SWINGING through the trees and romping around in the undergrowth to Malvern’s Festival Theatre is a brand new stage adaptation of Madagascar - The Musical.

It will be coming out of the zoo and onto the local stage this week when local audiences will be able to join Alex the Lion (X-Factor 2016 winner Matt Terry), Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe, Gloria the hip-hip Hippo and, of course, those hilarious, plotting penguins as they bound onto stage in the musical adventure of a lifetime.

Based on the smash DreamWorks animated motion picture, it follows all of the favourite crack-a-lackin’ friends as they escape from their home in New York’s Central Park Zoo and find themselves on an unexpected journey to the madcap world of King Julien’s Madagascar.

Alex the lion is the king of the urban jungle, the main (or should the mane) attraction at the zoo He and his best friends – Marty the zebra, Melman the giraffe and Gloria the hippo – have spent their whole lives in blissful captivity before an admiring public and with regular meals provided for them.

Not content to leave well enough alone, Marty lets his curiosity get the better of him and makes his escape – with the help of some prodigious penguins – to explore the world.

This wacky adventure for the whole family is brought to life by Selladoor Family, the producers behind James And The Giant Peach, Seussical and The Owl And The Pussycat and Hartshorn – Hook, producers of the Olivier Award winning Rotterdam, Murder Ballad, Urinetown and American Idiot.

David Hutchinson, Executive Creative Producer of Selladoor, says: “One of our key principals is to aim to engage young people to come to the theatre and to help to encourage a whole new generation of theatre-goers, and Madagascar promises to do just that.

"We are delighted to be bringing these much-loved crazy characters to life on stage in an exciting caper for all of the family”

Filled with outlandish characters, adventure galore and an upbeat score, Madagascar will leave audiences with no choice but to “Move It, Move It!”

Madagascar will be on stage at the Festival from this Tuesday, April 2, to Saturday, April 6.