house with chicken legs tour

HOME and Les Enfants Terribles presents

The House with Chicken Legs

by Sophie Anderson

Tue 29 Mar – Sat 23 Apr 2022

Our co-production of The House with Chicken Legs was such a success, it’s going on a national tour in 2023! Find out more and book your tickets on the Les Enfants Terribles website .

Marinka dreams of a normal life, where she can stay somewhere long enough to make friends; but there’s one problem – her house has chicken legs and moves on without warning. For her grandmother is Baba Yaga who guides spirits from this world to the next. Marinka longs to change her destiny and break free from her grandmother’s footsteps, but her house has other ideas…

Based on the best-selling novel by Sophie Anderson, Marinka and her unusual house are brought to life in this brand new production by award-winning theatre company, Les Enfants Terribles. Produced in their unique style by the team behind Olivier Award-nominated ‘ Alice’s Adventures Underground ’, the story is told through a blend of live music, puppetry and a sprinkle of magic to immerse you in this Yaga world of spirits and secrets.

A beautiful, engaging, and thought provoking story that deftly navigates the complexities of grief and loss against the backdrop of growing up and fitting in.

Remember, a person’s destiny might be written in the stars, but how they get there is up to them.

Schools Shows

Schools performances are on Tue 29 Mar, Wed 30 Mar, Tue 5 Apr and Wed 6 Apr at 13.00.

School group student tickets: £11 each. One free teacher ticket with every 10 student tickets. Other groups 10% off for 10+ tickets. If you’d like to discuss a school or groups booking, please email [email protected] or call Box Office on 0161 200 1500 (12:00-20:00 daily).

• Written by:  Sophie Anderson
• Adapted by:  Oliver Lansley
• Directed by:  Oliver Lansley & James Seager
• Music & Sound Design by:  Alexander Wolfe
• Songs Co-written by:  Alexander Wolfe & Oliver Lansley
• Original Illustrations by:  Melissa Castrillón and Elisa Paganelli © Usborne Publishing Ltd, 2018

Show information

Duration: 3 hours

• Age recommendation: 9+

Onsale Dates: HOME Friends – 12pm Thu 2 Dec HOME Members – 12pm Fri 3 Dec General Sale – 12pm Mon 6 Dec

Ticket information

EARLY BIRD OFFER: Book before Sat 15 Jan 2022 and get 15% off all full price tickets for this show*! (offer automatically applied at checkout)

£24 / £20 / £16 / £10 / concessions available

School group student tickets £11 each. One free teacher ticket with every 10 student tickets. Other groups 10% off for 10+ tickets.  If you’d like to discuss a school or groups booking, please email  [email protected]  or call Box Office on 0161 200 1500 (12:00-20:00 daily).

To make advance access bookings, please contact  [email protected] , call our Box Office on 0161 200 1500 (12:00-20:00 daily) or drop into the venue. We have bookable wheelchair spaces and Essential Companion tickets can be arranged for all events.

Access information

Captioned performance: Sat 16 Apr BSL Interpreted performance: Thu 21 Apr Audio Described performance: Fri 22 Apr

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THE HOUSE WITH CHICKEN LEGS Tickets and Dates

Sorry, there are no shows for THE HOUSE WITH CHICKEN LEGS right now.

Past THE HOUSE WITH CHICKEN LEGS Events

Sat 30 Dec 2023 THE HOUSE WITH CHICKEN LEGS Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, London

Fri 29 Dec 2023 THE HOUSE WITH CHICKEN LEGS Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, London

Thu 28 Dec 2023 THE HOUSE WITH CHICKEN LEGS Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, London

Wed 27 Dec 2023 THE HOUSE WITH CHICKEN LEGS Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, London

Sun 24 Dec 2023 THE HOUSE WITH CHICKEN LEGS Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, London

More Information about THE HOUSE WITH CHICKEN LEGS

Important information.

Les Enfants Terribles and HOME Manchester Premiere THE HOUSE WITH CHICKEN LEGS

The tour kicks off this Autumn.

The award-winning theatre company Les Enfants Terribles and HOME Manchester present the premiere UK stage tour of their co-production The House With Chicken Legs this Autumn.  

LATEST NEWS

Bringing Sophie Anderson 's best-selling novel to life, this critically acclaimed show will transport audiences to a world inspired by Baba Yaga, with puppets, live music and magic. The story follows Marinka, a young girl who dreams of a normal life, where she can stay somewhere long enough to make friends; but there’s one problem – her house has chicken legs and moves on without warning. The show is funny, thought-provoking and full of life as it deftly navigates the complexities of loss from a whole new perspective.  

Confirmed Autumn 2023 tour venues are: York Theatre Royal (6-9 September), Oxford Playhouse (21-23 September), Theatre Royal Plymouth (4-7 October), Aberystwyth Arts Centre (18-20 October), New Theatre Royal Portsmouth (2-3 November) and The Queen’s Theatre, Barnstaple (14-18 November). Further venues are to be announced. 

The production had its world premiere at HOME Manchester in 2022, where it won an Offie Commendation (OffComm) recognising excellence in theatre outside of London. 

