How did the Elephant get his trunk? How did the Leopard get his spots? How did the Rhinoceros get his skin? In the “Just So Stories,” Rudyard Kipling created a magical world as he told his daughter fables of the animal kingdom. In “Just So,” George Stiles and Anthony Drewe (“Honk!”) have created a new musical that weaves five of Mr. Kipling’s most famous tales together into a fanciful lesson about personal courage, individuality and friendship.
“Just So” opens at the beginning of time as the Eldest Magician discovers that all the animals look alike. He sends them off on a quest to find their individual traits. Pau Amma, the Crab, scoffs at the idea and becomes a menace to all, wreaking havoc with the sea. Believing Pau Amma will stop if simply asked, the Elephant’s Child sets off to find him with the reluctant help of a flightless Kolokolo Bird. Along their journey, these two innocents help others like the Elephant, the Leopard, and the Rhinoceros discover their true selves, until the moment comes when the Elephant’s Child must face the giant Crab.
With regional productions on both sides of the Atlantic meeting with great success, “Just So” is a new musical that’s proving to be “just right.” 1990 at the West End Tricycle Theatre
