stick Man Live on Stage at Playhouse Leeds from 6 to 13 Dec 2025