The House With Chicken Legs is Written by  Sophie Anderson and Adapted by  Oliver Lansley and Directed by  Oliver Lansley &  James Seager with Music & Sound Design by  Alexander Wolfe , Songs Co-written by  Alexander Wolfe &  Oliver Lansley , Costume & Puppetry Design by  Samuel Wyer , Set Design by Jasmine Swan, Video Design by  Nina Dunn , Lighting Design by Jane Lalljee and Original Illustrations by Melissa Castrillón and Elisa Paganelli © Usborne Publishing Ltd, 2018.  The show’s cast is to be announced. 

Les Enfants Terribles is dedicated to creating original and engaging theatre that puts the audience at the centre of the story. Known for their striking visual aesthetic and innovative use of props, puppetry and live music, they explore unique ways of telling stories and immersing audiences in new, weird and wonderful worlds. Run by Artistic Director Oliver Lansley and Creative Director James Seager , the company has received consistent critical acclaim and renowned industry awards, establishing a large and loyal following since its inception in 2002.   

To find out more about The House With Chicken Legs, visit:  lesenfantsterribles.co.uk/ .  

 Tour Dates

6-9 September            York Theatre Royal – NATIONAL PRESS NIGHT 8 SEPTEMBER AT 7PM 

https://www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk/show/the-house-with-chicken-legs/  

21-23 September        Oxford Playhouse (21-23 Sept)  

https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/the-house-with-chicken-legs%20/  

4-7 October                 Theatre Royal Plymouth  

https://theatreroyal.com/whats-on/the-house-with-chicken-legs/#book  /  

18-20 October             Aberystwyth Arts Centre (on sale 10am 7 June) 

https://www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk/theatre/sale-07062023-house-chicken-legs  

2-3 November             New Theatre Royal Portsmouth (on sale 10am 7 June) 

https://www.newtheatreroyal.com/performances/the-house-with-chicken-legs/  

14-18 November         The Queen’s Theatre, Barnstaple 

 https://www.queenstheatre-barnstaple.com/event/the-house-with-chicken-legs/  

Further venues are to be announced. 

UK Regional SHOWS

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ArtsCulture

independent coverage of art, culture and society

The House with Chicken Legs | premiere UK tour

June 21, 2023 by artsculture

The award-winning theatre company Les Enfants Terribles and HOME Manchester present the premiere UK stage tour of their co-production  The House With Chicken Legs  this Autumn.  The show will come to Theatre Royal Plymouth from 4–7 October 2023.

Live music and magic

Bringing Sophie Anderson’s best-selling novel to life, this critically acclaimed show will transport audiences to a world inspired by Baba Yaga, with puppets, live music and magic.

Funny, thought-provoking and full of life

The story follows Marinka, a young girl who dreams of a normal life, where she can stay somewhere long enough to make friends; but there’s one problem – her house has chicken legs and moves on without warning. The show is funny, thought-provoking and full of life as it deftly navigates the complexities of loss from a whole new perspective.

The production had its world premiere at HOME Manchester in 2022, where it won an Offie Commendation (OffComm) recognising excellence in theatre outside of London.

The show’s cast is yet to be announced.

Original and engaging theatre

Les Enfants Terribles is dedicated to creating original and engaging theatre that puts the audience at the centre of the story. Known for their striking visual aesthetic and innovative use of props, puppetry and live music, they explore unique ways of telling stories and immersing audiences in new, weird and wonderful worlds.

Run by Artistic Director Oliver Lansley and Creative Director James Seager, the company has received consistent critical acclaim and renowned industry awards, establishing a large and loyal following since its inception in 2002.   

Tickets can be booked now via the  Theatre Royal Plymouth website.

top imag: The House with Chicken Legs © Rah Petherbridge

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The House With The Chicken Legs

London Cast Recording released for Les Enfant Terribles’ The House with Chicken Legs

The Olivier-nominated theatre company Les Enfants Terribles and the writer and composer Alexander Wolfe have released the Original London Cast Recording of  The House with Chicken Legs.  The release coincides with the show’s current run at the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, where the magical musical tale is delighting audiences until 30 December 2023.

The House with Chicken Legs  soundtrack (Absolute Label Services) is available across all popular streaming services including via Spotify and Apple Music, and for purchase via iTunes, via the website:  https://slinky.to/THWCL .  The 13-track album was inspired by a combination of contemporary musical theatre, traditional Russian folk music and Alexander Wolfe’s own original style. The album includes upbeat numbers, such as the energetic  Yaga House Party , and moving ballads including  Destiny.

James Seager, Co-Director of  The House with Chicken Legs  and Les Enfants Terribles, said:  “It is incredibly exciting to finally release this album as we are so keen for people to listen to the fantastic music whenever they want! From when we first premiered the show last year, to listening to the live music on tour, we were always keen to get a cast recording and I am beyond thrilled that we spent time recording it all to time with our run this Christmas at the Southbank Centre.”

Alexander Wolfe, Composer, Co-Lyricist and Sound Designer of The House With Chicken Legs said:  “I’m really proud of the music in the show so I’m really happy we’ve got a record of what we made. The cast are incredible and their performances blew me away in the studio. I hope people enjoy listening to it as much as we did making it.”

