tutti frutti productions and York Theatre Royal present
Ugly Duckling
by Emma Reeves
A one hour show for children aged 3+ and their families. Perfect for weekend, half term and twilight family shows or for school performances.
Meet the most unusual duckling the pond has ever seen!
In their nest at the edge of a pond, the baby ducklings wait impatiently for Mummy’s enormous egg to hatch. But their new brother doesn’t look like everyone else. He doesn’t even quack like a proper duckling!
Teased and called Ugly by his siblings, our hero goes on an adventure in search of a place to fit in. As the woodland trees change from dark weathered branches to silver sticks of frost, the lost and lonely fledgling hides in brushwood and stares skyward at the migrating swans, yearning to belong and marvelling at their beauty…. Where does he really belong?
Moving through all four seasons, tutti frutti and York Theatre Royal bring to life Hans Christian Andersen’s well known tale. With a menagerie of mischievous animals, depicted through inventive physicality, and live music that quacks and trills, this charming production plays with the importance of identity, self-worth and takes us on a journey to discover inner beauty.
To book
For fees and to discuss availability, please contact tutti frutti on 0113 388 0027 or sophie@tutti-frutti.org.uk.
For more details about working with us please see our Venues or Schools sections.
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Reviews & Quotes
Tour Dates
Date & Time | Venue | Address |
---|---|---|
28th Sep 2017 - 14th Oct 2017 |
York Theatre Royal, Studio Theatre |
St Leonard's Pl, York YO1 7HD To book tickets: 01904 623 568 www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk Visiting family information is here. |
15th Oct 2017 1.00; 3.00 |
Ilkley Literature Festival |
To book tickets: 01943 816714 www.ilkleyliteraturefestival.org.uk |
16th Oct 2017 10.15; 1.30 |
Seacroft Grange Primary School |
Closed schools performance |
17th Oct 2017 10.30; 1.30 |
Thornton Dale Primary School |
Closed school performance |
20th Oct 2017 |
Shine |
Closed schools performance |
21st Oct 2017 11.00; 2.00 |
The Montgomery, Sheffield |
Surrey Street, Sheffield, S1 2LG To book tickets: 0114 249 6000 Visiting family information is here. www.themontgomery.org.uk |
22nd Oct 2017 2.30 |
The Civic, Barnsley |
Hanson Street, Barnsley, S70 2HZ To book tickets: 01226 327 000 www.barnsleycivic.co.uk |
23rd Oct 2017 - 24th Oct 2017 |
The Carriageworks |
3 Millennium Square, Leeds, LS2 3AD To book tickets: 0113 376 0318 Visiting family information is here. www.carriageworkstheatre.org.uk |
25th Oct 2017 2.00 |
South Holland Centre |
23 Market Pl, Spalding PE11 1SS To book tickets: 01775 764777 Visiting family information is here. www.southhollandcentre.co.uk |
27th Oct 2017 11.30; 2.30 |
Rheged Centre |
Redhills, Penrith CA11 0DQ To book tickets: 01768 868000 Visiting family information is here. www.rheged.com |
29th Oct 2017 2.00 |
Gulbenkian Theatre |
University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NB To book tickets: 01227 769075 Visiting family information is here. http://www.thegulbenkian.co.uk/ |
1st Nov 2017 5.00 |
Broadway Theatre |
Eastcheap, Letchworth Garden City SG6 3DD To book tickets: 01462 681088
https://www.broadway-letchworth.com/theatre |
2nd Nov 2017 1.30; 5.00 |
Redbridge Drama Centre |
London Borough of Redbridge, Churchfields, South Woodford, London E18 2RB To book tickets: 0208 708 8803 Visiting family information is here. www.redbridgedramacentre.co.uk |
3rd Nov 2017 4.00 |
Friends of Sheepscombe Primary, Air in G |
Sheepscombe County Primary School, Far End Cottages, Far End, GL6 7RL |
4th Nov 2017 11.30; 2.30 |
Arts at Stowe |
Stowe School, Stowe, Buckingham MK18 5EH To book tickets: 01280 825710 www.stowe.co.uk |
5th Nov 2017 11.30; 2.30 |
Cambridge Junction |
Clifton Way, Cambridge, CB1 7GX To book tickets: 01223 511511 www.junction.co.uk
|
15th Nov 2017 - 17th Nov 2017 |
Theatr Clwyd |
Mold, Flintshire, CH7 1YA To book tickets: 01352 701521
www.theatrclwyd.com/en |
18th Nov 2017 2.00 |
Junction |
Paradise Place, Goole, DN14 5DL To book tickets: 01405 763652 www.junctiongoole.co.uk |
19th Nov 2017 1.00; 3.30 |
Lakeside Arts |
University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD To book tickets: 0115 846 7777 www.lakesidearts.org.uk Visiting family information is here. |
20th Nov 2017 10.45: 1.30 |
Otley Courthouse |
Courthouse Street, Otley, LS21 3AN To book tickets: 01943 467216 www.otleycourthouse.org.uk |
22nd Nov 2017 |
Paddock Junior Infant and Nursery School |
Closed school performance |
23rd Nov 2017 10.30; 1.30 |
New Moston Primary School |
Closed school performance |
25th Nov 2017 1.30 |
The Lights |
The Lights, West Street, Andover, Hants, SP10 1AH To book tickets: 01264 368368 www.thelights.org.uk |
26th Nov 2017 12.00; 3.00 |
Jackson's Lane |
269a Archway Road, London, N6 5AA To book tickets: 020 8341 4421 www.jacksonslane.org.uk |
28th Nov 2017 10.00; 11.45 |
Roscommon Arts Centre |
Circular Road, Roscommon, Ireland To book tickets: +353 (0)90 66 25 824 roscommonartscentre.ie/ |
29th Nov 2017 - 30th Nov 2017 |
Siamsa Tire Theatre |
Town Park, Tralee, Co Kerry, Ireland To book tickets: 00 353 66 7123055 www.siamsatire.com |
4th Dec 2017 - 31 Dec 2017 |
Albany Theatre |
Douglas Way, Deptford, London, SE8 4AG To book tickets: 020 8692 4446 www.thealbany.org.uk |
6th Jan 2018 11.00; 2.00 |
Half Moon |
43 White Horse Road, London, E1 0ND To book tickets: 020 7709 8900 www.halfmoon.org.uk |
7th Jan 2018 11.30; 3.00 |
Minchinhampton Market House, Air in G |
The Relic, West End, Minchinhampton, GL6 9JA To book tickets: 01453 731320
http://minchinhamptonmarkethouse.co.uk |
9th Jan 2018 |
Tintwistle Primary School |
Closed school performance |
10th Jan 2018 |
St Andrew's C of E Primary School |
Closed school performance |
11th Jan 2018 |
Westgate Primary School |
Closed school performance |
13th Jan 2018 11.00; 2.00 |
Lighthouse Poole's Centre for the Arts |
21 Kingland Road, Poole, Dorset, BH15 1UG To book tickets: 01202 280000
https://www.lighthousepoole.co.uk/ |
14th Jan 2018 11.30; 2.30 |
Cornerstone Arts Centre |
25 Station Road, Didcot, Oxon, OX11 7NE To book tickets: 01235 515144
https://www.cornerstone-arts.org |
15th Jan 2018 |
Robert Mellors Primary and Nursery School |
Closed school performance |
16th Jan 2018 |
Spalding Parish Church of England Day School |
Closed school performance |
17th Jan 2018 |
Temple Learning Academy |
Closed school performance |
23rd Jan 2018 - 28th Jan 2018 |
KidsFest Hong Kong |
|
31st Jan 2018 - 3rd Feb 2018 |
KidsFest Singapore |
|
4th Dec 2018 - 23rd Dec 2018 |
Arc |
Dovecot Street, Stockton on Tees, TS18 1LL
To book tickets: 01642 525199
www.arconline.co.uk |
Creative Team

