I’m always looking for something a little different to do on a Friday – a day that, I’ll admit, is my least favourite of the week.

Today, I had tickets for the children and myself to see The Gruffalo at the Madinat Theatre. I’d booked the show weeks ago, and just as well – it was a complete sell-out and crammed to the rafters with children under 8 wanting to catch a glimpse of a man-in-a-feathery-padded-suit with purple prickles on his back and a wart on his face.

Despite their protestations that they’d happily eat popcorn for lunch, we fed the boys at the nearby Noodle House first, where I’ve quite honestly never seen so many little uns, some dressed really nicely, dining on roasted duck with hoisin sauce and wok-fried noodles before going to the theatre.

“Kids in Dubai – they don’t know they’re born,” I chuckled to myself, and quite possibly murmured to DH under my breath.

After taking our seats, the excitement mounted as the lights dimmed and the story of the quick-witted mouse who encounters a string of predators began.

“Where’s the Gruffalo?” LB immediately asked.

“He’ll come on last,” I explained, multiple times – exhaling with relief when he did finally appear half an hour in (which, let’s face it, feels like a year to a four-year-old).

There were belly laughs and roars, the actors leapt all over the stage and the Gruffalo – to everyone’s delight – romped around the audience. Parents chortled, too, no doubt grateful they were being given the chance to sit down on a Friday.

Playing skillfully on children’s fears (without, thank goodness, giving them nightmares about upturned toes for weeks), it was really very funny – but, six-year-old kids, they’re not easily fooled.

“What did you think of the hungry fox?” I asked the boys afterwards.

“Oh, him,” replied BB, casually. “He was just a man with an orange T-shirt and a fake tail attached to his belt.

“Why, didn’t you know?”