The Original London Cast Recording of  The House with Chicken Legs  features Music & Sound Design by Alexander Wolfe and Lyrics by Oliver Lansley and Alexander Wolfe. It is performed by Eve de Leon Allen (Vocals) as Marinka, Lisa Howard (Vocals) as Baba, Dan Willis (Vocals, Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet & Accordion) as Jackdaw, Michael Barker (Vocals and Saxophone) as Ben, Elouise Warboys (Vocals & Violin) as Nina and Stephanie Levi-John (Vocals) as Yaga with Alexander Wolfe (Guitar, Balalaika, Drums, Piano, Bass, Keyboard and Percussion).

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Interview: Eve De Leon Allen on The House With Chicken Legs

The House with Chicken Legs to play at the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall this winter

Bringing Sophie Anderson’s best-selling novel to life,  The House with Chicken Legs  transports audiences to a world inspired by Baba Yaga through live music, intricate puppetry and projection. The story follows Marinka, a young girl who dreams of a normal life, where she can stay somewhere long enough to make friends; but there’s one problem – her house has chicken legs and moves on without warning.  The show is funny, thought-provoking and full of life as it deftly navigates the complexities of loss from a whole new perspective.

The House with Chicken Legs  is Written by Sophie Anderson and Adapted by Oliver Lansley and Directed by Oliver Lansley & James Seager with Costume & Puppetry Design by Samuel Wyer, Set Design by Jasmine Swan, Video Design by Nina Dunn, Lighting Design by Jane Lalljee and Original Illustrations by Melissa Castrillón and Elisa Paganelli © Usborne Publishing Ltd, 2018.

Les Enfants Terribles is dedicated to creating original and engaging theatre that puts the audience at the centre of the story. Known for their striking visual aesthetic and innovative use of props, puppetry and live music, they explore unique ways of telling stories and immersing audiences in new, weird and wonderful worlds. Run by Artistic Director Oliver Lansley and Creative Director James Seager, the company has received consistent critical acclaim and renowned industry awards, establishing a large and loyal following since its inception in 2002.

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Play Trailer

The House With Chicken Legs

Marinka dreams of a normal life, where she can stay somewhere long enough to make friends; but there’s one problem – her house has chicken legs and moves on without warning.

Based on Sophie Anderson’s much-loved novel, the story comes to life with puppets, live music and magic in this co-production from award-winning theatre company Les Enfants Terribles and HOME Manchester.

We follow Marinka, a young girl trying to find her feet when her home is quite literally pulled from under her. The show is funny, thought-provoking and full of life as it deftly navigates the complexities of loss from a whole new perspective.

Marinka - Eve de Leon Allen

Baba - Lisa Howard

Jackdaw - Dan Willisas

Ben - Michael Barker

Nina - Elouise Warboys

Yaga - Stephanie Levi-John

Written by - Sophie Anderson

Adapted by - Oliver Lansley

Director - Olivier Lansley & James Seager

Music & Sound Design - Alexander Wolfe

Songs Co-written by - Alexander Wolfe & Oliver Lansley

Costume & Puppetry Design - Samuel Wyer

Set Design - Jasmine Swan

Video Design - Nina Dunn

Lighting Design - Jane Lalljee

Advisory Content

Haze, smoke effects and flashing lights are used in this performance. The story contains themes of loss.

Age Suitability For This Show Unlike film, theatre doesn't have an official age classification organisation. That means all age recommendations are subjective and should be treated as guidelines unless otherwise stated. With this in mind, we ask you to use your judgement in regards to a show's suitability prior to purchase. However, we are more than happy to help you make a decision. Please email our Customer Care team to find out more about your chosen show.

This show has now closed, however you may also be interested in:, wolves on road, robin hood and the christmas heist, showstopper the improvised musical.

Unlike film, theatre doesn't have an official age classification organisation. That means all age recommendations are subjective and should be treated as guidelines unless otherwise stated. With this in mind, we ask you to use your judgement in regards to a show’s suitability prior to purchase. However, we are more than happy to help you make a decision. Please email [email protected] to find out more about your chosen show.

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The stage adaptation of Sophie Anderson’s novel The House With Chicken Legs is to have its first UK tour. 

Produced by Les Enfants Terribles and HOME in Manchester, the tour will run from September 6 to November 18, opening at Theatre Royal in York. 

It will also visit in Oxford, Plymouth, Aberystwyth, Portsmouth and Barnstaple with further venues to be announced. 

The production had its world premiere at HOME Manchester in 2022.

It is directed by Oliver Lansley and Les Enfants Terribles creative director James Seager and adapted by Lansley, with songs co-written by Alexander Wolfe and Oliver Lansley.

Costume and puppetry design is by Samuel Wyer, set design is by Jasmine Swan, video design by Nina Dunn and lighting design is by Jane Lalljee. 

The cast is yet to be announced. 

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Braving the busiest Saturday of the year in the capital, this weekend I headed up to London for a double show day featuring a repeat visit to Operation Mincemeat and my first time reviewing at the Southbank Centre. The House with Chicken Legs has found a home at this renowned venue for the festive period, following a UK tour. Adapted for stage by Les Enfants Terribles’ Artistic Director Oliver Lansley and brought to life by the award-winning theatre company, I’d seen some production photographs for the show a little while ago and was extremely looking forward to viewing the imaginative sets and visuals in person. Sophie Anderson’s book is largely aimed at children, but if the stage adaptation is anything to go by, the material can resonate with all ages, with its relatable messaging and unique approach to set design.

