A classic Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale is coming to South London.

Touring theatre company tutti frutti’s Ugly Duckling comes to the Albany, Deptford, for Christmas.
Moving through all four seasons, tutti frutti and York Theatre Royal bring to life the Danish writer’s well-known tale. The production plays with the importance of identity and self-worth and takes us on a journey to discover inner beauty.

Meet the most unusual duckling the pond has ever seen. In their nest at the edge of a pond, the baby ducklings wait impatiently for mummy’s enormous egg to hatch.

But their new brother doesn’t look like everyone else. He doesn’t even quack like a proper duckling.

Teased and called ugly by his siblings, the hero goes on an adventure in search of a place to fit in. As the woodland trees change from dark, weathered branches to silver sticks of frost, the lost and lonely fledgling hides in brushwood and stares skyward at the migrating swans, yearning to belong and marvelling at their beauty.

Tutti frutti describes itself as a national touring theatre company creating high -quality work for children and their families to enjoy. Tutti frutti has been described as delighting children aged three and over for more than 25 years and tours nationally and internationally to schools, venues, arts centres and village halls.

For more than 10 years, tutti frutti and York Theatre Royal have enjoyed a creative and fruitful partnership co-producing many shows together. Ugly Duckling is directed by tutti frutti’s artistic director Wendy Harris, with design by Catherine Chapman, movement from Holly Irving, music by Tayo Akinbode and puppeteering by Nick Ash.

The cast features Danny Childs, Daniel  Naddafy and Maeve Leahy.

Ugly Duckling is on until Sunday, December 31 and is suitable for ages three and over.

Tickets are priced £12, £8 for concessions, £34 for a family ticket, £8 for groups of 10 or more (plus every 11th ticket free).

A family ticket consists of two adult and two children’s tickets or one adult and three children’s tickets.