9:45am Friday 19th March 2010
By Stuart Minting
IT WAS a bit like walking to a football match as crowds converged on Harrogate Theatre.
Firstly, there was an almost tangible buzz of excitement in the air.
There were no mounted cops, but a North Yorkshire Police car was parked near the venue, presumably to prevent a riot.
However, instead of soccer shirts the fans were sporting Peppa Pig merchandise, sipping apple juice rather than swigging lager and were all about 3ft tall.
The show kicks off in the Pig family’s garden with the title character’s human friend Daisy telling hundreds of excited youngsters that they are invited to Peppa’s birthday party.
It immediately became apparent this show would differ from the Milkshake Live! production – Peppa’s last visit to North Yorkshire – she would be a puppet this time.
However, the young audience were not at all bothered by their TV favourites being attached to the arms of actors who remained on stage.
Using a series of theatrical devices, such as guessing games and “behind you” scenarios, the audience meets Peppa’s inner circle – Danny Dog, Suzy Sheep, Emily Elephant, Daddy Pig, Mummy Pig, and George – culminating in a grand entrance for the porcine heroine.
Every now and then animators come up with a great comic character, such as Cartman (South Park) or Bart Simpson.
Daddy Pig doesn’t quite rank alongside those greats, but at this show he sparked adult snorts of laughter with his boasts of expertise shortly before abjectly failing to perform given tasks.
The matinee performance raced by with several changes of scene, some slickly-performed original songs.
When the final medley song started the audience – adults included – were encouraged to stand up and dance. While this may have helped cap the party atmosphere, it did reduce a nearby toddler to tears as she could not see the stage due to the adults in front of her. Other children looked non-plussed.
That oversight, however, was the sole low note and, in the end, the youngsters were as happy as piglets in muddy puddles.
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