I went into the production with little knowledge of the story, but it is relatively easy to follow, throwing audiences into a fictional world where the lands of the living and dead blur into one. Inspired by Slavic folklore, 12 year old Marinka and her grandmother ‘Baba’ live in a moving house with chicken legs on the fringes of society. They travel across the world, guiding souls to the land of the dead after they pass away. Despite all of the fantasy theming, it is a musical that focuses on growing up, the difficulties of navigating teenage life and what it means to grieve. Actor-musicians make up the company and we are treated to approximately two and a half hours of creative and moving theatre.

Set design, puppetry and video

Les Enfants Terribles have a distinct visual style and this can be seen in Jasmine Swan’s inspired sets, Samuel Wyer’s puppets and costumes and Nina Dunn’s colourful video projections. For this show the creatives have adopted a maximalist approach, filling the stage with bold colours and patterns, which tie in to Melissa Castrillón’s original book illustrations. There are several visual nods to Day of the Dead and celebrating life in the props and set pieces, which give the production a unique sense of identity.

There were moments when the extravagant sets required extensive movement to get the locations into place, taking away from the continuity of the story. Lots of places are covered throughout the show and it is difficult to keep up sometimes, with the swift movement of the house between scenes, both figuratively in the show and also logistically by the production team. That being said, I commend the theatre company for being so innovative in the set design.

Musical production value

Performed by talented actor-musicians, Alexander Wolfe’s soundtrack is both brave and subtle, covering the changing energies of the story. For me, the softer, acoustic numbers such as ‘Odd One Out’ and ‘Destiny’ are the highlights of the show. In the bigger production numbers there were some sound issues which gave the effect that the cast were shouting, but then there were also moments where words weren’t picked up by the microphones. I found myself having to tune out of this to focus on the diction. Fortunately these issues were only isolated to the full company numbers and fizzled out later in the show.

Emotional impact

When a production moves you and makes you see grief from a whole different perspective, you can’t help but commend the cast and creative team. Eve De Leon Allen plays complex character Marinka with heart and there were a few moments where I felt myself begin to tear up, especially when the character explains how fond she is of her Baba. I also found the relationship between Marinka and Ben (Michael Barker) endearing, with the pair conscientiously portraying the difficulties of teen life and feeling like you fit in. As a whole, the material is incredibly relatable for young people, especially if they have experienced loss in some shape or form. When you strip back the vibrant costumes, special effects and imaginative staging, The House With Chicken Legs is a story about learning to adapt to life without a loved one.

Final thoughts

Les Enfants Terribles’ interpretation of The House with Chicken Legs is both thoughtful and visually impressive, allowing the company to excel at what they do best creatively, but also approach the subjects of Anderson’s book with sensitivity. There were a couple of technical issues which held it back from being a slick musical adventure, but it will certainly speak to audiences young and old, with its innovative visuals and courageous approach to storytelling. The musical plays in the Queen Elizabeth Hall at the Southbank Centre until 30th December, with tickets available via the venue’s website . 

Thanks for reading my blog today.

Love Kat xxxx

*My ticket for The House with Chicken Legs was gifted in exchange for a review.

This is such a lovely, thoughtful review. We were at the Saturday evening showing and absolutely loved it – although we might be slightly biased as our son is playing Ben.

Thank you, Simon!

Michael was brilliant, you must be very proud.

Merry Christmas! Kat

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The House with Chicken Legs

Oliver Lansley, based on the novel by Sophie Anderson Les Enfants Terribles and HOME Theatre, Manchester York Theatre Royal 6 – 9 September 2023

Listing details and ticket info...

The concept of death has inspired countless pieces of art, but it is not necessarily a subject that we expect to see explored in works aimed at younger audiences. There are notable exceptions, of course, with many children learning about mortality through the loss of parents in films such as Bambi and The Lion King , but generally speaking we assume that child-centred texts will tread carefully in this area.

Adapted from Sophie Anderson’s 2018 novel, The House with Chicken Legs tackles the subject of death directly, but in a way that makes the subject palatable to children. Indeed, the highest praise I can give the show is that it reminded me of the glorious Pixar film Coco , which approaches the impermanence of life in a similarly vibrant and celebratory manner.

Inspired to write the novel after several of her family members passed away within a couple of years, Anderson also draws upon the Slavic myths and legends she was told as a young girl by her Prussian grandmother. 12-year-old Marinka (Eve de Leon Allen) lives with her grandmother Baba Yaga (Lisa Howard) in a magical house that moves around on massive chicken legs.

In legend, Baba Yaga is often depicted as a child-devouring witch who flies around in a mortar whilst wielding a pestle. This production puts forward a more flattering interpretation, portraying her as a spirit guide whose job it is to meet with recently deceased spirits in order guide them through a magical door into the afterlife.

Marinka is expected to follow in her grandmother’s footsteps, but she finds herself torn between an overwhelming sense of duty and her desire to be a normal girl with friends her own age.

