The three Goats, played by actors wearing bright Christmas jumpers and yellow trousers or dungarees, with horns on their woolly hats, are smiling broadly with their arms stretched out. They're surrounding Bo Frilly, who has long dark braids with yellow bows in her hair and wearing a brightly striped dress.>

The Three Billy Goats Gruff new photos

News 1 Dec 2023

News Story

Our Three Billy Goats Gruff have trotted their way into the Minerva Theatre! Take a sneak peek at their adventure below:

  • The three Goats, played by actors wearing bright Christmas jumpers and yellow trousers or dungarees, with horns on their woolly hats, are smiling broadly with their arms stretched out. They're surrounding Bo Frilly, who has long dark braids with yellow bows in her hair and wearing a brightly striped dress.
  • Bo Frilly, who's wearing a red, yellow and green striped dress and has long dark braids with yellow bows in her hair, is looking to her left and calling out to somebody with her hands cupped round her mouth. In the background are two wooden triangles representing the mountains; the three Goats are popping out the sides, waving. They all wear bright Christmas jumpers and woolly hats with horns.
  • Bo Frilly is wearing a colourful red, yellow and green striped dress with a red sash, and has long dark braids with yellow bows in her hair. She's looking slightly to her right and is mid-speech, with her arms raised. In the background are two triangles showing a stony landscape, with pink neon edges, representing the mountains, with a blue sky behind.
  • The three Goats, played by actors wearing bright Christmas jumpers and yellow trousers or dungarees, with horns on their woolly hats, kneel at the front of the stage looking forward and smiling. Behind them are standing Bo Frilly in a brightly striped dress and her Dad who's wearing a Fair Isle jumper and brown coat. An orange moon hovers above them.
  • On the left, the Troll brandishes a frying pan towards Middle Goat, who holds his hands in front of his face in fright. The Troll has green tufts of hair and a big white stomach protruding from his tatty cothes. Middle Goat has a red and white Christmas jumper, with matching mittens and a woolly hat with a red pompom, through which stick his curly brown horns.

Take a look at their journey from the rehearsal room to the stage below:

In rehearsals at the Unicorn

  • Three people in colourful clothing (woolly jumpers, braces, gloves and hat) with curly goat horns attached, cuddled together smiling at the camera.
  • The cast and creative team in rehearsals; sat in chairs in a circle facing a a man (stood up in a cap holding images of costume designs).
  • Four people march in step in one direction. A bridge structure in the background.
  • Two men in a rehearsal room; one wears a green T-shirt with both arms up, the other in a blue shirt has an arm. A piano with sheet music is in the corner.
  • A woman with arms outstretched to either side and one leg lifted sings. A man behind walks towards her.
  • The Three Billy goats run around the stage in rehearsals
  • Three people are about to hand stack in a 'go-team' gesture.

In case you missed it...

Justin Audibert, CFT’s new Artistic Director, tells us all about this perfect treat for 3-7 year olds and their grown-ups.

You’re directing The Three Billy Goats Gruff which was first seen at the Unicorn earlier this year. What can you tell us about this production?

There are three exceedingly mischievous goats, a caring but forgetful goatherder called Little Bo Frilly and a very hungry, goat-obsessed, bridge dwelling Troll. Those naughty goats have got to get to the other side of the valley to eat some fresh grass but the Troll who patrols the bridge is very very interested in getting himself some fresh goat meat for his dinner.

It’s a simple story but told on James Button’s gorgeous neon infused set, lit by the brilliant Sam Waddington, with the dynamic choreography of Shanelle ‘Tali’ Fergus and all underpinned by luscious and eclectic score that Stiles and Drewe have gifted us.

What was it about this Stiles and Drewe Musical that made you keen to work on it?

The songs are incredibly varied in their influences – there’s classic Broadway showtunes, a hip-hop goat anthem, a 90s club aerobics-inspired banger and a Barry White-esque soulful love ode. It’s a blast finding the choreographic and performance language to tell this story.

Thankfully Stiles and Drewe are just the consummate storytelling professionals and so the music and the lyrics are always pushing the story forward. They have given us such a strong framework to build a show from and they also have so much experience and wisdom to impart that having their input has just been a wonderful learning experience for me and the entire team.

What’s the biggest challenge in directing a musical aimed at 3 – 7 year-olds?

I think trying to get the balance between the Troll being scary enough that there is real jeopardy in the story but not so scary that it frightens the children has been the key challenge.

And why do you think this would be a perfect first musical for young families?

The music is just so uplifting and so joyful that it really does have something for everyone - plus there are plenty of cracking jokes for the parents too. What’s not to love about a Prince-inspired Troll singing about his problematic love of eating goats?

What would you say to anyone thinking of booking to see The Three Billy Goats Gruff?

It’s 55-minutes of non-stop theatrical exuberance with wonderful songs, high octane dancing, some very funny gags and a design that is an all-round dazzling assault on the senses. It’s got the feel of a rock concert for 3 – 7 year-olds, so what could be better for Christmas?

This is an edited version of an interview that originally appeared on theatreweekly.com