Peppa Pig, princess of the porcine world, is one of the big guns among the ranks of pre-school entertainers and this summer she’s coming to Bradford with her most ambitious live show to date, Peppa Pig’s Big Splash.

Masterminding the production is writer/director Richard Lewis, founder of the Limelight company that has adapted the hit children’s TV show for the stage.

Richard has a close relationship with Peppa Pig’s creators, Astley Baker Davies Ltd, and says he’s allowed an element of freedom in what he does with the characters.

“I’m always mindful of the need to ensure the authenticity of the core content,” says Richard. “After all, children aren’t coming to see my interpretation of Peppa Pig. I reflect ideas contained in the show, look at the content within four or five episodes then combine those themes. We’ll then drop those areas of familiarity and core branding into the over-arching structure of the script.

“The stage show has to give the audience an extension of what they have already seen on television. Yet, at the same time, we might introduce a song into the narrative – we use songs and music in general in a variety of ways.

“Ultimately we still have to end up with a script that is approved by the creators. We’ll begin with a brainstorming session, I’ll then look at a lot of episodes and draft a synopsis. Often, I’ll include things that make me laugh.”

Anyone with pre-school children will be familiar with Peppa’s family and friends, including Daddy Pig, who Richard sees as “a bit of a Homer Simpson figure, always plunging into things, telling people not to worry because he’s the expert”.

After a decade, Peppa seems more popular then ever with the under-fives. “She’s not bland. She has opinions and she’ll tell you what she thinks.” says Richard. “She has a liveliness about her that isn’t naughty and she gets herself into interesting situations that are synonymous with where that pre-school audience is at. In a way, Peppa is like the friend who’s able to act out what children in the audience would like to be doing.”

The show features puppeteers operating the characters.

“People often say that children are the purest form of critic in that if you’re being boring, they get bored and ask to go to the toilet,” says Richard. “Children are looking for something different to happen about every 15 seconds. They’re not interested in long expositions and we have to be very aware of their concentration span.

“We’re looking to provide more of a spectacle and to give them something which isn’t possible in their front-room on the television.”

Limelight are among the leaders in providing quality theatre for young audiences, with other credits including Lazytown and Roald Dahl’s BFG.

“If we had a mission statement, I’d like it to be that Limelight makes a difference,” says Richard. “A lot of the work we do is about social education. We put children at the heart of our work and help to build an emotional intelligence within our audience and develop their ability to empathise.”

l Peppa Pig’s Big Splash is at St George’s Hall from July 29 – 30. For tickets ring (01274) 432000.