The House with Chicken Legs received excellent reviews when it was first performed at HOME in Manchester last year , and it is not difficult to see why. This production—confidently directed by Oliver Lansley and James Seager—manages to deal with serious issues in a deft and sure-footed way without lurching into sentimentality. The show’s confident appropriation and re-invention of established folklore reminded me of top-flight fantasy writer such as Neil Gaiman, and the show is suffused with a high level of energy and imagination.

The versatile cast inhabit their roles with great skill whilst also singing, playing musical instruments and performing puppetry. Eve de Leon Allen shines in the leading role, ensuring that Marinka is an appealing and sympathetic protagonist. Lisa Howard is terrific as Marinka’s free-spirited grandmother, providing many of the production’s strongest comic moments. The rest of the cast manage to impress in a range of smaller roles.

Unfortunately, The House with Chicken Legs was plagued by technical difficulties on the evening I attended, meaning that some momentum was lost during scene changes. While these issues might have been resolved by relying on simpler set designs, it would have been a shame to lose Jasmine Swan’s beautifully constructed house, which bears the influence of Russian folklore and Slavic architecture in its design.

Once the technical issues have been resolved, I’m confident that The House with Chicken Legs will be very strong indeed. Furthermore, quicker transitions will result in a shorter, pacier and more purposeful production.

The House with Chicken Legs will tour the UK until the end of year and will next be performed at the Leeds Playhouse from 13 to 16 September.

Reviewer: James Ballands

* Some links, including Amazon, Stageplays.com, Bookshop.org, Waterstones, ATG Tickets, LOVEtheatre, BTG Tickets, Ticketmaster, LW Theatres and QuayTickets, are affiliate links for which BTG may earn a small fee at no extra cost to the purchaser.

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The House With Chicken Legs in London

Follow Marinka, a young girl trying to find her feet when her home is quite literally pulled from under her. The House With Chicken Legs is a funny, thought -provoking and full of life as it deftly navigates the complexities of loss from a whole new perspective. Marinka dreams of a normal life, where she can stay somewhere long enough to make friends; but there’s one problem –her house has chicken legs and moves on without warning.

Do your best to catch this story of a house that won’t stand still, and a young girl trying to find her feet – in a show featuring puppets, projection and live music, book your The House With Chicken Legs tickets now! 

About The House With Chicken Legs

The House with Chicken Legs is the award-winning, spellbinding story of one girl's adventure to find her destiny. The House With Chicken Legs was written by Sophie Anderson .

Author Sophie Anderson was born in Swansea, and now lives in the Lake District with her family. Her writing is most often inspired by folk and fairy stories, especially the Slavic tales her Prussian grandmother told her when she was young. Across her bestselling novels, Sophie has won the Independent Bookshop Book of the Year Award and the Wales Book of the Year Award, and been shortlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal twice, the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, the Blue Peter Book Award, the British Book Awards’ Children’s Fiction Book of the Year, the Andersen Prize, and the Branford Boase Award. 

Did You Know

• The House With Chicken legs was shortlisted for many awards, including the Blue Peter Book Awards 2019, the Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2019, the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2019 and Children's Fiction Book of the Year at the British Book Awards 2019.
• The House With Chicken Legs has over 9,000 reviews on Goodreads and a 4.3 star rating! 
• The House with Chicken Legs is being adapted for stage by Les Enfants Terribles.
• Sophie’s books have been translated into over twenty languages.

Please Bear In Mind

The House With Chicken Legs is suitable for ages 9+.

Age restriction

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• Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2024

The House with Chicken Legs London cast recording released

Les Enfants Terribles, in collaboration with writer and composer Alexander Wolfe, has released the Original London Cast Recording of The House with Chicken Legs .

This release coincides with the production’s festive run at the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, which continues until 30 December 2023.

The newly released soundtrack, distributed by Absolute Label Services, features a blend of contemporary musical theatre, traditional Russian folk music, and Wolfe’s unique style. Available across major streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, the album can also be purchased on iTunes. Fans can access the album through the website here . The 13-track collection includes lively numbers such as “Yaga House Party” and heartfelt ballads like “Destiny”.

James Seager, Co-Director of The House with Chicken Legs and Les Enfants Terribles, said: “It is incredibly exciting to finally release this album as we are so keen for people to listen to the fantastic music whenever they want! From when we first premiered the show last year, to listening to the live music on tour, we were always keen to get a cast recording and I am beyond thrilled that we spent time recording it all to time with our run this Christmas at the Southbank Centre.”

Alexander Wolfe, Composer, Co-Lyricist and Sound Designer of The House With Chicken Legs said: “I’m really proud of the music in the show so I’m really happy we’ve got a record of what we made. The cast are incredible and their performances blew me away in the studio. I hope people enjoy listening to it as much as we did making it.”

The cast recording features Eve de Leon Allen, Lisa Howard, Dan Willis, Michael Barker, Elouise Warboys, and Stephanie Levi-John, with Alexander Wolfe himself playing multiple instruments. The musical is an adaptation of Sophie Anderson’s bestselling novel and brings the story of Baba Yaga to life with live music, puppetry, and projection. It narrates the tale of Marinka, a young girl living in a house with chicken legs, dreaming of a normal life.

