They may have been swallowed, but they have no intention of being eaten... A new comedy from the unparalleled team of Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen. For step-free access from the Queen Elizabeth Hall Slip Road off Belvedere Road to the Queen Elizabeth Hall auditorium seating (excluding rows A to C) and wheelchair spaces in the Rear Stalls, plus Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer and the Purcell Room, please use the Queen Elizabeth Hall main entrance. One might find themselves rooting for the success of every character—save the hunter for, who could really bear to part with the wolf who carries the others safely with him through the deep, dark woods? This is a sweet & funny tale of friendship, adventure & intrigue.

Turns out it’s pretty nice inside the belly of the beast – there’s delicious food, elegant table settings and, best of all, dancing. And there’s something more: no more fear of being eaten by a wolf! Life’s not so bad, considering the alternatives.

Sam & Dave Dig a Hole

Read this book. Love this book. Embrace it and discuss it with your kids. Barnett and Klassen do it again. The book is a wonderful read, and will have children enthralled in the three animal’s adventures. It also explains (not factually), why wolves howl. Aurora were in typically sparkling form, bringing energy, consummate skill and fun as they functioned as both musicians and convincing actors. (Special mention is due to the violist, who, while he didn’t have a theatrical role, was foregrounded in the texture and brought beautifully warm tone and finesse.) Mitchell Dos Santos’s effervescent presentation was masterful, the relative newcomer needing few words to keep her young audience absolutely rapt. She was aided by the production’s clever structure (happily also just the right length): the opening section encouraged viewers to take part in creating the sound of the forest, each area of the hall contributing a different noise that was rhythmically layered over the next to surprisingly evocative effect; a dance interlude was included around halfway through, with simple choreography taught in time to the orchestra to give the little ones a breather and get any wriggles out. Both were repeated later on, the finale bringing a triumphant return of the dance that sent everyone off with smiles on their faces. For access to the Queen Elizabeth Hall auditorium seating rows A to C and wheelchair spaces in the Front Stalls, please enter via the Artists' Entrance in the Queen Elizabeth Hall Slip Road (Level 1). Expect beautiful set design incorporating Jon Klassen’s instantly recognisable illustrations, lots of laughter and dancing, some fearsome howls, and sublime music-making from the players of Aurora Orchestra.

Talk to a member of staff at the auditorium entrance if you have a disability that means you can’t queue, or you need extra time to take your seat. They can arrange priority entry for you as soon as the doors open. The much-loved children’s story by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen becomes a musical adventure in this world premiere for families and children aged 4–8. You can also use the external lift near the Artists' Entrance on Southbank Centre Square to reach Mandela Walk, Level 2. The story is so fantastical and so cleverly written that children will love it. They will want to hear it over and over again. Kind of sort of especially for boys, in the sense that Battle Bunny and others by Jon Scieszka are.Klassen’s signature palette, compositions, and comedic, horizontally elongated eyes are here along with the heightened action propelled by Barnett’s narrative. Barnett wrestles Aesop and Grimm into pretzels, adding a groaner ending ("And that’s why the wolf howls at the moon") for the mustard. A howl. This style of book reminds me of some of the ones I used to enjoy as a young child & the way this story is presented, alongside the illustrations done by Jon Klassen, truly brings the book together to form something quite quirky. This is the perfect book to read as an introduction to elaborating the concept of thinking outside the box; exploring different laneways & confronting what might initially seem scary, & turning it into something humorous instead. The illustrations by Jon Klassen suit the story perfectly with his unusual style of drawing, almost like rough sketching, or a first draft.