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101 Dalmatians the Musical is painting the city black and white and making even the iciest heart melt with doggy cuteness. Playing at Palace Theatre in Manchester until Saturday 10 August 2024.
Did you know the author of the children’s book, Dodie Smith, was from Manchester? It seems even more apt that this musical adaptation is taking centre stage in our city!
And thanks to Disney, we all fell in love with Pongo and Perdi, the Dalmatian duo who must save their tail-wagging puppies from the evil hands of fashionista, Cruella de Vil. But how does this stage adaptation match up?
Don’t forget to read my review of pop-tastic musical, & Juliet!!
The production is incredibly family friendly
It is very wholesome with a lot of silly humour and sweet interactions between the characters.
Danielle and Tom are like cartoon characters lifted straight off the page. Cruella de Vil is suitably cruel with witchy comebacks that perfectly entertain the adults and her comical nephews slash dog-nappers are furiously foolish and chuckle worthy.
The puppets are utterly adorable. It’s a joy to experience so many dog breeds with the puppeteers showcasing all their unique traits. However, I would have liked more of a spectacle at the end to represent the 101 dalmatians.
There is a special treat in store though when a real life dalmatian joins the cast and the audience make the biggest AWWWW.
The show runs at a slower pace, with a soft adventure to follow. Maybe my memory is spotty but the plot wasn’t exactly as I remember.
However, some well-known moments from the animation remain such as Cruella de Vil manically driving her luxury car, the ‘Twilight Bark’ canine hotline and the puppies escaping capture in the peril of snowfall.
The set is designed with a cartoonish look and the costuming follows suit with lots of colour. It’s all very simple and playful.
The songs use repetition in CBBC style. ‘Take me Home’ was particularly catchy. Yet it was a shame there was no musical reference to the main ‘Cruella de Vil’ song from the movie.
Overall, it really is a production that is wonderful at keeping a child’s attention. So, whilst independent adults might not be as entertained, you can be sure young ones will be smiling from ear to ear.
Families will go dotty for 101 Dalmatians the musical.
Playing at Palace Theatre in Manchester until Saturday 10 August. Tickets from £13 (plus transaction fee). 2024 UK Tour information here.
Photo credit: Johan Persson