Classic children’s book character to enchant theatre audiences

Published on 23 July 2024

Ted Prior’s celebrated picture-book character, Grug, will be brought to life on stage in Rockhampton in August.

The show, is one of internationally acclaimed Windmill Theatre Company’s most toured productions, having been performed to more than 60,000 children and families worldwide.

Ted Prior’s Grug books were first published in 1979, with the 35th in the series published in 2020. Grug continues to enchant 2-6 year olds and their parents to this day.

Grug began his life as the top of a Burrawang tree that fell to the ground. Resembling a small, striped haystack with feet and a nose, Grug is fascinated by the world around him and solves everyday problems creatively and without fuss.

When dancing instructions are too difficult to understand, he invents his own dance and calls it ‘The Grug’. When snails eat his cabbages, Grug plants more cabbages so there will be enough for both him and the snails.

Director Sam Haren said that the show celebrates the gentle simplicity of the Grug stories.

“Working with designer Jonathon Oxlade and composer DJ Tr!p, I wanted to celebrate the warmth and gentle magic of Ted Prior’s storytelling, and I hope more young people fall in love with Grug just like I did,” he said.

“Grug is the only creature of his kind, and is perhaps unique for a children’s book character, as he doesn’t have any family to guide him through his experiences in the world. Instead, Grug learns to solve the challenges he encounters on his own, using his creativity, inventiveness and generosity.”

Grug will be performed at the Pilbeam Theatre on Monday 26 August 2024 at 10am, 1pm and 6pm.

Tickets are $11 each and are available from the Pilbeam Theatre Box Office. Phone 4927 4111 and www.seeitlive.com.au.

Grug is a Windmill Theatre Company and Queensland Performing Arts Centre’s Out of the Box Festival co-production, presented by Rockhampton Regional Council.