Review: Toto, Polka Theatre

This half-term Polka Theatre presents an upbeat, musical adaptation of author Ximo Abadia’s picture book Toto, aimed at ages 3-8 years. With great songs, excellent performances and enthusiastic audience interaction it’s a fun entertainment for an audience of young people and their families, in the school break.

Toto (Inès Mazdon Delas) is a young donkey who has dreams of going to space school, like his idol Luna Lopez (Mya Fox-Scott), but his ambition is cut short when he is forced to go to work in a box-moving factory to help his mother (Alice Keedwell) pay the bills. He comes into conflict with the nasty factory owner Mucho Dinero (played wonderfully by Ricardo Castro) and ends up running away to the big city to try to make a better future. It’s a story filled with familiar, positive themes about the value of following your dreams, determination, identity, family and friendship, imagination, and resilience in the face of disappointment, with a positive resolution at the end.

Abadia is renowned for his gorgeous illustrations as much as his stories. Bold, blocky and colourful in the picture book, they complement the slightly surreal nature of this story about a donkey determined to become an astronaut… The set design and costumes (Charlotte Henery) here are polished and flexible (with some particularly nice spacesuits!), but they don’t obviously reflect Abadia’s distinctive style. 

The adventure is indeed very entertaining and keeps the audience engaged throughout, although it’s perhaps not thematically challenging for the upper end of the suggested age range. What’s really great about the show, however, is the quality and production value demonstrated in its performance, music and choreography: the story is elevated by the talented cast, excellent music and slick movement work. Fox-Scott and Castro, in particular, play some outstanding character roles that have the audience in stitches, and the ensemble move brilliantly and precisely together to perform Jennifer Fletcher’s quirkily choreographed pieces. These really do bring the sense of the surreal from Abadia’s book to the stage, as donkeys dance in synchronicity. There’s also lots of playful interaction with the audience that picks on dads and uses the auditorium to the full, with additional opportunities to salute using our donkey ears and a bottom song to slap along to.

Harry Blake’s songs and music are the real stars of the show, with a splendid variety of themes and styles that give texture and depth to the tale, and some fabulous earworms that will keep you singing all the way home. Indeed ‘Umbrella’ may well be in the top ten by the end of the weekend. 

Toto is an upbeat, fun-filled hour of entertainment that’s ideal for a mixed age range of children. It’s definitely a great choice for a half-term family outing.

Written by Ximo Abadia
Adapted, Composed and Arranged by Harry Blake
Directed by Jennifer Tang
Choreography by Jennifer Fletcher
Set & Costume Design by Charlotte Henery
Lighting Design by Benny Goodman
Sound Design by Dan Balfour
Casting Consultant: Chloe Blake
Intimacy Coordinator: Chi-San Howard
A Polka Theatre and Topper & Fred Production

Toto is aimed at ages 3-8 years and runs at Polka Theatre until Sunday 1 November.