REVIEW: THE LITTLEST YAK | HOME MANCHESTER | 27/10/2026
The Littlest Yak Review – A Yak-tastic Family Adventure!
Based on the award-winning children's book by Lu Fraser, with illustrations by Kate Hindley, The Littlest Yak has been adapted for the stage by Kent-based theatre company LAStheatre. Written and directed by Barra Collins, with original music by Joseph Hardy, the production brings the much-loved story of Gertie to life through puppetry, live music and storytelling.
The production arrived at HOME Manchester for a short run from 27–29 October 2026, giving families the opportunity to enjoy this charming stage adaptation. Recommended for children aged three and over, with a running time of approximately 45 minutes, The Littlest Yak is designed with younger theatre audiences in mind.
I attended the opening performance with Alice and Leo, and as none of us had read the original book before our visit, we were looking forward to discovering Gertie's story together.
High up in the snowy Himalayas lives Gertie, the smallest yak in her herd. Although she has lovely curly wool and is perfectly capable of climbing the mountains, Gertie isn't happy being little. She desperately wants to grow up and become as big as the other yaks.
Her mum, Fluffy Sue, tries to reassure her that there's nothing wrong with being small, but Gertie is convinced that being bigger would make everything better.
However, when another little yak called Bertie needs help, Gertie discovers that being small isn't necessarily a disadvantage. In fact, sometimes being little means you can do things that the bigger yaks can't.
I thought it was a lovely way of showing children that they don't need to wish away their childhood or compare themselves with others. Gertie is so focused on wanting to be bigger that she doesn't initially realise how much she is already capable of doing.
The story is easy for young children to follow, with plenty of opportunities for them to become involved along the way. You certainly don't need to have read the book beforehand to enjoy the production.
The set, costume and puppet design by Alison Alexander creates a colourful, snowy world inspired by the Himalayas. The stage features rounded mountain pieces, painted trees and icy textures, providing a lovely setting for Gertie's adventure.
I particularly liked the clever way the scenery was used to create some of the yaks. Large yak heads appeared above the rounded hills, making it look as though the hills themselves formed the yaks' bodies. I thought this was such a creative idea, and I loved how something so simple could be so effective.
The puppets of Gertie and Bertie were absolutely wonderful and were among my favourite parts of the production. I particularly loved how their eyes could blink, which, along with their expressive movements, made them feel even more lifelike. It was such a clever little detail that gave the characters so much personality and, as Leo would say, made them even cuter!
Gertie was especially adorable with her big eyes, colourful woolly hat and shaggy white coat. Bertie was equally charming, and I thought both puppets were beautifully designed. The performers did a fantastic job of bringing them to life, giving each character their own personality.
The costumes continued the wintry theme, with colourful woolly clothing that fitted perfectly with the snowy setting. The lighting design by Cheng Keng complemented the scenery and helped bring the Himalayan setting to life.
The choreography and movement were kept simple and accessible for younger children, with actions they could learn and join in with during the songs. Leo particularly enjoyed this part of the performance and was happily joining in whenever he had the opportunity.
One of my favourite aspects of The Littlest Yak was the music. Joseph Hardy's original songs were incredibly catchy, and I really enjoyed the upbeat song about the yak pack. The music fitted the production beautifully, adding plenty of energy while also helping to tell the story.
What made the musical performances even more impressive was that the three performers played the instruments themselves, including guitar and flute, while also singing, acting and operating the puppets. I thought this was fantastic and added something special to the production.
The cast consisted of three incredibly talented performers who took on the challenge of bringing Gertie, Bertie, Fluffy Sue and the other characters to life.
I thought all three were fantastic. Not only did they have to act and sing, but they also played the instruments and operated the puppets throughout the performance. It was lovely to watch how naturally they moved between these different elements without interrupting the flow of the story.
The puppetry was particularly impressive. Although the performers were visible, they gave the characters so much personality that your attention was drawn to the puppets themselves. Gertie was full of determination and excitement, Fluffy Sue had a lovely reassuring presence, and Bertie was absolutely adorable.
The performers were also excellent at engaging the younger audience members, encouraging them to join in with the songs and actions. They created a welcoming atmosphere where children could get involved and enjoy themselves.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Littlest Yak, and it was lovely to see how much Alice and Leo enjoyed it too. For me, the highlights were the wonderful puppetry, particularly Gertie and Bertie, the incredibly catchy songs and the fantastic performances from the three talented cast members.
Both children said Gertie was their favourite character, and the production certainly made an impression on them. At the end of the show, Alice asked me whether yaks were real and said she would love to see a real one someday. Leo enjoyed the story so much that he has already asked whether we can buy him The Littlest Yak books for Christmas!
Considering neither of them had read the original book before seeing the production, I think that says a lot about how successfully the story was brought to life on stage.
At approximately 45 minutes, the running time was just right for younger children, and the combination of storytelling, music, puppetry and audience participation kept them engaged throughout.
I also loved the message behind the story. It's a lovely reminder that children don't need to rush to grow up and that being little can be something to celebrate.
The Littlest Yak is a delightful family theatre production that combines a heartwarming story with wonderful puppetry, catchy music and excellent performances. We all had such a lovely time watching it, and I would happily recommend it to families with young children.
Wonderful puppetry and catchy songs make this a yak-tastic treat!
The Littlest Yak will be at HOME Manchester until Thursday, 29th October 2026. Tickets are available for purchase through the link provided below.
For more information about the show, please click the button below to visit the official website.
Photo Credit - Alex Brenner
*Our tickets for this show were kindly gifted in exchange for an honest review.
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