Adapting Errol’s Garden as an audiobook

When we first heard the news of the nomination for The Week Jr Book Award (Audiobook category), there was a brief moment of surprise, quickly followed by a return to the everyday work that always sits alongside projects like this, and indeed all of our other shows. It’s lovely recognition, of course, but it’s also just one step in a much longer journey for Errol’s Garden.

The audiobook process itself asked us to think differently again. Without familiar visual storytelling devices, every pause, every shift in tone, every musical moment had to carry meaning. The performers brought care to that challenge, finding ways to let emotion and humour live entirely in the voice. What emerged was something intimate in a way we hadn’t fully anticipated - as if the listener were sitting right beside Errol, hearing his world unfold.

We also owe a great deal to Auburn Jam Studio and Small Wardour Studio, who shaped the sound world, with music recorded with Auburn Jam, and spoken word/sound effects recorded at Small Wardour. The textures of the rooftop, the city bustle, the wind through the plants, and the music all worked together to tell the story. In many ways, it echoed the story itself: building something vibrant and alive from limited space, patience, and a shared belief that it could grow.

What has stayed with us most, though, are the responses from listeners. Messages from families, teachers and children who’ve listened together, sometimes repeatedly, sometimes as part of bedtime routines or classroom sessions, have reminded us that stories don’t really end when they’re finished - they continue quietly in people’s lives.

We’re simply pleased to see the audiobook included in the conversation. It’s one of a number of wonderful audiobooks recognised this year, and it sits alongside some exceptional work in the category.

More broadly, Errol’s Garden continues to be something we return to in different forms. What began as a picture book discovered over coffee became a stage production, then an audiobook, and the story is still evolving. With the stage show also gearing up for another tour in 2027, there’s a sense that the project is still very much in motion.

Whatever happens next, we remain grateful for how far Errol’s Garden has come - and for everyone who has helped it grow along the way.