The House with Chicken Legs is adapted by Oliver Lansley and directed by Lansley and James Seager. The production boasts designs by Samuel Wyer, Jasmine Swan, Nina Dunn, and Jane Lalljee, with original illustrations by Melissa Castrillón and Elisa Paganelli.

For more information, visit lesenfantsterribles.co.uk .

More on: Cast Recordings Musical Theatre News

Josh is Stageberry's editor with over five years of experience writing about theatre in the West End and across the UK. Prior to following his passion for musicals, he worked for more than a decade as a TV journalist.

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The House with Chicken Legs at HOME

The House with Chicken Legs at HOME Manchester , Manchester 29 March — 23 April 2022 Entrance is free — Visit now

Featuring a variety of brand-new commissions, world and UK premieres alongside adaptations of cult classics and some of our favourite returning artists, HOME has recently announced a brilliant theatre programme for Spring Summer 2022.

Exploring themes around identity and self-knowledge, the ambitious, co-produced season features seven co-productions including a fresh reimagining of Sophie Anderson’s award-winning book The House with Chicken Legs .

A powerful exploration of ancient storytelling and one young girl’s search for freedom.

The wonderful children’s story will be brought from page to stage by the award-winning theatre company, Les Enfants Terribles. Hailed by The Guardian as “a talented company with a very sure sense of its own distinctive storytelling style”, the company are the masterminds behind the Olivier-nominated Alice’s Adventures Underground . Perhaps most excitingly, this production marks Les Enfants Terribles first new stage production in 10 years and two decades since the company was first founded by Oliver Lansley.

Inspired by traditional Slavic fairy tales, The House with Chicken Legs offers a powerful exploration of ancient storytelling and one young girl’s search for freedom. Told through a fusion of live music, puppetry and theatrical magic, Les Enfants Terribles bring Anderson’s story about Marinka and her unusual house to life. This is a beautiful and thought-provoking play focusing on a young girl’s struggle with destiny, responsibility and grief.

Told through a fusion of live music, puppetry and theatrical magic…

Marinka longs to have a normal life – a place where she can stay somewhere long enough to make friends. However, her house has chicken legs, a will of its own and often moves on without any warning. The powerful and feared Baba Yaga rules Marinka’s world; guiding spirits between this world and the next, Baba Yaga is also Marinka’s grandmother. Marinka dreams of taking control of her own future and sets out to break free from her grandmother’s footsteps, but her house has other plans…

The perfect blend of folk tale and coming-of-age narrative.

Produced in Les Enfants Terribles’ unique and striking visual style, audiences will be transported to an enchanting Yaga world of spirits and secrets. For this brand-new adaptation, the company will join forces with English singer-songwriter Alexander Wolfe, costume and puppetry designer Samuel Wyer ( Ocean at the end of the Lane , National Theatre) and the award-winning video designer Nina Dunn ( The Shark is Broken , Edinburgh Fringe/West End). Completing this impressive line-up of creatives is set designer Jasmine Swan ( Lava , Bush Theatre) and lighting designer Jane Lalljee ( Giraffes Can’t Dance , Leicester Curve).

Sophie Anderson, author of The House with The Chicken Legs commented, “I am beyond thrilled that The House with Chicken Legs is being adapted for stage by the award-winning Les Enfants Terrible. They have the perfect aesthetic to bring Marinka’s story to life, and are planning an array of incredible music, puppetry, projection and stage design. The show is going to be utterly magical.”

Recommended for ages 9+, The House with Chicken Legs is a stunning celebration of storytelling – the perfect blend of folk tale and coming-of-age narrative. Heartwarming, beautiful and sassy, the show navigates the complexities of grief and loss alongside the importance of finding your own place in the world.

The House with Chicken Legs at HOME Manchester , Manchester 29 March — 23 April 2022 Entrance is free Visit now

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StagesideUK

An inclusive online community, where performance fans come together to discuss all types of performance.

The House With Chicken Legs – Review

Calling all StageSiders, welcome back to another review here at StageSideUK. We were recently asked to attend a performance of The House With Chicken Legs, by Les Enfants Terribles. The performance took place on the 16th of September, at 2pm in the Courtyard Theatre.

PR – Press Tickets – We were asked to attend this show for free, in exchange for an honest review.

About the show!

The House With Chicken Legs is a production based on the novel by Sophie Anderson. There have been many novels, poems and performances based on the Baba Yaga, but Sophie Anderson wanted hers to be different. Saying in an interview (found in the programme) “The character of Baba Yaga always fascinated me because she’s so ambiguous. In most of the stories, she’s portrayed as this evil, cannibalistic witch but as I got older, I started realising she’s so much more than that. She has this benevolent side which I always knew I wanted to explore in my writing.”

The portrayal of Baba Yaga in most folklore and narratives, that I could find, were of a Hansel and Gretel kind of witch who had alot of sinister motives. Sophie went on to say that her version of the Baba Yaga was going to be “a midwife of death”.

Admittedly, I have not read Sophie Andersons book, and I now know I want to. With the rich visuals and narrative presented on stage, I can only imagine the book is a cosy but provocative read. Oliver Lansley, adapter and co-director, has achieved a real feat with this production. Teaming with James Seager, the pair have created a beautiful piece of theatre, that asks some interesting questions and starts some important conversations.

