Peppa Pig’s Adventure at the Victoria Theatre Halifax Review

Reviewed by Kathryn Carr

Squeals of delight as Peppa Pig takes to the stage in this all-singing, all-dancing production. Don’t stay at home and miss out on this little piggy’s performance!

“I’m so excited!” said my daughter as we made our way to the Victoria Theatre in Halifax. She’d heard that Peppa Pig was taking a break from telly, to perform live on stage. We’d been invited on a camping trip with said pig and all her friends, and expectations were off the scale. I could only hope that the show, the fifth Peppa production of its kind, with its BAFTA award-winning composer was going to please my nursery rhyme singing / nonsense song maker-upper.

Met by smiles, the patient theatre staff helped herd changing-bag, pick n mix, toddler wielding parents to their seats. A truly impressive old school theatre, the venue was a little different to Madame Gazelle’s classroom but just as bustling.

Peppa Pig’s Adventure is centred around a camping trip and although it’s a new story, the similar storylines, themes and of course muddy puddle jumping that feature in the TV show are an easy spot.

Instantly recognisable, the scenery, in cahoots with the head-nodding inducing theme tune, caused a frenzy. The already excited babbles from a theatre full of pre-schoolers heightened to happy hysteria as smiles got wider, shouts got louder, and bodies got bouncier with the lifting of the curtain.

Peppa Pig’s Adventure had my three-year-old bellow out a belly laugh that caused the entire row in front to turn around to get a glimpse of the look on her face. What a guffaw. Who knew that shadows of every child’s favourite pig, cast onto a tent could be so funny? This simple use of light was so effective. In similar fashion, the basic yet bold and colourful staging worked its magic, perfectly reminiscent of the Peppa episodes we see on TV.

What really makes this show, is its interactivity. Reading my little girl’s facial expressions, it was clear to see that being made to feel part of the action in a story staring one of her heroes, really made her day. The adventure unfolds with the help of ‘Daisy’, a prominent human character in a familiar world of unlikely animal friendships. She joins playgroup pals Pedro Pony, Suzy Sheep, Gerald Giraffe and George Pig on stage, encouraging the audience to find Peppa by calling out her name. I wondered whether my daughter would consider Daisy an outsider or whether she’d be confused by the actors dressed in black, controlling the puppets, but neither subject was broached. It was all so seamless. Everyone got busy clapping, copying actions and singing the ‘it gets into your head’ Bing Bong Song, uniting in the upbeat atmosphere. The actors did a fabulous job of imitating, even singing in the character’s voices as well as manoeuvring them around the stage. Alongside the puppets were an impressive, oversized Mummy Pig, Daddy Pig and Madame Gazelle. The costumes are top notch.

The audience certainly wasn’t a quiet one. One little girl shouted ‘Peppa’ on repeat, the whole of the first half of the performance, but no-one minded. This show actually warrants such joyful practice. In contrast, my favourite scene featuring glow in the dark nocturnal animals actually created a sense of calm. It was beautiful. Not a word I expected to use in this review.

The to-be expected muddy puddle scene didn’t disappoint. The combination of water pistols and an already very giddy audience guaranteed a splashing good time.

Peppa Pig may be the bane of parental life but she’s also the saviour. Seeing this show will only warm you to her as you witness your child sing and move along to the catchy tunes. When you see how their face lights up, your next bacon butty might even create a stab of guilt.

Rating: 5/5

Tickets cost from £18.75* for adults and £16.75* for children (*Ticket prices include a Theatre Support Fee when booking via the Box Office and online. No other charges are applied.)

Peppa Pig’s Adventure is at the Victoria Theatre in Halifax from 20-21 June 2018, for more information or to book tickets visit visit www.calderdale.gov.uk/victoria or call the box office on 01422 351158.

Victoria Theatre, Fountain Street, Halifax HX1 1BP | 01422 351158