SPLASH about with the family and a popular children’s picture book.

The family show Big Red Bath will be at Norden Farm on Saturday at 11.30am and 1.45pm.

Big Red Bath is based on the popular children’s picture book of the same name by Julia Jarman.

The Guide managed to quiz Juila on her writing and stage adaptation.

How did you first feel when you watched your book being performed on stage?

T-t-trepidation for a few moments – till the stage lit up to reveal a big red bath just like mine and the rippling rhythms of the band transported me to a magical bathroom and forty five minutes of sheer delight.

Was it how you had pictured it being played out in your mind when you were writing it?

Different but better! It was like when I saw pictures for the picture- book for the first time.

Adrian Reynolds, the illustrator, re-imagined my text but captured the spirit of the story. The theatre company re-imagine it again, in a multi-sensory way in a glorious celebration of children’s imagination, energy and playfulness.

Your grandchildren seem to be a big influence in your writing for children.....do you read your stories to them first to gauge their response?

Yes. I want all my stories to be good read-alouds so I test them on readers, now in schools as much as at home. My grandchildren were familiar with the language of this story long before it was a published book. We did a lot of splish splash sploshing!

Over the years have you seen children take a different perspective towards books as ipads and computers become much more ‘the norm’ or do you feel there will always be room in a child’s life for a good book?

There’s no denying the appeal of screens of various sizes but reading is a unique engagement of the reader and the writer’s imaginations.

A book requires the reader to use empathy, the most important kind of imagination, and the result is lasting, sometimes changing feelings and ideas. I don’t think many computer games have this transforming effect.

Young children especially love the intimacy of being read to. Turning pages is exciting! But I’m not against ibooks. I want stories to be in as many formats as ever. Big Red Bath is available as a download as well as a picture-book and – please tell readers – they can download one of my picture books for FREE! visit https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/will-there-be-polar-bears/id945988762

Big Red Bath is performed by Half Moon Young People’s Theatre Company and Full House Theatre.

The music is provided by We Were Evergreen, an alternative indie-electro-pop trio who bring a blend of folk melodies, electro beats and vocal harmonies.

The cast features Su Nixon who has come straight to the production after a world tour of War Horse in which she was a puppeteer.

She will be taking on the role of Mum, Hippo, Duck, Flamingo Air Hostess.

Tickets are £10 (£8 under 16s), Family & Friends (4 people) £32. Suitable for ages 2+ years.