101 Dalmatians The Musical
It is unbelievable to think that the Disney version of 101 Dalmatians was released in 1961, with the original novel by Dodie Smith having been written in 1956, but this classical tale is almost 70 years old!
This new musical version of the tale, written by Douglas Hodge (music and lyrics) and Johnny McKnight (book) and adapted for the stage by Zinnie Harris, really does bring the story into the modern day.
When Cruella de Vil hatches a plot to kidnap (or dognap, if you would prefer) all the Dalmatian puppies in order to create herself a fabulous fur coat, there’s trouble in store. Will Pergo and Perdi be able to rescue their pups? Or will Cruella’s nephew henchman reconsider their part in the crime?
For this part of the tour, Faye Tozer takes on the role of Cruella. She is by far the star of the show, showing a nasty side to her abilities instead of the squeaky-clean version we are used to seeing in pop band Steps. Her vocals are flawless, and her acting talents are something to be taken note of.
However, the production itself was a little disappointing. Whilst the main puppets were impressively made, the additional puppies used towards the end of the production looked like they had been thrown together last minute, spoiling the overall aesthetics. Lucy Hind’s choreography was basic and small in scale for a musical production and some of the scenes felt repetitive and as if they were going on a little bit too long.
It was clearly a hit with younger members of the audience though and is probably best viewed as a family, with the consistency of silly song lyrics to provide giggles and cute puppies to pull on the heart strings.
This show was reviewed on the 20th August 2024 at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre where it runs until the 24th August 2024. Tickets available here: 101 DALMATIANS THE MUSICAL | Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
Full tour details can be found here: Tour - 101 Dalmatians
Review written by Rachel Louise Martin
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Photo credit: Matt Crockett
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