Children’s book favourite heads to Geelong

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show brings Eric Carle's much-loved stories to the stage at Geelong Arts Centre later this month. Photos: ROCKEFELLER STUDIOS

ONE of the world’s most beloved children’s stories will crawl off the page next week when The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show comes to Geelong Arts Centre.

Created by award-winning theatre producer Jonathan Rockefeller, the production is based on the much-loved books of American author and illustrator Eric Carle.

Alongside The Very Hungry Caterpillar, the show features Ten Little Rubber Ducks, The Very Busy Spider and Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

First published in 1969, Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar remains one of the world’s best-known children’s picture books.

Aimed at children aged 18 months and over, the performance offers a gentle introduction to live theatre. It uses music, narration and puppetry rather than dialogue-heavy scenes, making it accessible for first-time theatre-goers and young audiences.

More than 75 puppets are used throughout the show, with each story presented in sequence to help young viewers follow familiar characters and themes.