Catherine Chapman

Emma Reeves
Emma’s stage work includes the Olivier-nominated adaptation of Jacqueline Wilson’s Hetty Feather, The Snow Child, Carrie’s War, Little Women and Cool Hand Luke. TV work includes The Worst Witch (Lead Writer) Eve (Lead Writer and co-creator) The Dumping Ground, Young Dracula, Tracy Beaker Returns, Belonging, The Murder of Princess Diana, Spirit Warriors and Doctors. She has won Best Children’s TV Episode at The Writers Guild of Great Britain Awards twice, and been nominated on two other occasions. Her work has won a national RTS award, an RTS Scotland award, been nominated for two BAFTA awards and two Broadcast awards.
www.davidhigham.co.uk/filmclients/emma-reeves
Holly Irving
Holly is an experienced performer, teacher and movement director. Holly has always been passionate about how dance and theatre can be used to educate, inspire, rehabilitate as well as entertain a diverse range of audiences.
After graduating from The Northern School of Contemporary Dance Holly sought to use her skills to promote the amazing possibilities in dance. She went on to work in hospitals, prisons, secure training units, specialist school and with refugees and migrants. Some of Holly’s credits include: Open clasp Theatre Company ‘Key Change’ (Best of Edinburgh Award, Fringe 2015), and Take Off Festival Scratch artist 2015.

