The Peau d'Âne Rehearsal
after Donkey Skin by Charles Perrault
and La Répétition de Peau d’Ane
by Anne-Caroline d’Arnaudy

A company of actors put on a show and the children get to come on stage to help them perform

London French Institute / School Tour

Adapted by Fanny Dulin and David Furlong

“What a great way to bring children on stage!” Myriam, mother at the Andre Malraux school

“A wonderful adaptation and great show for children.” Ophelie Ramonatxo, director of the library of the French Institute

A man standing in front of a group of children and adults, holding a book and giving a performance. The children are seated on the floor, attentively listening, with bookshelves around them.
A woman standing in front of an audience, gesturing with her hands. Several children and adults are seated on the floor and in chairs, watching her. There are bookshelves and a camera in the background.

Peau d’Âne (Donkey skin) is a very famous tale in France. It was made into a cult movie with Catherine Deneuve. Exchange Theatre brings it to London for family audiences, in English, with a little French in it.

The Peau d’Âne Rehearsal is a show where a company of actors, a director, and a technician decide to put on Peau d’Âne, the famous tale by Charles Perrault, but they don’t know the story and don’t have enough performers. But the show must go on, and they need to perform the fairy tale! The magic of theatre operates when they discover a treasure: costumes! “Let’s improvise,” says the director, and they start telling one of the craziest tales by Charles Perrault. The children will have no choice but to come on stage to help them perform the show!

A woman dressed in a whimsical costume and a child in a green hat talk inside a library. The woman wears a cream-colored outfit with a large hat shaped like an animal's head and a scarf made of flowers. The boy has a beige vest and a green hat with a red band. Several people, including children, sit and watch, with one child raising a hand.

Creative Team

Adapted by Fanny Dulin and David Furlong

With Benedict Cooper, Fanny Dulin, David Furlong, and Claire Meade

A man dressed as a king kneeling and talking to a child with a stuffed animal, surrounded by children and adults watching.
A man dressed as a king with a red vest and a crown on his head is entertaining children. A child is wearing a black beret and a painted mustache and a young boy is wearing a bowler hat.