The portrayal of death, the afterlife, loss, grief, acceptance and joy is done in such a delicate, yet honest way. The production opens up the conversation and invites the audience (metaphorically) to question their own understanding of mortality.

Hats off to Nina Dunn for the Video desing and Jasmine Swan for the Set designer. The combination of the use of video and the highly interactive and reactive set pieces are amazing to look at. They provide a high level of spectacle without taking away from the drama and narrative. Each transition is placed intentionally, each projection is used to wisely and each scene is delivered to the audience seamlessly and beautifully.

Within the piece, which blends music and theatre so beautifully, we are greeted by many a Yaga. One of which, is Baba. Baba is portrayed, by Lisa Howard as a typical crazy nana. Drinking spirits, dancing with ghosts and playing musical instruments like a rockstar, Baba brings a bucket load of energy to the stage. Howard picks the moments to elevate her energy so well, making the funny moments funny, and the sad moments sad.

Howard is paired perfectly with Eve De Leon Allen, who’s performance as Marinka was perfectly innocent, emotional and wonderful. Their ability to flick that switch, from sweet and innocent to adventurous and grungy, is amazing. As an audience member, I could tell that they understood their character so well, and knew exactly how they would respond in certain situations.

Lisa Howard and Eve De Leon Allen really are a perfect match. Neither one over powering the other, and neither one fading into the shadows. This casting choice is utter perfection and the chemistry on stage is just amazing.

The whole piece was a rollercoaster. I am proud to say, I have now been to a Yaga house party, and I wish my house had chicken legs!

Eve de Leon Allen (they/them) Marinka

Dan Willis (he/him) Jackdaw 

Lisa Howard (she/her) Baba

Michael Barker (he/him) Ben

​​Elouise Warboys (she/her) Nina

Stephanie Levi-John (she/her) Yaga

Oliver Lansley (he/him) Adaptor & Co-Director

James Seager (he/him) Co-Director

Jasmine Swan (she/her) Set Designer

Alexander Wolfe (he/him) Composer & Sound Designer

Samuel Wyer (he/him) Puppet & Costume Designer

Nina Dunn (she/her) Video Designer

Jane Lalljee (she/her) Lighting Designer

Further tour info:

Oxford Playhouse 21 Sep 2023 to 23 Sep 2023

Theatre Royal Plymouth 4 Oct 2023 to 7 Oct 2023

Harlequin Theatre Redhill 11 Oct 2023 to 14 Oct 2023

Aberystwyth Arts Centre 18 Oct 2023 to 20 Oct 2023

Bacon Theatre, Cheltenham 26 Oct 2023 to 28 Oct 2023

And more. Head to the Les Enfants Terribles site to find out more!

Now onto the ratings! Entertainment:

If you came out of this show, complaining about boredom or not being entertained then… I don’t think we saw the same show. There is something for everyone in this production. There are puppets, musical numbers, set changes, projections and chicken legs! A full five stars for entertainment!

Value for money

This show has more props, costumes, special effects and talent than you can shake a stick at! The cast, crew and creatives have really put everything they can into this production and it shows! We were sent to see this show, and so we did not pay for our ticket, but the seats are around £20 per ticket to see this show, and I would happily pay that should the show come to my neck of the woods in the future.

Accesibility

The show does do a good job at outlining the use of haze, smoke and flashing lights, as well as the themes explored and how they may not be suitable for everyone. The production is also suggested for those 9 and over, and I would say that is an appropriate age rating. The production is very loud, and that wasn’t mentioned in the preshow warnings or at the theatre itself. If they included a warning of it being loud, I think it would have made people prepare. The scenes that are loud, are intentionally loud and the volume does play a part in the show.

I mean, can I really say anything else about this show? It is now officially up there in my top 3 shows I have seen in 2023 and I don’t think it will be knocked out! The pacing is perfect, the aesthetics are amazing and the questions it raises are vital! You simply have to see it to believe it, Marinka’s house has chicken legs and I can not wait for it to pop to the North East soon!

Have your say!

Have you seen The House With Chicken Legs? What did you think? Let me know in the comments and let’s get a discussion going.

As always, please be respectful of each other’s opinions and be kind to each other. I completely respect and value everyone that worked on this show. We need to remember that these are people with feelings. Let’s treat them with respect. Bullying will not be tolerated and harmful language will be removed. 

Head over to the  Terms and conditions  page to learn more about our policies, here at StageSideUK.

Follow us on  Twitter  and give our page a like on  Facebook .

Featured images have been referenced and are used in line with fair usage, in the copyright act. Credit to Andrew-AB-Photography.

