The National Theatre has collaborated with award-winning publishers Walker Books to create new picture book, Lola Saves the Show. This charming introduction to theatre behind-the-scenes is the first children’s picture book from the National Theatre and will be available to purchase from today, 4 May 2023.
It’s showtime! Lola is a little actor with big dreams. But when disaster strikes on opening night and an important prop goes missing backstage, can Lola save the show in time?
Written by Katherine Halligan and illustrated by Guilherme Karsten, this fun and engaging picture book is for both daytime and bedtime. Packed with backstage drama, laugh-out-loud moments and references to theatre and the departments, it’s the perfect gift for any budding creatives to explore the magical world of drama or little ones that already love the stage.
Katherine Halligan, author of Lola Saves the Show, said: ‘I was thrilled to be able to create a story for the National Theatre, featuring a lovable little goat called Lola. As a massive fan of the National Theatre and a great believer in the enormous value of theatre for children, this was a dream job, and it’s been an immense privilege to work on this book with Guilherme and the brilliant teams at Walker Books and the National Theatre. After such a long time being unable to enjoy our theatres, the release of this book feels especially celebratory and special, as we all return to the joy and magic of live theatre.’
Sarah Corke, Head of Publishing at the National Theatre, said: ‘It’s been really exciting to delve into the backstage world at the National Theatre to create our first children’s book. The theatre is an amazing place to work and visit. We wanted to share some of this magic and show just how many people are involved in putting on a production with the next generation of theatre-makers. We’ve loved working together with Katherine, Guilherme and the Walker Books team to shape Lola’s adventures across the National Theatre building in Lola Saves the Show. The result is better than we could have ever hoped for. We hope young readers consider getting involved in performing at school, in their spare time or experience a play at their local theatre.’
Readers can continue their adventure with Lola on a special Family Tour in celebration of the book, which will take audiences behind-the-scenes of the National Theatre. Featuring lots of locations from Lola Saves the Show, such as the ‘Room of Weird and Wonderful Worlds’, with interactive opportunities for little tour-takers to try on costumes and props. Family Tours will launch on 24 July 2023 in time for the summer holidays and will include the chance to purchase a special gift bundle, including Lola the goat.
Lola Saves the Show is now available from the National Theatre Bookshop.
