How do you define “Little Red Riding Hood”?

I took the children to see a theatre production of Little Red Riding Hood at the weekend. They really liked it – DD wanted to be the Woodland Fairy who spoke in rhyme, while DS was fascinated by the wolf’s “scary eyebrows”.

The cast from the show at Madinat Jumeirah

 

As he’s only two and a half, I spent a little time before the show briefing him on the story and preparing him for the entrance of the wolf. The last thing I want is nightmares for the next 10 weeks, as has happened with several friends who’ve taken their children to theatre shows containing witches and monsters.

“It’s only a man in a costume,” I explained. “Don’t be scared.”

As it happened, the wolf was the least of our problems. Half way through the show, DS leaned over to me and said in a little voice, “Mummy, where’s Little Red Riding Hood?”

“She’s there,” I said, pointing at the actress in the red cloak.

“No,” he said. “That’s not Little Red Riding Hood. She’s big. And she’s not riding.”

Well, what do you say to that?