Moominvalley in November

Upstairs at the Gatehouse

Playing until 16th November 2025

Book tickets

Photo credit: Simon Jackson

{PR Gifted ticket}

Finnish writer and illustrator Tove Jansson’s Moomins have been a beloved staple of popular culture for more than half a century, appearing in books, films, and even their own dedicated theme parks.

But Jansson’s ninth and final book in the original Moomin series, Moominvalley in November, has a unique differentiator: it’s the only installment to not directly include the titular family. Instead, the story follows six different characters looking for the Moomins in their home of Moominvalley, only to be confronted by their unexplained absence. In contrast to other books in the series, these themes of loss and loneliness make Moominvalley in November a much more somber affair than your classic Moomin tale.

Moominvalley in November has now been brought to life in a new iteration: a musical penned by Hans Jacob Hoeglund, premiering at Upstairs at the Gatehouse in north London.

The creative team does a stellar job of carefully crafting the enchanted land of Moominvalley on stage. Lu Herbert’s set design is perfectly whimsical, featuring draped cloth trees, babbling brooks painted on the floor, and a quaint blue Moomin house that turns around to replicate a family kitchen. This cosy familiarity echoes through Jen Green’s soft orchestration, encompassing wind instruments, strings, and percussion to envelope the audience in this welcoming world.

Having written the book, music, and lyrics for the show, it’s clear that Hoeglund has a strong affinity for this world and the characters that inhabit it. Opening ensemble number ‘Moominvalley’ soars with hope as we meet the six individuals travelling to see the Moomins, each drawn there by a different desire. As the characters reluctantly accept that the family have left for winter, charming numbers like ‘A Family Picnic’ and ‘Cleaning’ highlight the beauty that can be found in embracing one another’s differences and the power of chosen family.

While there’s a lot to love about these characters and this story, audiences who aren’t familiar with the book series might find themselves needing more context to truly understand and connect with the plot and its protagonists. This was certainly my experience — while I was charmed by the characters, I felt like I was missing a lot of key details from previous Moomin outings, making it hard to forge an emotional connection with any of them.

Hemulen (Stuart Simons), Fillyjonk (Jane Quinn), and Snufkin (Matthew Heywood) felt particularly lacking in backstory. While the three performers certainly brought a lot of heart and warmth to the roles, I never grasped exactly what their connection was to the Moomins or why they were so affected by the family’s absence.

Fortunately, Toft (Izzie Winter), the real emotional anchor of the story, has a clearer motive that makes their character arc more affecting. As a small orphaned creature, Toft longs for family, despite never having met the Moomins previously. Winter embodies the innocence of the role beautifully, and songs like ‘Storms’ and ‘I Can See Them’ let their powerful vocals take centre stage.

Forgetful Grandpa Grumble (Martin Callaghan) and gleeful dancer Mymble (Abigail Yeo) also bring their fair share of delightful moments to proceedings, with Yeo’s simple sweetness acting as the perfect foil for Callaghan’s dry wit. The relationship these two characters start to build throughout the story is very touching.

Moominvalley in November is brimming with tenderness, but audiences may struggle to pick up the emotional nuances if they don’t have prior knowledge of Jansson’s tales. If you’re a keen Moomin fan who knows their Sniff from their Snork, however, you’ll likely be won over by this faithful adaptation created with a lot of love.

Creatives

Book, Music, and Lyrics: Hans Jacob Hoeglund

Orchestrations: Jen Green

Director and Choreographer: Amanda Noar

Musical Director: Manuel Gageiro

Set and Costume Design: Lu Herbert