Elmer the Patchwork Elephant is at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford until Sunday (13 April).

Tall Stories’ brand-new show The Elmer Adventure brings David McKee’s beloved Elmer to life on a musical tour covering three classic Elmer tales.

Created for all the family from age three and upwards, The Elmer Adventure takes audiences into the heart of a magical jungle. Three friends hear reports of a real-life patchwork elephant roaming in the jungle, so they all set off together on a quest to find him.

As they explore deep in the heart of the jungle, the adventurers talk about how they have loved the story of Elmer since they were childhood friends and how they always celebrate Elmer Day every year.

The Elmer Adventure is for all the family and celebrates friendship, acceptance and fun in true Elmer style. Everyone is invited to come to see the show wearing their most colourful clothes and accessories.

Elmer was created by David McKee and first published by Andersen Press in 1989. There are 30 picture books in the series and more novelty titles. Elmer has since gone on to sell over 10 million copies in over 60 languages.

In the original classic book, Elmer realises that it is his differences that make him who he truly is, and these differences are what his friends love about him. The Elmer Adventure is a new show that brings together the three stories, Elmer, Elmer and the Tune and Elmer and the Hippos.

In a question and answer session, some of those most closely involved with the show shared their thoughts:

AG: Amelia Gabriel, performer

FT: Frankie Turton, performer

RA: Rob Astillo, performer

LW: Lucie Warren, assistant stage manager

What do you hope young audiences take away from your character’s journey in The Elmer Adventure?

FT: I hope that audiences take away the silliness and fun and these are the things you can keep with you as an adult, and that it's important to preserve the friendships around you and keep experiencing that joy.

AG: I think at the heart of the stories there's a beautiful message about being yourself and celebrating individuality. And that's a beautiful message for kids age three and adults up to 103.

RA: I think with my character in general, he wants to be this big grown up. But there is so much value in having the childlike whimsy and discovery that you have when you're younger, and we want to promote that just enjoy being a kid, because being a kid is great. You know, you don't have to pay tax! It's just wonderful.

What is special and interesting for you about working with Tall Stories to make a show?

AG: A Tall Stories show was the first theatre show that I saw when I was a child. So it's special getting to be performing in one now. And it's lovely and collaborative. The rehearsal rooms are full of fun, noise and joy, and it’s a collaborative story, as an ensemble.

RA: This is my first show with Tall Stories, and I'm blessed to be here because every day is simply fun, and we're trying to translate the fun that we're having in rehearsals and finally onto the stage. If the audience knows you're not having fun, especially kids, as kids are intelligent, they'll know.

Do you interact with the audience during the show?

FT : Yes! We do a lot of interacting with the crowd in this show. We play games with them. There's a lot of including them in the stories and making sure they're involved in the storytelling and not just watching.

AG: The set up of the show is that the audience is in the jungle with us, and we're all looking for Elmer together, so we do actually need their help as part of the show. But all the interaction, I'd say, is lovely and low pressure, and people get as involved as they want to.

What do you think makes Tall Stories' production of The Elmer Adventure stand out from other children’s shows?

RA: I think the difference between this show and other shows is that in this show, there's an elephant in the room, and his name is Elmer! Okay, getting serious… we put a lot of emphasis on the detail and movement and also the little moments that may not be the focus of the scene but are happening on the side. The details are what make the difference between a high-quality and a standardised show. I think it's the detail and the different parts of movements and actions in the scene that make this show so special and unique.

AG: There's an exciting blend of physical storytelling with music. We've got live music in the show, and there is a cool pre-recorded soundtrack. We've also got, obviously, this fantastic Elmer puppet, which is just a joy to work with and a really creative element of the show.

FT: We include the audience so much. And as Amelia said, we bring them into the jungle with us. It feels quite intimate, which I think is very nice for family theatre. We try to have that real connection with the people we're telling the stories to.

What meanings and ideas do you think this story is exploring through the journey to find Elmer?

AG: I think the characters on stage go through a journey of remembering the importance of individuality, celebrating difference, and also the importance of joy and being able to be playful, have fun, be a bit silly.

FT: Friendship is just a huge theme throughout our story as the adventurers, but also all of the Elmer stories, and the importance of collaboration, friendship and communication and making sure that you prioritise your relationships with other people over other things.

What’s it like working with a giant puppet on stage?

LW: Puppetry is quite new to me in my career, but I've absolutely loved working on Elmer. The puppet has been designed by our amazing designer, Yvonne, and she's just created something that works well. Elmer is easy to put together and easy to get to a place where we can get our puppeteers into it – and Elmer is also beautiful looking. Hearing the reactions from the children when the puppet comes out in the show is magical. Make sure that you come see it for yourselves!

AG: It's the audience reactions, the reactions from the children that we love. Frankie and I are in the puppet, so we can't see, but we hear their wonder and excitement. It's a magical moment. He's a big, beautiful puppet, as you would expect from an elephant.

FT: I've not actually done that much puppetry, so it's been special to work on this, and to, you know, hear the reaction, and to just create something that is so magical on stage. It's beautiful.

The Elmer Adventure is at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford until Sunday (13 April). Thursday to Sunday, 10.30am and 2pm.

Advisory: Suitable for ages 3+, running time 55mins

For more information and to book tickets visit www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk/whats-on/the-elmer-adventure or call the box office on 01483 440000.