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Review: Winnie the Pooh, Riverside Studios

There's no denying it: Winnie the Pooh is a global icon. Especially the Disney version of the bear, beloved by people of all ages around the world. It’s reassuring therefore that this stage musical is without doubt aesthetically perfect and an absolute joy to watch. It’s a highly polished production, totally up to the Disney standards it reflects. From the moment you enter the auditorium you are immersed in the beauty of One Hundred Acre Wood. Crickets chirp and birds cheep in a calming, enchanting atmosphere. The design work is gorgeous and comfortingly familiar, from the exquisitely constructed set…

Summary

Rating

Excellent

Joyfully imaginative and larger than life, this is an authentic treat of a show, with gorgeous design, uplifting music and, above all, wonderful puppetry.

There’s no denying it: Winnie the Pooh is a global icon. Especially the Disney version of the bear, beloved by people of all ages around the world. It’s reassuring therefore that this stage musical is without doubt aesthetically perfect and an absolute joy to watch.

It’s a highly polished production, totally up to the Disney standards it reflects. From the moment you enter the auditorium you are immersed in the beauty of One Hundred Acre Wood. Crickets chirp and birds cheep in a calming, enchanting atmosphere. The design work is gorgeous and comfortingly familiar, from the exquisitely constructed set to the light, sound and terrific music. And then, of course, there are the outstanding puppets… You really will want to take them home.

Anticipation fills the air as the audience of largely tiny spectators and their families await the arrival of the celebrated golden bear and they’re truly not disappointed. He and the other stunning, full-sized puppets are beautifully crafted. They reproduce the toys from the story in a range of texturally diverse fleeces, fabrics and furs that just beg to be squeezed and are cleverly structured to be performed with amazing vitality.

The characters are totally delightful and completely authentic, performed by an enormously dynamic cast, some of whom manage multiple characterisations with skill. Pooh bear himself is a gorgeous honey-coloured delight, enacted with joyful exuberance by Benjamin Durham. And the audience love him: an audible gasp goes up as he takes to the stage.

But they’re all here – all your favourite friends, alive before your very eyes and just like the originals! Pooh is accompanied by an adorable Piglet, performed (appropriately!) by Laura Bacon, who gives a sensitive vulnerability to the little porker. Impressively, she also brings Roo to life in a completely different but equally charming characterisation, played alongside a wonderfully warm Kanga from Lottie Grogan. There’s a bit of show-stealing by Harry Boyd as the delightfully morose Eeyore, appealing beautifully to the audience with big sad eyes, before Tigger, played with vigour by Alex Cardall, bounces on to the stage to raise the roof, with everyone applauding and cheering. The story is further illustrated by additional lovely puppetry of creatures in the wood, and a magic moment that see Pooh sticks travelling along the river!

It’s a carefully paced, active production that keeps the young audience hooked; breaking up the scenes with some terrific songs that are all familiar from the original movie or adapted from AA Milne’s book, and great for a singalong. We hear all the classic sayings that we know so well, and there are some magical, exciting surprises to mark the changing seasons with fabulous impact. I so want to tell you more but it would spoil it. Go see for yourself!

This is a treat of a show for the young and the young at heart. It delivers touching messages of friendship and acceptance with wonderful, larger than life fun, and celebrates imagination and playfulness. It’s a fabulous family day out.


Produced by Wild Card Productions
Presented by Rockefeller Productions, in partnership with ROYO, and in association with Disney Theatrical Productions.

Winnie The Pooh plays at Riverside Studios until 21 May 2023. Further information and bookings can be found here.

About Mary Pollard

By her own admission Mary goes to the theatre far too much, and will watch just about anything. Her favourite musical is Matilda, which she has seen 16 times, but she’s also an Anthony Neilson and Shakespeare fan - go figure. She has a long history with Richmond Theatre, but is currently helping at Shakespeare's Globe as a steward and in the archive. She's also having fun being ET's specialist in children's theatre and puppetry, and being a Super Assessor for the Offies! Mary now insists on being called The Master having used the Covid pandemic to achieve an award winning MA in London's Theatre and Performance.