David Baddiel's ANIMALCOLM THE MUSICAL Will Tour The UK In 2019

Story Pocket Theatre have announced that AniMalcolm, based on the bestselling children's book by David Baddiel, will tour the UK in 2019. Following a smash-hit premiere at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2018, the production will embark on a major UK Tour spanning 35 venues, opening at the McMillan Theatre, Somerset on Saturday 16 February 2019.

Malcolm doesn't like animals, which is a problem because his family are wild about them. In fact their house is full of pets of all shapes and sizes. The only bright spot on the horizon is the Year Six school trip, until there he is on the bus, heading to... a farm. But on a school trip like no other, Malcolm begins to understand animals more deeply than anyone. Will he end up the same as before? Because sometimes the hardest thing to become is yourself.

A vibrant, energetic and gloriously funny musical from the award-winning Story Pocket Theatre. AniMalcolm combines physical theatre, puppetry and the company's outstanding storytelling style to bring David Baddiel's magical and wonderfully comic story to the stage.

David Baddiel is an award-winning comedian, author, screenwriter, director and television presenter known for his work with Newman and Baddiel, Fantasy Football, Baddiel & Skinner Unplanned and his platinum number one single Three Lions. David has written four children's books which have now sold over one million copies, as well as four critically-acclaimed adult novels and the hit film The Infidel. David's latest stand-up show, My Family: Not the Sitcom, premiered at the Menier Chocolate Factory before going on to run for 15 weeks in the West End.

David Baddiel said: "It has been such a thrill to see AniMalcolm brought to life on stage, and as a musical! Story Pocket have done a wonderful job with this adaptation, and it will be a real treat to see Malcolm adventuring around the UK with his menagerie of animals in tow."

Story Pocket Theatre is a company devoted to bringing both classic and original children's stories to the stage in a magical, inventive and exciting way. Previous productions include Michael Morpurgo's King Arthur (Edinburgh Fringe and UK Tour) and A Pocketful of Grimms (Edinburgh Fringe and International Tour).

AniMalcolm is directed by Julia Black and Adam Fletcher-Forde with musical direction by David Perkins, set and costume design by Jacqueline Trousdale, lighting design by Declan Randall and movement direction by Shona Morris.

AniMalcolm is supported using public funding by Arts Council England.