BASED on the bestselling children’s book by David Baddiel, AniMalcolm will visit Poole next month as part of a major UK tour.

Baddiel is an award-winning comedian, author, screenwriter, director and television presenter known for his work with Newman and Baddiel, Fantasy Football, Baddiel & Skinner Unplanned and his platinum number one single Three Lions.

David has written four children’s books that have now sold more than a million copies, as well as four critically-acclaimed adult novels and the hit film The Infidel.

He said: “It has been such a thrill to see AniMalcolm brought to life on stage, and as a musical! Story Pocket have done a wonderful job with this adaptation, and it will be a real treat to see Malcolm adventuring around the UK with his menagerie of animals in tow.”

The musical is about Malcolm who doesn’t like animals, which is a problem because his family are wild about them. In fact their house is full of pets of all shapes and sizes.

The only bright spot on the horizon is the Year Six school trip, until there he is on the bus, heading to a farm. But on a school trip like no other, Malcolm begins to understand animals more deeply than anyone. Will he end up the same as before? Because sometimes the hardest thing to become is yourself.

Story Pocket Theatre is a company devoted to bringing both classic and original children’s stories to the stage in “a magical, inventive and exciting way”. Previous productions include Michael Morpurgo’s King Arthur and A Pocketful of Grimms.

n AniMalcom is at Lighthouse Poole on Tuesday, February 19 at 2pm. Tickets: £14, family £40. To book, call 01202 280000 or visit poolelighthouse.co.uk

AniMalcolm is supported by Arts Council England.