The Smeds and the Smoos brings star-crossed aliens to the Carriageworks Theatre in Leeds
A theatre adaptation of a bestselling picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler will be performed at The Carriageworks Theatre in Leeds this week as part of its UK tour.
On October 9 - 11, audiences aged three and above can see The Smeds and the Smoos, a tale of two rival groups of aliens living on a far-off planet. When a Smed named Janet falls in love with a Smoo named Bill, their families strongly disapprove. But when the pair of star-crossed aliens zoom off into space, the Smeds and the Smoos must work together to get them home,
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Directed by Toby Mitchell of Tall Stories, The Smeds and the Smoos is a 55 minute show filled with music, laughter, and audience interactivity.
Abbey Norman plays the role of Grandmother Smoo, a character she described as “very set in her ways”.
She said: “She knows what she likes and that is bouncing, that’s jumping around the Humplety Hill and that’s her family The Smoos.
“She has a lovely happy life but it's very small in terms of the planet that they live on.”
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On their intergalactic adventure, Grandmother Smoo alongside the other Smoos and the Smeds, will learn how to accept and understand differences.
Having previously performed in The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo’s Child, The Smeds and the Smoos will be Abbey’s third role in a Tall Stories adaptation of a Julia Donaldson’s and Axel Scheffler’s story.
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But to transform a tale from the page to the stage is a difficult task. Abbey credits the Tall Stories production team with their imaginative take on The Smeds and the Smoos including “fantastic” puppets designed by Yvonne Stone.
Abbey said: “Tall Stories tell the story in such a creative way that it makes it really enjoyable for performers.”
“When the families come to see the show, they’ll be able to see that the aliens on the different planets look like the book but they’re very creative in the way they’re designed and they look incredible.”
For Abbey, her favourite moment of the play is when the Smeds and the Smoos arrive on the planet Grimbletosh where the Grimbles like to party and Grandmother Smoo perhaps gets a little carried away.
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In performances in other cities across the UK including a West End run over the summer, The Smeds and the Smoos has been well-received by families.
Abbey said: “Audiences seem to absolutely love it as much as we all love performing it.
“This is very much a show where everyone in the family is going to enjoy it.
“It’s a lovely story with a lot of heart and a deeper meaning to it as well.”
Tickets for The Smeds and the Smoos start at £14 and are available to buy on the Carriageworks Theatre website.