Be prepared to be amazed and transported to worlds filled with wondrous beauty and lively atmospheres, courtesy of National Children’s Theatre (NCT) and the wonderful Beatrix Potter books.

NCT will be hosting the production of The Wonderful World of Beatrix Potter, which will entertain and educate young theatre goers and offer a nostalgic journey to parents and older patrons too.

The production is directed by acclaimed director Ivor Jones and runs from 24 March to 17 April 2025, with a special Family Day show on 21 April at NCT at 3 Junction Road, Parktown 2093

‘’The first show I did for NCT was Peter Rabbit,” says Jones. “Beatrix Potter has universal appeal. Everybody knows the stories. The kids watch it on TV or on their iPads. Parents remember them from their childhoods.’’

The production will deliver four stories from Beatrix Potter’s extended bibliography – Mr Tod, Squirrel Nutkin, The Tale of Jeremy Fisher and The Tale of Pigling Bland, with an overall runtime of 55 minutes.

The stories move on from naughty Peter Rabbit to enterprising Peter Rabbit and introduce Mr Tod, a fox, who deals with his troublesome neighbour Tommy Brock, a badger. Squirrel Nutkin follows the eponymous rude Nutkin, who clashes with an Owl named Old Brown. The Tale of Jeremy Fisher is the story of a frog named Jeremy Fisher who lives on a pond and gets into trouble one rainy day while fishing for worms. The Tale of Pigling Bland follows a young piglet whose life changes upon meeting a ’soulmate’.

‘’The cast is made up of 5 incredibly animated actors. They have a lot of energy and of course there is audience participation for the kids too,’’ he says.

Beatrix Potter, who was born Helen Beatrix Heelis, was an English writer, illustrator, natural scientist and conservationist. She wrote a plethora of children’s tales in the early 1900s and is best known for The Tale of Peter Rabbit and The Tale of Tom Kitten.

Her books have been a part of childhoods for generations, resonating with audiences of all ages, taking them on timeless journeys and captivating readers with adventurous, relatable and important themes.

Jones encourages families with children to book now. “To see a play live, to be in contact with live performers, you can’t beat that because you can never have that atmosphere and warmth in another space. Especially for young kids – they must go to the theatre.’’

While educational in nature, Jones promises there will be “entertainment, entertainment and more entertainment.”

Tickets will be soon available on NCT’s website at https://www.NCTheatreSA.org/program and on Quicket.