101 Dalmatians
Theatre Royal Brighton
SPOT ON
You know you’re been to see a special show when you leave the theatre feeling like you’re walking on air. 101 Dalmatians was a brilliant blend of wholesome storytelling, big musical numbers, stunning puppetry and scintillatingly devilish costumes. With a beautiful lighting rig arching over the stage, and ever-changing innovative sets, this production is a celebration of creativity, imagination and cuteness.
It’s the perfect alternative to your traditional festive panto, if you’re looking for something refreshingly new and exciting. It has elements of the things we love about pantomime such as painfully enjoyable cheesy jokes, clever wordplay and a silly yet very talented dynamic duo (Charles Brunton & Danny Hendrix) that act as the comic-relief double-act throughout. It’s a spectacular show for the whole family, sprinkled with a heap of clever humour designed to appeal to both parents and children. Who doesn’t love an innuendo?
Yet, panto comparisons aside, this musical exudes quality of the highest order, cut to the leading lady Kerry Ellis who plays our villainous Cruella De Vil. Apparently the first time in her illustrious career that she has had the pleasure of playing the bad guy, but from her powerful cackle you certainly wouldn’t know it! With her almighty singing voice stunning audience members time and time again, Kerry manages to soar center-stage as the main focal point, without stealing the show away from the rest of the wider cast members, who celebrate an abundance of talent.
As a huge fan of puppetry on stage, I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing numerous Les Enfant Terrible productions, as well as seeing The Muppets themselves live at The O2. There were a few moments reminiscent of Jim Henson’s furry American creations, particularly in the opening number “Take Me Home”, as a plethora of dogs sung in unison from the kennel in search of a loving place to live, that strongly reminded me of the opening sequence to The Muppet Show. The creatures made for this production were indeed very beautifully created and brought to life by the highly-skilled cast that create a visual spectacle that breathes life and emotion into our four legged friends.
Talking of visual spectacles, the show is also a delight for lovers of costumes. With fashion and design being a key theme of the story, there is an abundance of eyebrow-raising outfits worn throughout the show, mainly by the “animal lover” Cruella De Vil, who is willing to do anything it takes to find the perfect outfit. When her vision of a Dalmatian coat is realised, her imagination is brought to life by a breathtaking song where her fantasy of spotted attire takes over the entire stage; a powerful and punchy number to close the first half performed in the truly magnificent and inimitable style of Kerry Ellis.
The set design was also remarkable, interchanging scene to scene seamlessly from the likes of a humble family home, to a moonlit dramatic car chase and the creepy castle of Cruella’s headquarters. There is so much visual splendor in this musical to engage all ages which is the hallmark of an amazing family show. It takes alot for an entire audience to give a standing ovation, and that’s what happened with children and adults alike putting their hands together for this fantastic production. A must-see for lovers of the original Disney film, families of all ages, and a real delight for musical fans as you get to see the Queen of the West End live in action in this groundbreaking show.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1/2
Reviewer: Stephen Sheldrake
