★★★
101 Dalmatians has been groomed following its outing last year in London and is now touring across the UK. This young pup of a show is sure to get tails wagging.
Photo by Matt Crockett
Zinnie Harris's pantomime-esque stage adaptation gives a new spin on a known ̶t̶a̶i̶l̶ tale, paired with a hashtag young script (by Johnny McKnigh). It’s good knees-up family fun as we follow a family dotty about dalmatians when they fall into the villainous hands of a fashionista.
Faye Tozer, dressed to the nines in giraffe skin collars, snakeskin thigh high boots and fur coats, plays a wicked Cruella, cackling and cursing about Crocs. Our antagonist’s gradual downfall becomes more and more rabid, playing into the big farce. Tozer’s comedic chops shine next to Danny Hendrix and Charles Brunton as clueless brothers, Jasper and Casper, who threaten to steal the show with their high-energy tomfoolery.
It’s a big sing and Tozer hits the spot. Douglas Hodge's numbers (at times it feels like there's one or two too many) range from calypso tongue-twisters (somehow about a meet-cute bum sniff and pork scratchings) to tight upper lip patriotic anthems in traditional pubs (obviously called 'The Hair of the Dog'), but it’s at its best during the big ballads like “Animal Lover” and the heartwarming anthem of “Take Me Home”.
David Woodhead and Sarah Mercadé’s designs put the hard-working ensemble in teal blue, down to a streak in their hair, tying them to the family. It pops against a kitsch retro orange living room, styled around sweet Danielle (an underused Jessie Elland) and bumbling Tom (another underused Samuel Thomas), and blends into Cruella’s dark labs as the pups find their bark and strength. Whilst being relatively simple, the stage is framed by polka dots that light (by James Whiteside) to set the mood – a devilish red for our villain, a cool blue for a snowy outside.
Great pink poodles, British bulldogs, and skater-boy schnauzers, as well as slinky cats (designed by Jimmy Grimes and lovingly puppeteered by a stage-filling ensemble), strut, prowl and roll across the stage. Under Bill Buckhurst's direction, much of the action takes place low on the ground, meaning there are some craned necks in the audience and a hunt for booster seats in the interval. Though, having immersive moments in the aisles certainly helps make up for it.
Alongside the leading dalmatians; Pongo (Benedict Hastings at this performance) and Perdi (Emma Thornett), the pups come thick and fast and they’re all charmingly individual, from spots to their voice. The trio that takes the reins in the second half are ever so sweet.
Behind the eccentricity and the madcap, there is some heart. But with underdeveloped heroes and frosty staging, I wonder why a musical about dogs left me wanting more fluff.
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