Winnie The Pooh At Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield Review

Reviewed by Joy Wright

As soon as we sat down we could see the set on stage featuring a cute woodland scene and recognisable scene areas in The Hundred Acre Wood, such as a bridge over a river for playing Pooh Sticks and a large tree trunk with an opening inside. The show is really beautifully done and the lighting made it feel warm and welcoming. As a production it’s really child centric. The combination of the set design and capable cast brings the beloved characters to life in a way that is both faithful to the original story and refreshing to see on stage instead of screen.

The characters are essentially giant soft toy puppets, expertly handled by a cast who have done a great job with recognisable character voices and enunciation along with movement which embodies the cartoon styles seen on TV and film. The children in the audience can’t help but recognise the cuddly characters ad they do look very huggable. Each is operated by a puppeteer who moves and voices each character, bringing high energy for the likes of Tigger bouncing around and Rabbit’s own high energy busyness, along with the slower, more clumsy aspects of Pooh himself and the sweet cutesy natures of Piglet and Roo. You’ll also see Kanga, Owl and of course the ever blue Eeyore bringing his unique view of the world to all the events. Christopher Robin makes an appearance before heading off to school for the day, leaving the characters to adventure in The Hundred Acre Woods together, seeing the seasons change and searching for Pooh’s beloved honey, meeting a new character and getting into bother in Rabbit’s garden. A lot happens in a short time but it’s gentle and silly fun all the way through.

The musical numbers in Winnie the Pooh are sweet. Most of us with children in our lives will recognise The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers, A Blustery Day and other songs. There’s also A.A. Milne’s The More It Snows. The tunes are catchy and well known so the younger members of the audience often sing or speak along. It’s never entirely dark in the auditorium so there’s nothing for little ones to be alarmed about and booster seats for those who need them to get a good view of the action.

At sixty minutes in length this is an appropriate and comfortable time for little ones to sit through comfortably.
Winnie the Pooh is a lovely performance for big and little kids alike, or this could be a first introduction to theatre for the youngest members of the family. There were kids from babies to my ten year old who were all enthralled and carried along with the storyline and visual appeal. It’s a production that captures the essence of these beloved characters and brings them to life on stage.

You can find tickets here at 11am, 2pm and 5pm, or call the box office on 0114 249 6000 with prices from £15.00 to £25.00. Beware though, this show leaves on Thursday 22nd after their last performance so grab your tickets whilst you can.

Rating: 5/5