28 Sep 2017 - 23 Dec 2018

Ugly Duckling

by Emma Reeves

With a menagerie of animals, depicted through inventive physicality, and with live music that quacks and trills, this charming production plays with ideas of identity, a sense of belonging and the journey to discover inner beauty.

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 and self-worth, and takes us on a journey to discover inner beauty.

‘What a beautiful show. Thank you for capturing our imaginations’
– Audience member

‘This is an inspired piece of storytelling’
– The Reviews Hub

‘What a wonderful show! A super way to explore being true to yourself in a way that is comprehendible to little ones. So important. Loved it!’
– Audience member

Tour Dates

Previous Dates

15 Oct 2017

Ugly Duckling

Ilkley Literature Festival
16 Oct 2017

Ugly Duckling

Seacroft Grange Primary School, Leeds
17 Oct 2017

Ugly Duckling

Thornton Dale Primary, Pickering
20 Oct 2017

Ugly Duckling

Harehills School, Shine Building, Leeds
21 Oct 2017

Ugly Duckling

The Montgomery
22 Oct 2017

Ugly Duckling

Barnsley Civic
23 Oct 2017
-
24 Oct 2017

Ugly Duckling

The Carriageworks
25 Oct 2017

Ugly Duckling

South Holland Centre
27 Oct 2017
29 Oct 2017

Ugly Duckling

Gulbenkian Theatre
1 Nov 2017

Ugly Duckling

Broadway Studio
2 Nov 2017

Ugly Duckling

Redbridge Drama Centre
4 Nov 2017
5 Nov 2017

Ugly Duckling

Cambridge Junction
15 Nov 2017
-
17 Nov 2017

Ugly Duckling

Theatr Clwyd
18 Nov 2017

Ugly Duckling

Junction Goole
19 Nov 2017

Ugly Duckling

Lakeside Arts, University of Nottingham
20 Nov 2017

Ugly Duckling

Otley Courthouse
22 Nov 2017

Ugly Duckling

Paddock Primary School
23 Nov 2017

Ugly Duckling

New Moston Primary School
25 Nov 2017
26 Nov 2017

Ugly Duckling

Jackson’s Lane
28 Nov 2017

Ugly Duckling

Roscommon Arts Centre
29 Nov 2017
-
30 Nov 2017
4 Dec 2017
-
31 Dec 2017
6 Jan 2018

Ugly Duckling

Half Moon Theatre
7 Jan 2018
9 Jan 2018

Ugly Duckling

Tintwistle Primary School
10 Jan 2018

Ugly Duckling

St Andrew’s C of E Primary
11 Jan 2018

Ugly Duckling

Westgate Primary School
13 Jan 2018
14 Jan 2018

Ugly Duckling

Cornerstone Arts Centre
15 Jan 2018

Ugly Duckling

Robert Mellors Primary and Nursery School
16 Jan 2018

Ugly Duckling

Spalding Parish Church of England Day School
17 Jan 2018

Ugly Duckling

Temple Learning Academy
4 Dec 2018
-
23 Dec 2018

Ugly Duckling

ARC – Stockton Arts Centre

Creative Team

Wendy Harris

Artistic Director, Chair of PYA England

Wendy has held the position of artistic director at Tutti Frutti since 2005, touring nationally and internationally, co-producing the Little Feet Festival of Children’s Theatre, and leading on the development programmes and arts engagement work.

Tayo Akinbode

Tayo’s recent work includes: Much Ado About Nothing for New English Shakespeare Company at The Dubai Opera House; The Panto That Nearly Never Was at Theatr Clwyd; Sonnet Sunday, Henry IV pt 1, pt2 and Henry V at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre; The Whip, Royal Shakespeare Company; Pulse, Bamboozle.

Nick Ash

Nick is an award-winning puppet and mask maker and has a varied career in film, TV, and theatre. In 2006, he co-founded the award-winning Scratch Built Productions, creating imaginative new shows which include Baby Boomers, Knight Time, How to be a Hero and The Three Sillies.

James Atherton

Music Direction
Theatre as composer/musical director credits include: Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (New Vic Theatre), A Tiger’s Tale (M6 Theatre Company). Television as composer credits include: Survivors, Kenny Everett: Licence to Laugh (ITV1); The Unseen Eric Morecambe (Channel 4).

Holly Irving

Movement Director Holly is a performer, teacher and movement director. Holly has always been passionate about how dance and theatre can be used to educate, inspire, and entertain a diverse range of audiences. Credits include: Open Clasp Theatre Company's Key Change (Best of Edinburgh Award, Fringe 2015), and Take Off Festival Scratch Artist 2015.

Emma Reeves

Writer Emma 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, and been nominated for two BAFTA awards and two Broadcast awards.

Catherine Chapman

Set and Costume Designer

Catherine has been a freelance designer for fifteen years. Her designs have travelled the world with audiences seeing her work in Toyko, New York and Kong Hong. She first worked with Tutti Frutti in 2005 and over the years has designed many shows for the company including Ugly Duckling, Rapunzel, Hare and Tortoise, Monday’s Child, and The Princess and The Pea.

Touring Team

McKenzie Alexander

McKenzie graduated from Guildford School of Acting and then became part of the Tutti team performing in The Ugly Duckling. Since then, he has worked with the Doctor Who franchise, appeared in the music video for Ellie Goulding’s Sixteen and made his own film with the BBC and New Creatives.

Calum Clark

Calum is an experience technical stage manager. Recent escapades include Slung Low's Fairy Portal Camp (RSC), The White Whale (Leeds Dock), 59 Minutes to Save Christmas (Sheffield Theatres), Emergency Story Penguin (UK Tour), Underneath a Magical Moon (Tutti Frutti), and Ugly Duckling (Tutti Frutti).

Danny Childs

Professional work includes: 12 Miles from Nowhere (Karen Simpson/Action Transport Theatre), Wishee Washee in Aladdin (Buxton Opera House) Grandson in Michael Morpurgo’s FarmBoy (Colchester Mercury/Polka Theatre), King John in King John (CreamFaced Loons) and Potty Pierre in Beauty and the Beast (Jordan Productions). Danny is also Creative Director of 'SquadFour Productions' in Manchester.  

Sally Ann Staunton

Born and bred in Cumbria, Sally trained in Lancashire before performing in wonderful productions with Interplay Theatre in Spit Nolan, This Land, Precious Bane, Harold and Maude, and Tarzanne. She then jumped on an aeroplane to perform an array of children’s touring shows flying, to America, Canada and Alaska with Tall Stories in The Gruffalo’s Child.

Information for Families

We create shows especially for children aged 3+ and their families and carers

Are you looking to introduce your children to the magic of live theatre? Find out where to see our shows, what to expect when you see a show, and how we can support your child’s learning through live performance.

Information for Families

Information for Venues, Schools & International

Information for Venues, Schools & International

Schools

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Venues

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International

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Schools

We create our shows to be easily transferred and enjoyed in a school setting.
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Venues

Would you like to bring a Tutti Frutti show to your venue? Find out more in this section.
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International

We are proud to have previously toured to America, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Poland.
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