A huge round of a-paws for this brilliant and howlerious musical which is currently showing at Curve theatre, Leicester.
101 Dalmatians is a treat for kids and dog lovers alike, who will be captivated by the striking animal puppetry on stage. The puppeteers do a brilliant job of bringing the puppets to life, especially the main characters of Pongo and Perdi – the story’s two starring Dalmatians. Voiced by Emma Thornett and Benedict Hastings, these two handsome creations could almost pass for real canines on stage (if you squint just a little!).
Their movement and mannerisms were quite convincing and made possible by the exquisite skill of the puppeteers behind them.
Another puppeteer who really impressed me when I saw the show on Tuesday night (July 23), was the actress behind ‘Tabby’ – a slick and sassy feline who helps the Dalmatian puppies to eventual freedom. I felt that she did a great job at articulating her puppet and was at one with it almost – bringing it to life with slick movements, hypnotic head turns and tail swishes which were truly mesmerising.
For those who don’t know the story of 101 Dalmatians, which has been around since the 50s, it tells the story of a pair of Dalmatian dogs as they search through London in search of their litter of fifteen puppies, which were stolen by the evil Cruella DeVil to make dog skin fur coats.
Played by the fabulous Faye Tozer, Cruella is the iconic villain of the piece. As she struts around in leather pants and thigh high boots, you can tell that the former Steps star is having a ball on stage – embodying the evil which is so far removed from her everyday persona. In Steps, she was known as the sweet smiley blond, complete with cherubic curls and a gleaming cherry-lipped grin. As a huge fan of the band back in the 90s, it was fun to see this side of Faye and to see her in her element – having so much fun as the ‘bad girl’!
She delivers every cackle – every scathing insult and vicious put down with aplomb. The vocals of course are to die for, and she hits belts and impressive high notes with ease.
The story of 101 Dalmatians is peppered with heartfelt moments, humour and important lessons for kids, such as the importance of sticking to your morals and never leaving anyone behind. Athough it’s a little panto-ish in nature (with corny jokes and audience participation aplenty), it’s much fun!
It’s a charming, feel good musical with a fabulous furry tail ending – one which is sure to leave a huge smile on your face and a wealth of paw-sitivity in your heart long after the curtains close!
Catch 101 Dalmatians at Curve until Saturday, July 27
For tickets visit: https://www.curveonline.co.uk/whats-on/shows/101-dalmatians/
By Louise Steel
