Reviewed by Louise Watts
Having four children myself, the book “Dear Zoo” by Rod Campbell has had a place on my bookshelf since my first child was born in 2003. First published in 1982 and still going strong, the book tells the story of Ben, a young boy who writes to the zoo asking for them to send him a pet. Along with his best friend Sally, they are given the opportunity to try out several animals before eventually receiving the perfect pet. Sam the zookeeper is the man responsible for delivering these pets and he builds up a familiar relationship with Ben and Sally which is as a result of the many visits he makes delivering animals.
The story has now been adapted for the stage and has been touring the UK since March. I visited The Capitol theatre in Horsham today (29 May 2018) along with my animal mad 3-year-old son to see this wonderful story brought to life. I was desperately hoping that we were not going to be disappointed. As soon as I entered the theatre and saw the stage, I knew this was going to be a top-quality performance. The set was perfectly formed just like the pictures in the book and it was all bright and simple in design which made it perfect for the audience it was aimed at.
We were introduced to the story by Sam and what followed was sheer genius. Superb acting, engaging audience participation and beautifully written songs for the animals – my personal favourite being the grumpy camel song! This show had everything you could possibly want to engage an audience of under 5’s (and their adult guests) for a little under an hour. The animals were brilliant, and the story was easy to follow.
The Capitol theatre is a lovely theatre with a capacity of just over 400 and it was a pleasure to see it almost full today with young children and their adult guests. The staff are always friendly and willing to help in any way possible. Parking is easy with several car parks nearby which have a minimal pay and display charge. There is a coffee shop and a kiosk selling drinks and snacks and for evening performances, there is also a bar selling alcoholic drinks.
As the show finished and all the children began to head home, it was lovely to see the cast in the foyer saying goodbye to the children and my son was very happy as he got to high-5 the monkey which made his day! I always think it is a lovely touch if the children can meet the cast afterwards so that they can see that they are real people.
I would thoroughly recommend this show to anyone with pre-school children and possibly children aged up to 7 or 8 years. It is a delightful story and is given a new dimension on stage which worked superbly.
Rating: 5/5
Tickets cost £15 (booking fees may apply).
Dear Zoo Live is at The Capitol in Horsham from 2-30 May 2018, for more information or to book tickets visit www.thecapitolhorsham.com or call the box office on 01403 750220.
The Capitol Horsham, North Street, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 1RG | 01403 750220
