REVIEW: 101 Dalmatians The Musical at New Theatre
101 Dalmatians The Musical opened in the New Theatre last night (Tuesday 15 October) and we were fortunate enough to be invited to review this 'pawfect' tale.
I’m sure everyone is familiar with 101 Dalmatians, either from the book by Dodie Smith, or the films by Disney.
But just in case you’re not, this is a story about a couple, Tom (played by Samuel Thomas) and Danielle (Jessie Elland), and their dogs Pongo (Linford Johnson) and Perdi (Emma Thornett). They live a normal, lovely life, and are then blessed to have a litter of puppies on the way!
That is until fashionista Cruella De Vil (Kym Marsh) hears about these puppies and has a cruel idea for a new coat. Pongo and Perdi must do all it takes to protect their puppies, and a few extra.
Although I don’t agree with her actions, Cruella De Vil is one of my favourite Disney villains. And I have to say, as expected, Kym Marsh was extremely devilish. She embraced the character, quirks and all! I even heard other audience members praising her performance during the interval.
When asked about playing the role, Kym said, “I think people are going to absolutely love her. The costumes are so brilliant, and when she walks on, she’s just in command of everything - she’s the most fun character ever”, and it certainly looked like she was having fun during the performance!
As you probably worked out, the majority of the cast were brought to life by puppets. The puppeteers really are the highlight of the show. Like dogs, each puppet was a different size - from hand puppets to two-person puppets! They all had so many intricate ways of moving, some with up to four areas to control. And even though the puppets are being controlled by the puppeteers, you honestly forget they’re there.
They do such an amazing job and adapt so many typical dog mannerisms, you just see them as real dogs - from the head tilts, to the tail wags, to shaking, to unwavering love and loyalty.
As advertised as well, this is a musical, and the songs add so much to the performance. One of my favourites was A Thousand Kisses which amplified the emotion in the scene for me.
Bold statement, but I think this might be one of my favourite musicals to date. I’m a massive fan of the film, but the way this was brought to life on stage was incredible. I nearly cried, both tears of joy and sadness, on several occasions.
It reminded me of The Lion King musical, because both have such high expectations due to the fact the majority of the cast are animals, and every time you see it you are still blown away by the sheer skill involved.
This performance, as you probably guessed, is suitable for children - it would be a great first show for a child! But it is one that everyone can enjoy. I don’t think you need to be a musical theatre fan, or a Disney fan to enjoy and appreciate the artistry and the story. Two words to describe the production would be: spot on.
101 Dalmatians The Musical is in Cardiff until Saturday (19 October) so make sure to get your ticket for this amazing performance. You'd be barking mad to miss it. Tickets are available by ringing 0343 310 0041 or by clicking here.
Review by Sophie Platt
Commentaires