Review: Peppa Pig’s Big Family Show, Theatre Royal Haymarket

It’s Christmas time and excited families from all over have flocked to the Theatre Royal Haymarket – not to see the Othello production that’s over the door, but to meet the equally legendary Peppa Pig and all her friends in Peppa Pig’s Big Family Show.

The theatre’s all set up for the influx, with buggy parking, some choice merch on offer, and friendly staff ready to help out. And there’s a thrilling anticipation in the air as the lights go down and that familiar music begins…

As the curtain goes up, we meet Daisy (Cinem Gopaul), a human friend who has come to help the Pig family decorate the nursery for the new piglet that Mummy Pig (Charlie Culkin) is expecting soon. Daisy welcomes all the kids, waving to make them feel part of the show, which is a fun eighty minutes of upbeat, colourful and musical entertainment that really keeps the little ones entertained. With singalongs and dancing throughout, Gopaul and the whole cast are full of enthusiasm, clearly enjoying the pleasure the performance brings to the children. There are even a few moments of calm built in to keep the energy levels smooth.

It’s so important with iconic characters to make them look right, and they’ve done a good job here of making very 2D figures look solid and familiar. The puppets look just like our favourite cartoon family and the audience are delighted to see them, clapping and cheering with joy. Adult characters are played in skins so are able to dance and move easily. Peppa and George are half height, made mobile on wheeled panels, but can sing along with a trigger action to move their mouths and can swivel their heads across several planes. Largely this works really well, with puppeteers swapping between characters so they are always active whilst also singing along and filling the stage with fun. Emma Hilts is an utter delight as Peppa, although there were a couple of moments where Peppa is separated from her puppeteer so you have to imagine the connection and some of the children were slightly confused. At one point she’s actually left inactive on stage when she’s singing a song, which was disappointing, as the character just dropped out completely.

It’s brilliant to see (and hear) all the familiar characters from the TV series. David Tudor and Culkin cover George, Daddy Pig, and the voice of the narrator, along with guest appearances from Danny Dog, Mr Bull and Suzy Sheep. There’s also a surprise red guest from a bedtime story that had the audience on their feet, dancing and laughing – and even Santa makes an appearance! But the absolute highlight is baby Evie, who clearly doesn’t need a puppeteer as she is wide awake and dancing on her own in her cot, which is a lovely touch. She’s utterly adorable and the children love her!

There are some really fun moments in the staging, including surprising water sprays and bubbles, although it wasn’t clear if these would reach further than the front stalls. One particularly inventive bit sees glow in the dark paint pots and brushes floating through the air. It’s a section that could easily have fallen back on digital projection but is made much more interesting by the old school effect, which had the audience wide-eyed with wonder. The set design is colourful and flexible on the whole, although Daddy Pig’s new car was a little unstable on the day.

From the ‘Bing Bong’ song to splashing in muddy puddles and spending time with family and friends, this production has everything a Peppa fan could wish for, whilst grown-ups will also enjoy Mummy Pig’s familiar ironic comments: Daisy: “That was a short sleep.” Mummy Pig: “Yes Daisy, they’re all short”. Peppa Pig’s Big Family Show is a lovely choice for a fun Christmas adventure with the kids, which will leave you full of warm and fuzzy family feelings, ready for the holidays.

Produced by Fierylight
Directed and co-adapted by Richard Lewis 

Peppa Pig’s Big Family Show is recommended for all ages. It plays at Theatre Royal Haymarket until Sunday 4 January before touring across the UK.