There’s no denying it: Winnie the Pooh is a world icon. Especially the Disney model of the bear, beloved by individuals of all ages world wide. It’s reassuring subsequently that this stage musical is doubtless aesthetically excellent and an absolute pleasure to look at. It’s a extremely polished manufacturing, completely as much as the Disney requirements it displays. From the second you enter the auditorium you’re immersed in the great thing about One Hundred Acre Wood. Crickets chirp and birds cheep in a relaxing, enchanting ambiance. The design work is attractive and comfortingly acquainted, from the exquisitely constructed set…
Rating
Excellent
Joyfully imaginative and bigger than life, that is an genuine deal with of a present, with attractive design, uplifting music and, above all, great puppetry.
There’s no denying it: Winnie the Pooh is a world icon. Especially the Disney model of the bear, beloved by individuals of all ages world wide. It’s reassuring subsequently that this stage musical is doubtless aesthetically excellent and an absolute pleasure to look at.
It’s a extremely polished manufacturing, completely as much as the Disney requirements it displays. From the second you enter the auditorium you’re immersed in the great thing about One Hundred Acre Wood. Crickets chirp and birds cheep in a relaxing, enchanting ambiance. The design work is attractive and comfortingly acquainted, from the exquisitely constructed set to the sunshine, sound and terrific music. And then, in fact, there are the excellent puppets… You actually will wish to take them dwelling.
Anticipation fills the air because the viewers of largely tiny spectators and their households await the arrival of the celebrated golden bear and so they’re actually not disillusioned. He and the opposite beautiful, full-sized puppets are superbly crafted. They reproduce the toys from the story in a spread of texturally numerous fleeces, materials and furs that simply beg to be squeezed and are cleverly structured to be carried out with superb vitality.
The characters are completely pleasant and utterly genuine, carried out by an enormously dynamic forged, a few of whom handle a number of characterisations with ability. Pooh bear himself is a beautiful honey-coloured delight, enacted with joyful exuberance by Ben Durham. And the viewers love him: an audible gasp goes up as he takes to the stage.
But they’re all right here – all of your favorite mates, alive earlier than your very eyes and similar to the originals! Pooh is accompanied by an cute Piglet, carried out (appropriately!) by Laura Bacon, who offers a delicate vulnerability to the little porker. Impressively, she additionally brings Roo to life in a very totally different however equally charming characterisation, performed alongside a splendidly heat Kanga from Lottie Grogan. There’s a little bit of show-stealing by Harry Boyd because the delightfully morose Eeyore, interesting superbly to the viewers with huge unhappy eyes, earlier than Tigger, performed with vigour by Alex Cardall, bounces on to the stage to lift the roof, with everybody applauding and cheering. The story is additional illustrated by extra beautiful puppetry of creatures within the wooden, and a magic second that see Pooh sticks travelling alongside the river!
It’s a fastidiously paced, energetic manufacturing that retains the younger viewers hooked; breaking apart the scenes with some terrific songs which might be all acquainted from the unique film or tailored from AA Milne’s e-book, and nice for a singalong. We hear all of the basic sayings that we all know so effectively, and there are some magical, thrilling surprises to mark the altering seasons with fabulous affect. I so wish to inform you extra however it might spoil it. Go see for your self!
This is a deal with of a present for the younger and the younger at coronary heart. It delivers touching messages of friendship and acceptance with great, bigger than life enjoyable, and celebrates creativeness and playfulness. It’s a superb household day trip.
Produced by Wild Card Productions
Presented by Rockefeller Productions, in partnership with ROYO, and in affiliation with Disney Theatrical Productions.
Winnie The Pooh performs at RIverside Studios till 21 May 2023. Further info and bookings could be discovered right here.