All Aboard The Enormous Turnip!

Stuff and Nonsense theatre company will be bringing their enchanting update of children's favourite The Enormous Turnip to Jackson's Lane this weekend. Based on a classic Russian folktale, the story has been moved to an allotment owned by Mr and Mrs Chickweed, and is told using a magical combination of music and puppetry. We caught up with Fiona Putnam, who plays Mrs Chickweed, to find out more.

The story begins with an elemnt of domestic conflict: "Mrs Chickweed loves being around her allotment - her vegetables are like her children," says Putnam, "but Mr Chickweed wants to travel around the world. Just before they go travelling they plant one last seed, and it grows and grows and grows into an enormous turnip."

Audiences shouldn't expect to be sitting still for too long, explains Putnam - "The children get a chance to get their hands on the puppets and to help us pull the turnip out of the ground - it's very interactive. Parents love to see the kids getting involved - it's quite joyful for them."

Although the show is primarily aimed at family audiences, Putnam feels there's plenty to appeal to all ages - music, jokes and a lively anarchy that both adults and children will enjoy. One of Putnam's favourite moments in the show is a musical number that involves picking and throwing vegetables from the allotment - "it looks quite chaotic, but it's really cleverly choreographed. It's a very musical show," she adds, "we make noises with lots of different objects!

The Enormous Turnip was developed in 2010 by performer and director Miki McCretton and Marc Parrett, who plays Mr Chickweed. The show has toured successfully around the UK, and now comes to Jackson's Lane for a month-long stay. Without revealing too much, we hear that the Enormous Turnip will immerse its audiences inside and out, and that children should expect to get up close to the action in more ways than one!

"I love seeing the reactions of the kids," says Putnam, who joined the cast this year. "I think people sometimes think it's easy performing for young audiencesm but they're such a discerning audience - if they're not enjoying it they just come right out and say it!

Working on The Enormous Turnip has given Putnam a chance to flex her improvisational muscles as well as be involved in puppetry and singing. "In this show we're given full range to talk to the children and improvise and react to what they're giving us as well as what we're giving them," she says. "I love the things that the kids come out with - it's very much an event that they're part of as well."

The Enormous Turnip comes to town this Saturday. Tickets are priced £14.50 Adults, £10.50 Children and concessions, and £43 for a Family Ticket. For a full list of dates and times, see this page.