There can’t be many two-and-a-half-thousand year-old stories that modern mums and dads pull out of their back pockets at times of parenting difficulty, but Aesop’s The Boy Who Cried Wolf has certainly stood the test of time, if our household is anything to go by at least. It’s one we quote to our children when those mysterious school-day tummy aches appear again, miraculously to disappear at the weekend. And of course our kids have heard us mention it so many times that they now glaze over, so it was brilliant to take them along to tutti frutti’s new production of this classic tale in York Theatre Royal’s intimate studio space.
Once again, tutti frutti have teamed up the excellent and ever-reliable children’s playwright, Mike Kenny, to put their own spin on the story and bring it to life with wonderfully catchy songs, live music and impressive dance moves. It’s a simple tale about Silas, a ‘bother of a boy’ who’s stuck up on the hillside with the sheep while the people in the village below knit and party their way through the winter. Eventually the isolation proves too much and then, well, you know the rest… 
But even if you know the story inside out, there’s a huge amount to enjoy about this production: it’s a very funny script that’s perfectly pitched for the young audience. We were surrounded by giggling children, which is a lovely way to spend a Friday evening. The physical theatre is fabulous, with each of the three cast members working their fleeces off to entertain us all with fast costume changes, dreamy dancing and amusing asides thrown in for good measure. Let’s face it: if you haven’t seen a trio of sheep flossing, you haven’t lived. We won’t spoil the ending for you, but suffice it to say that this is a warm, witty and wonderful show that won us all over. It’s a lovely yarn for young and old: catch it if you can. 

The Boy Who Cried Wolf runs on selected dates at York Theatre Royal until 12th October 2019 – Visit the York Theatre Royal box office for more information and to book tickets