The Enormous
Crocodile
The Musical — based on the beloved Roald Dahl story
Darlington Hippodrome | Thu 16 – Sat 18 April 2026
One of Roald Dahl's most mischievous creations snaps his way on to the Darlington Hippodrome stage this April in a riotously entertaining new musical — bursting with puppetry, original songs, and enough comic peril to delight every member of the family.
The production brings the jungle to life through an extraordinary cast of five performers who are, quite literally, quadruple threats: singers, actors, dancers and puppeteers. At its heart is an audacious five-metre-long crocodile puppet — the creative cornerstone around which director Emily Lim and puppetry designer Toby Olié have built an entire animal kingdom.
Show Details
In Conversation: Emily Lim & Toby Olié
How did puppetry become central to the show's identity?
Emily Lim: It was an epic, gradual process of working out how to make the story live as a piece of musical theatre — honouring Dahl's original while being radical where it would enhance the spirit of the material. We decided very early on that puppetry would give children in the audience the most magical, fun experience of the jungle animals. Meeting Toby and his wild imagination was a real turning point in understanding how hilarious and inspiring this dimension could be.
What were the biggest creative challenges in developing a puppet musical from scratch?
Emily: Finding the alchemy between our performers and their puppets was essential. How do these puppets sing? How do they groove? How does this particular puppet bounce around on a trampoline? Our company are amazing — juggling an extraordinary range of skills, committing songs and lines to memory while discovering all the different physical beats of each scene with their puppets. It's been a huge learning curve, and the results are spectacular.
Do you have a favourite puppet in the show?
Emily: I love them all, but there was a moment in one draft where we nearly cut Humpy Rumpy entirely — so perhaps him. Oh, and the plate of carbonara. That's a favourite.
Toby Olié: Mine is definitely the Enormous Crocodile himself. The sheer scale and playfulness of how we portray him onstage feels equal parts joyful and thrilling. The initial design concept was really the bedrock for the entire show's puppetry — it shaped how the performers would portray every animal.
Even more riotous than I could have imagined. By the finale audiences are practically dancing in their seats — and the adults are just as hooked as the children from the opening number.
— Toby Olié, Co-Director & Puppetry DesignerIs this a show for children, or for everyone?
Toby: Absolutely everyone. In puppetry it is so often assumed the work is only for children — but the last few decades have seen puppetry play a huge part in shows for the widest range of audiences. Productions that genuinely entertain and forge connections across multiple generations are wonderful things, and something I'm very proud of The Enormous Crocodile achieving. Families arrive with excited children, and by the end of the opening number the adults are just as hooked.
What should North East audiences know before they book?
Toby: Our combination of fantastic songs, hilarious anarchy and a menagerie of playful puppets keeps you engrossed from start to finish. Our cast of five incredible performers are quadruple threats: singers, actors, dancers and puppeteers — who wouldn't want to see them work their magic? And be aware — we're a deceptively big show. Our cast does feature an elephant, a hippo, and a five-metre-long crocodile.
Book Your Tickets
Thu 16 – Sat 18 April 2026 · Darlington Hippodrome
Call the Box Office: 01325 405405
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