Music Composer- Tayo Akinbode

Nick Ash

Wendy Harris
Artistic Director, Chair of PYA England
I have held the position of Artistic Director at tutti frutti since 2005 and have directed all but one production in partnership with York Theatre Royal, touring nationally and internationally and co-producing the Little Feet Festival of Children’s Theatre and the First Words writers’ development programme
Before working with tutti frutti I was Artistic Director of Red Ladder Theatre Company, and previous to this; Merseyside Young People’s Theatre Company in Liverpool. Over the years as a freelance director work has included; Everyman Theatre Liverpool, Crucible Theatre Sheffield, Hope Street Ltd, Oxford Stage Company, Unity Theatre Liverpool, European Stage Company, Theatre Royal Stratford East, and Contact Theatre Manchester. I currently live in Leeds with my partner Mark and two sons Louie and Eliot.
Touring Team

Calum Clark
Technical Stage Manager adventuring with tutti frutti for the second time. Other recent escapades include Slung Low's Fairy Portal Camp (RSC), The White Whale (Leeds Dock), 59 Minutes To Save Christmas (Sheffield Theatres) and Emergency Story Penguin (UK Tour).
Calum was the company stage manager for Prime Theatre/Bolton Octagon's 2016 tour of The Macbeth Curse by Terry Deary and has toured extensively with Red Ladder and Phoenix Dance Theatre, Leeds.
He is a graduate in Fine Art from Staffordshire University and co-founder of street theatre troupe Artemis Productions UK, Liverpool.

Daniel Naddafy
Daniel is currently artist in residence with the Oxford Playhouse Theatre.
Theatre credits include: The Iron Man, Baby Show, Mister Holgado, The Flying Machine (Unicorn Theatre), Looking for Yoghurt (Birmingham Rep, Hanyong Theatre Korea, Kijimuna Festa Japan), Securing your World (Bush Theatre), Recycled Rubbish (Theatre Rites), Jack (Nottingham Playhouse), Peter Pan, Inside Out, How to Catch a Star (Polka). Daniel recently created his first solo performance Glisten. The production will tour the UK in 2018. https://www.halfmoon.org.uk/whats-on/venue-programming/glisten/

Danny Childs
Danny graduated from ALRA:North in 2013 where he was nominated to represent the school in a ‘Laurence Olivier Award’ bursary. Starting life as an actor with a rural UK tour of ’12 Miles from Nowhere’ (Karen Simpson/Action Transport Theatre), Danny then moved onto roles as ‘Wishee Washee’ (Buxton Opera House) and ‘Grandson’ in Michael Morpurgo’s ‘FarmBoy’ (Colchester Mercury).
Danny has been a part of the ‘Tutti Frutti’ family before, enjoying a national and international tour of ‘Rapunzel’ back in 2015, 'Ugly Duckling' in 2017 and ‘Keepy Uppy’ in 2018.
Danny and his colleague Matt are establishing their names as filmmakers back in Manchester, specialising in promotional footage, actors portfolio material and short films. They have already enjoyed an official selection award for their short film ‘FEUD’ earlier this year despite only celebrating a 1 year birthday of their company SquadFour Productions recently. Follow their progress online at www.squadfourproductions.co.uk.

The Ugly Duckling is a wonderful piece of children’s theatre, slickly executed and lovingly performed. It will keep little ones enthralled from its energetic opening to its cheeky cliff-hanger conclusion. Arts York
Tutti frutti has gained an excellent reputation for delighting families with their shows, and this tradition continues with Ugly Duckling. British Theatre Guide
Delightful, beautifully detailed and really quite magical. Nottingham Mumsnet
“It isn’t how you look, it’s what you do,” is the mantra of Reeves’s play, and what you do in Ugly Duckling is find where you belong but also show appreciation for those who help you on that journey: one where you recognise the inner beauty in others, especially mothers with their unconditional love. No swanning off for Ugly! York Press