REVIEW - THE ENORMOUS TURNIP | WATERSIDE ARTS, SALE | 20/02/2026
- Sarah Monaghan
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 2 hours ago
The Enormous Turnip At Waterside Arts Has Big Heart, Big Laughs and One Very Big Turnip
I took Alice (8), Leo and my dad to see The Enormous Turnip at Waterside Arts, and from the moment we arrived it was clear this was going to be something special.
Presented by Stuff and Nonsense Theatre Company, the production runs for approximately 60 minutes and is recommended for ages 3–10, making it perfectly suited for younger audiences while still offering plenty of humour and warmth for adults.
What really stood out straight away was how the experience began before we even entered the auditorium. While we were sitting in the café, Raymond Chickweed appeared playing his accordion and chatting to families, asking if anyone knew where he could buy dog food. Alice absolutely loved this moment — it helped her feel relaxed and comfortable before the show started, and she was fully engaged throughout the performance afterwards. That kind of thoughtful interaction makes such a difference, especially for children who may need a little reassurance in a theatre environment.
Once inside the auditorium, Dottie Chickweed was also walking around chatting to audience members, continuing that welcoming atmosphere before the story began. It immediately created a friendly, relaxed atmosphere that made the audience feel part of the experience from the very beginning.
The story follows Mr and Mrs Chickweed who live in their tiny shed surrounded by their beloved prize-winning vegetables, dedicating their lives to nurturing their allotment and chasing that next championship crop. As retirement approaches, they decide to plant one final seed — hoping for one last success before Raymond dreams of travelling the world, while Dottie would happily stay exactly where she is among her vegetables.
But no one expects the turnip to grow quite so enormous.
As the vegetable begins to grow bigger and bigger — far beyond anything they could have imagined — it quickly becomes clear that pulling it out of the ground will take teamwork, determination and help from everyone around them. Along the way we meet their animal companions Scruffy the dog and Tiggs the cat, as well as a playful mouse, a tiny caterpillar and even a singing cauliflower, which add moments of humour and surprise to the story.
The narrative unfolds with warmth and gentle comedy, building towards the moment when the audience themselves are invited to join in and help solve the problem. At its heart, the story celebrates cooperation, friendship and perseverance — themes that are easy for younger audiences to understand while still resonating with adults watching alongside them.
The design of The Enormous Turnip is wonderfully imaginative, creating a playful allotment world centred around the Chickweeds’ small shed home. The set has a handcrafted, storybook quality, filled with charming details — vegetable patches, tools, washing lines and props — that cleverly transform throughout the performance to support the storytelling.
The shed itself becomes the heart of the action, doubling as both living space and storytelling device, helping the audience easily follow the characters’ routines and daily life. This sense of familiarity works particularly well for younger audiences, creating an environment that feels cosy, inviting and easy to engage with.
Costumes reflect the characters’ personalities beautifully. Raymond and Dottie’s practical, slightly eccentric allotment attire adds humour while also grounding them firmly in their vegetable-growing world. The costumes feel playful without being over-the-top, allowing the performers’ physical comedy and character work to shine.
Lighting helps create atmosphere and transitions between moments of day and night, while maintaining a bright and welcoming visual tone that suits family audiences.
Live music is woven seamlessly throughout the production, with instruments performed on stage adding warmth, humour and rhythm. These musical moments help maintain pace and energy, ensuring children remain fully immersed from start to finish while also enhancing the storytelling.
Puppetry is a standout feature of the production, with lovable characters including Scruffy the dog and Tiggs the cat bringing warmth, humour and personality to the stage. The addition of the mouse puppet, tiny caterpillar and singing cauliflower adds even more visual delight, giving young audiences plenty to focus on and enjoy.
One particularly memorable moment featured the singing cauliflower, which brought huge laughs from the audience and perfectly captured the playful, imaginative spirit that runs throughout the show.
The production cleverly blends puppetry, live music and physical comedy to create a theatrical world that feels lively, engaging and full of heart. Movement and visual comedy are used brilliantly, with moments that had both children and adults laughing together, creating a shared sense of joy in the auditorium.
Gareth Price-Baghurst and Maria Gray create a fantastic double act as Raymond and Dottie Chickweed, building an immediate connection with the audience through warmth, humour and natural storytelling.
Their ability to engage children is exceptional, confidently guiding audience participation and encouraging everyone to join in — from shouting out and clapping to the highlight moment where children were invited on stage to help operate puppets and attempt to pull up the enormous turnip.
They create a welcoming and inclusive environment that allows children to feel safe and confident to participate, which really enhances the overall experience.
Audience participation sits at the heart of The Enormous Turnip, and it is handled beautifully. Children were encouraged to join in throughout, creating an atmosphere full of excitement and laughter.
Alice — who doesn’t always like joining in during shows — was completely engaged. The early interaction with the characters clearly helped her feel comfortable, and she happily joined in with all the participation moments.
One of the most special aspects of the experience was what happened after the show. Outside the venue, children were invited to meet the characters, explore the turnip caravan and even try operating the puppets themselves.
For Alice, who loves puppetry, this was the highlight of her day — she proudly declared it “the best day ever.” Moments like this transform a theatre trip into something truly memorable and show the care that has gone into creating a complete family experience.
Leo also loved having a go with the puppets, and it was wonderful to see how confident both children felt interacting with the performers.
The Enormous Turnip is a joyful, heartwarming and wonderfully interactive piece of family theatre that captures exactly what live performance for young audiences should be.
With engaging storytelling, charming puppetry, live music and genuinely thoughtful audience participation before, during and after the performance, this production creates an experience that feels personal, welcoming and full of imagination.
It’s the kind of theatre that doesn’t just entertain — it builds confidence, sparks creativity and creates lasting family memories.
A truly enormous success that brings joy to audiences of all ages.
Big laughs, big heart, and one very big turnip — this is family theatre magic at its finest.
The Enormous Turnip is at Waterside Arts, Sale until Sunday 22nd February 2026. Tickets are available for purchase through the link provided below.
If you would like more information about the show, please click the button below to visit the show's official website.
Photo Credit - Mark Morreau
*Our tickets for this show were kindly gifted in exchange for an honest review.
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