STICK Man sticks out at the Great Yorkshire Fringe as the most performed show of the ten-day York comedy festival.

Eighteen performances in all are being presented in the 400-capacity White Rose Rotunda in Parliament Street between July 24 and August 2; only Monday missed out on the 10.15am and 12.15pm shows for children aged three and upwards.

After four West End runs and tours in Singapore, Hong Kong and Paris, Scamp Theatre's exuberant stage adaptation of Julia Donaldson's book with illustrations by Axel Scheffler is playing York for the first time.

Stick Man "lives in the family tree with his Stick Lady Love and their stick children three", but the world outside the tree is a dangerous place for him. A dog wants to play Fetch with him, a swan builds a nest with him and he even ends up on a fire. How will Stick Man ever return to the family wooden home?

Passing through the seasons and culminating in a joyful Christmas celebration, Stick Man is a "fantastick show that will delight all branches of the family tree" with its touching, utterly original adaptation, performed by actors Oliver Grant, Nancy Landry Trotter and one-man band Alex Tosh, playing a host of colourful characters and animals between them.

"I love how Scamp scamper through my stories, transporting them from page to stage so faithfully and innovatively," says former Children's Laureate Julia Donaldson, in praise of a show produced by the Bedfordshire company in tandem with Watford Palace Theatre. "Scamp Theatre send shivers down my spine. They are so lively and innovative. I love their production of Stick Man – Live On Stage – and so do the audiences."

Stick Man is directed by Sally Cookson with designs by Katie Sykes, lighting by Elanor Higgins and music by Benji Bower and has a running time of 55 minutes.

Tickets can be booked on 01904 500600 or at greatyorkshirefringe.com Did you know?

Stick Man is being adapted into an animated film for airing on BBC1 this Christmas.