Zog is the new stage show that's been created, and ahead of its run at Easter, I have the following information and interview with the author herself to share with you...
Best known for her popular rhyming stories for children, especially
those illustrated by Axel Scheffler, Julia
Donaldson is the multi award-winning author
of some of the world's best loved children's books, most notably the modern
classic The Gruffalo which has sold over 13 million copies worldwide.
Many of Julia’s books have
made the journey from page to stage, and now Zog will join them in a new adaptation from Freckle Productions,
the team behind Stick Man, Tiddler and other Terrific Tales and Tabby McTat. The production will open at
the Rose Theatre Kingston and then tour the UK from February 2019.
Julia talks about her inspiration for Zog, and seeing her work adapted for the
stage.
You’ve
written almost 200 books – where do you get your ideas?
“It varies, but I always
develop the storyline fully in my head before I start writing. I think you read
some books and you can tell that people have just made it up as they go along –
but I always think, you wouldn’t start telling a joke if you didn’t know what
the punchline was.”
Are you excited to see
Zog adapted for the stage?
“I’m tremendously excited that Zog will be
taking flight around the UK in this first ever stage production. Going to the
theatre can be a truly magical experience, I know it will be such a thrill to
see the world of Zog being brought to life on stage.”
Where did the idea for Zog
the dragon come from?
“Well
that one was quite unusual, in that the initial idea didn’t come from me. My
editor said to me ‘it would be lovely to have a story about a dragon’, so I
started thinking about it and the name ‘Madam Dragon’ came into my head, which
I thought had a nice sound.
“And
then I thought what could Madame Dragon do, who could she be? I came up with
various ideas and a schoolteacher was one of them, so I took it from there.
Originally it was going to be about a knight and a dragon, but it ended up
being about a Princess and a dragon – the story came to me bit by bit.
“My
husband Malcolm, who is a doctor, also had some input here. Because when I was
planning the story, I knew that Zog would keep meeting the Princess, and
originally I was going to have them play together and toast marshmallows. And
Malcolm said that’s a bit soppy, couldn’t it be something with a bit more
oomph? And then I came up with the doctor angle.
“The
Knight, Sir Gadabout is one of my favourite comic characters because he’s such
an upper-class twit. I love the line he says: ‘I’ve come to rescue Princess
Pearl, I hope I’m not too late’ – when it’s actually been a whole year since
she was captured.”
Animals
feature very strongly in many of your books – why is that?
“It’s often used as a
convention – like in Aesop’s Fables,
where the animals aren’t really animals, they represent a quality or a
characteristic.
“I also think it would be far
more boring for the reader or listener, if Mouse in The Gruffalo was just a
small but clever person, or The Gruffalo itself was a big, scary but rather
stupid person. Or in The Snail and the Whale, if the Whale was just a big
person and the snail a little person – I think you need animals to represent
the qualities.
Your
books always have a happy ending, which is very comforting, do you think it’s
important to give that to your readers?
“I often think about the
role of storytelling for young people. In life, not everything does have a
happy ending – but I think storytelling is probably very important because to
grow up with stories helps you have aspirations, even if life doesn’t turn out
like that.
“Even as grown-ups, we
know that there is a lot of sadness in life, but I think if we didn’t have
those stories, aspirations and a sense of what’s ideal, life would be much
harder to live.”
A
lot of your stories are written in verse, what do you feel that adds?
“Well obviously if it’s
done well, it makes a story very memorable - and people have loved rhyme since
time immemorial. I love writing in verse because I wrote songs for so long.
You’ve
had a long and very successful working relationship with illustrator Axel
Scheffler – how does the partnership work?
“It’s always through the
editor – I never exchange a word with Axel about the pictures when we’re
putting a book together. Axel probably wouldn’t even know that I was writing
something until my editor shows it to him – and then I have a nail-biting
moment wondering if he likes it and wants to do it.
“Then he’ll do some
character sketches which I’ll look at. Sometimes, after he’s created sketches
for every picture, I’ll think ‘oh hang on, I’m going to change that little bit
of text, because I like what he’s done with that,’. And then Axel will get to
work seriously and I’ll see it at a later stage, when there will still be a few
little tweaks.”
As
you’re writing, you must visualise characters in your head. What’s it like when
an illustrator then comes up with something different?
“I always say it’s like going
on holiday - you’ve got an idea in your head of how it’s going to be, and then it’s
always totally different. But once you’re there and enjoying it, you just
forget what was in your head before.
“Also, I usually know when
I’m writing something whether I want Axel to work on it – in which case I’ve
got his style in my head as I’m working. It doesn’t influence the storyline,
but it will influence how I picture the characters – so I’m usually not
surprised when I see Axel’s interpretation.”
What’s
it like for you when people turn your books into stage performances and films?
“For me, it’s like an
extension of working with an illustrator. Handing it over to a theatre company
or film company you know it’s going to change, but you have to let it go.
“With things like voices
and characters, I can’t actually think of a time where I felt they got it wrong
on stage. And with film companies, they usually consult me and tell me what
they’ve got in mind.”
What
do you feel a visit to the theatre gives young children?
“Well I remember going to
see The Nutcracker when I was a child
and I found the whole thing completely magical. I can still remember how I felt
when the curtain went up.
“I suppose in a way it’s
the same thing that a book gives you, in that while you’re reading or watching,
you believe in a different reality. And if it’s a good show, parents love to
see that their children – even very young ones – can just be transfixed by it.”
Your
books are read around the world, and have been adapted many times, what do you
think is the appeal?
“I don’t know for sure,
but I think there are three main things: the storyline – it’s really important
to have a well-crafted story; the language; and the illustration – and I do
have to give a lot of credit to the illustrators. I think it’s a combination of
those three things done well.”
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