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This was amazing. The story was brilliant, the set and cast were great and the venue is nice. There was some difficult topics sensitively raised. There will be a lot of mortality questions from kids tonight. The BSL signer was excellent too. Just awesome, go see it! Brill show, I loved it

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Library Mice

Musings on picturebooks and other illustrated books

BLOG TOUR: The House with Chicken Legs

I am a big fan of fairy tale retellings, whether in picturebook form or in novels, and therefore I was intrigued by the idea of Sophie Anderson’s   The House with Chicken Legs (Usborne), particularly as  I knew very little of Baba Yaga and Slavic fairy tales. It did not disappoint. The House with Chicken Legs tells the story of  Marinka, who dreams of a normal life; but when your house has legs and your grandmother is the guardian of the gate to the afterworld ,and you need to help her in supporting spirits as they move to the other side,  normal is not really an option. She longs to make her own way into the world, free of the expectations of her destiny, but her house and grandmother have other ideas. The traditional fairy tale motifs allow Anderson  to explore the meaning of grief and accepting oneself in a beautifully lyrical way. Despite the dark themes and setting, she manages to describe the macabre without every being scary or ominous. This is aided beautifully by the artwork in the book by Elisa Paganelli, while the stunning cover is by Melissa Castrillón. The House with Chicken Legs is a striking début, full of adventure, hope and a wonderful exploration of  the importance of cultural heritage.

I am delighted to be part of the blog tour celebrating the release of The House with Chicken Legs, which includes a series of guest posts by Sophie Anderson on Russian fairy-tales. Today, Baby Yaga and kindness:

Fifteen Russian Fairy Tales and What They Mean to Me: 8. Baby Yaga (on kindness) by Sophie Anderson

‘Once upon a time there lived an old man and his wife …’

In this Russian fairy tale, collected and published by Alexander Afanasyev in 1855, an old man becomes a widower and marries again, but his second wife doesn’t like his daughter.

One day, the father goes away, and the stepmother sends her stepdaughter to the hut of Baba Yaga, to ask for a needle and thread.

When the stepdaughter arrives, Baba Yaga tells her to sit down and weave while the maid warms her a bath. The stepdaughter knows Baba Yaga is planning to eat her once she has bathed, so she gives the maid a kerchief and pleads with her to prepare the bath slowly. Then the stepdaughter gives a piece of ham to the cat and asks him how she can escape. The cat gives her a comb and a towel and tells her to throw them to the ground if Baba Yaga follows her when she runs away.

The girl takes the gifts and runs. Dogs try to stop her, but she throws them bread; the gates try to bang shut, but she oils their hinges; and a birch tree tries to lash her, but she ties it with a ribbon.

Meanwhile, the cat sits at the loom and weaves so that Baba Yaga doesn’t get suspicious. However, soon enough Baba Yaga notices the girl has fled. Baba Yaga chastises the cat, maid, dogs, gate, and birch but they all retort how the girl was kind to them; giving them ham, a kerchief, bread, and a ribbon.

Baba Yaga jumps into her flying mortar and pursues the girl. But when the girl hears her draw close, she throws down the towel and a river appears, blocking Baba Yaga’s path. But, Baba Yaga returns with oxen who drink up the river, and catches up with the girl once more.

The girl throws down the comb and a forest rises, blocking Baba Yaga’s path again. Baba Yaga tries to gnaw her way through it with her iron teeth, but gives up and returns to her hut.

When the girl arrives home, her father has returned, and on telling him all that has happened the father grows angry and kills the stepmother.

‘“… and then he and his daughter began to live and prosper. I was there and drank mead and beer; it ran down my moustache, but it never got into my mouth.”’

The ending of the tale, where the narrator talks of mead and beer, is a traditional ending to many Russian folktales. It could be reference to how sober the narrator is – thus a testament to the truth of the tale – or a hint that the narrator would like a drink for his efforts.

In this Baba Yaga tale, she is portrayed as pure villain; mistreating her maid and animals, and plotting to eat the young stepdaughter who visits. I always preferred the Baba Yaga tales where she is more of an ambiguous character, but there is some imagery in this tale that I really love; the tying of the lashing birch with a ribbon, the cat weaving at the loom, Baba Yaga giving chase in her flying mortar, and the towel and comb growing into a river and forest.

It is an action packed, thrilling tale, that always has me rooting for the stepdaughter’s escape. And the message in the tale is a simple one about kindness. In fact, some versions of this tale are called Baba Yaga and the Girl with the Kind Heart or Baba Yaga and the Kind Little Girl .

The stepdaughter is kind to the maid, cat, dogs, gate and birch; and as a result, they help her escape. It’s a nice, clear message about the power of kindness; and how if you are kind to others they are likely to show kindness in return. And, more often than not, I think this holds true in real life.

However, the tale also makes me think about the nature of kindness. The girl wanted the maid to prepare the bath slowly; she wanted the cat’s advice; and the dogs, gates, and birch to allow her to escape. So, was the girl only kind to everyone because she wanted, or expected, help in return for her kindness? And if that is the case, is that kindness? Or just clever trading?

Surely true kindness should be altruistic, expecting and demanding nothing in return. My favourite acts of kindness are the selfless ones, the random ones, and the anonymous ones. These make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside and I believe they can be hugely powerful in spreading happiness and compassion.

But would they get you out of Baba Yaga’s hut? Maybe the message is that we need both pure selfless kindness, and a bit of clever trading too!

A version of Baba Yaga and the Little Girl with the Kind Heart can be found in Old Peter’s Russian Tales, written by Arthur Ransome, published by Puffin.

 It also available through Project Gutenberg

 *** Many thanks Sophie.

You can follow Sophie Anderson on Twitter , and you can buy The House with Chicken Legs   here . Melissa Castrillón  and Elisa Paganelli  are also on Twitter.

Check out the rest of the blog tour:

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