A stage adaptation of Dr. Seuss' The Lorax was scheduled for Christmas in 2015 as part of Matthew Warchus' first season as artistic director at The Old Vic.

[3] The production was transferred to the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto, Canada for a Christmas run from December 9 to January 21, 2018.

[6] From 14 to 17 April 2021 an "inventively transformed ... semi-staged pint-size version" was streamed live from the Old Vic stage, during the UK's COVID-19 lockdown.

His family are poor and have to rent out the Once-ler's room to a lodger, so he decides to go and find his fortune elsewhere.

While travelling, the Once-ler dreams that he'll become rich as long as he has just one good idea ("I Could Be a Great Man").

The Lorax returns to find half the forest has been chopped down and confronts the Once-ler, arguing that the wildlife needs the trees to live as well.

At first, the Once-ler says they must stop making thneeds, but his family and the people of the town pressure him into starting work again and cut down other trees in the valley ("Great Man").

The Lorax hates the idea and is upset about the pollution which is killing the animals, he just wants the forest to return to how it was before.

They start a protest to save the trees, and a TV news crew turns up to report it.

The Once-ler tries to impress Samelore the reporter with his machinery, but the Lorax exposes all the pollution the factory is creating and how it's affecting the wildlife ("We Are One").

The production received rave reviews and was nominated for Best Entertainment and Family at the 2016 Laurence Olivier Awards.