Enid Blyton’s Malory Towers at Alexandra Palace Theatre

The tales of Enid Blyton have been loved and lauded for decades, read and reread, turned into movies and TV shows and theatre, and it seems audiences still can’t get enough. Emma Rice, Artistic Director of the Emma Rice Company, has adapted and directed the beloved story of the Malory Towers girls, calling it “joyfully radical to its bones”. Malory Towers encourages audiences to choose kindness and compassion without sacrificing the tenacity of who women are. To have it performed in a room brimming with young children is utterly necessary and totally delightful.

With six novels by Blyton and another six-book sequel series, it would have been impossible to cover everything in two hours. Rice, therefore, lets the heart and soul of the characters drive the message she wants to share. Darrell, Alicia, Mary-Lou, Sally, Irene, Gwendoline and Bill go swimming, explore the cliffs, talk in bed, go to lessons and practise their play, discovering themselves and celebrating the differences between them. It’s a slice of life that is often considered trivial, but is a pinnacle for many. There’s somebody for every girl to relate to: sensible Sally, outgoing Bill, shy Mary-Lou, funny Alicia and even the temper of Darrell Rivers.

The set is rather simple but makes excellent use of animation and puppetry. The background is a screen that resembles castle turrets with illustrated scenery. During the storm, beautiful animation tells the story, voiced by the actors onstage. Beth Carter and Stuart Mitchell are the artists behind this climatic scene, an inventive and striking addition. The puppets, orchestrated by Lyndie Wright, were warmly appreciated by the crowd. Used to emulate the girls diving into the water, the puppetry added whimsy and fun. If anything, there should have been more!

This take on Malory Towers starts off in 2026, and KPop Demon Hunters plays through headphones. The actors play Gen Z versions of their characters before twirling back in time to 1947, returning to 2026 at the end. It’s a modern anchor on either side so that the young girls watching can see themselves in the show they’ve just watched. In the interval, conversations of “which girl are you most like?” ring around the room, and the value of the show is made clear. Malory Towers was important when it was written and is important now, maybe more so. Emma Rice’s adaptation spotlights understanding and forgiveness while reminding young girls that they are not alone.

Talitha Stowell
Photos: Jake Haseldine

Enid Blyton’s Malory Towers is at Alexandra Palace Theatre from 22^nd July until 2^nd August 2026. For further information or to book, visit the theatre’s website here.