WITH three children, over the past decade I have watched more than my fair share of episodes of smash hit Nickelodeon kids show Paw Patrol.
All of my children have loved the telly smash, and my youngest, Estella who is four, is currently in the grip of her Paw Patrol phase.
So when I heard a huge theatrical version of the animated hit 'Paw Patrol Live! : The Great Pirate Adventure' was rolling into London's Wembley Arena, it was a no-brainer for us.
The chance to see Chase, Marshall, Rocky, Zuma, Rocky and my own personal favourite Rubble brought to life up-close was pretty much Estella's answer to a Beyonce concert.
And as we filed into the arena alongside thousands of other excited youngsters, it was clear these pups were the pre-school version of rock stars.
There was a small part of me that worried that sitting through a raucous 75-minute live version of Paw Patrol (the cartoon is typically only 22 minutes long) would leave me as the one needing 'yelp for help.'
But from the minute the opening few bars of the TV show's maddeningly catchy theme song-which lives rent free in my head-rang out across the arena even my toes were tapping.
As the cartoon world of Adventure Bay was brought to life in front of us, at points I was almost as sucked in as my four-year-old.
The live show was a genuine spectacle with incredible puppetry which puts the much-loved pups front and centre.
They are HUGE with adult puppeteers operating them, so their eyes and mouths move with such expression that after a while you forget the humans are even there.
The sheer size of the pup puppets and the bright primary colours of their outfits, mean in such a big arena, even really little ones can really see the action on stage and follow it.
And at points in the show the Paw Patrol pups ride in brilliantly realistic recreations of their signature vehicles.
The show is really interactive too in an almost panto style.
I loved watching my daughter point and scream as the rarely-sighted 'Pirate Parrot' kept popping up behind Cap'n Turbot.
This live version of the show has a kid-friendly pirate theme. As hapless Turbot falls down a sinkhole into a cave and when Ruder and his team of pups go to the rescue, they find themselves on the quest for pirate gold.
Kids have to solve treasure map clues along with the characters which are beamed onto a giant screen.
And of course they also have great fun yelling out the show's famous catchphrases.
The distinctive costumes and high-energy performances of the actors who play Ryder, Mayor Goodway and of course dastardly Mayor Humdinger really help carry the action along.
Kids also loved their foot-tapping song and dance numbers.
Even fan favourite chickaletta gets in on the act at one point.
Since its first theatrical version in the Autumn of 2016, the PAW Patrol Live! experience has been seen by over 7 million people worldwide, and it's easy to see why.
'Paw Patrol Live! The Great Pirate Adventure' is the perfect way to give young children their first taste of theatre and a big dose of fun.
And with 39 performances nationwide across the summer-Paw Patrol really are on a roll.
Paw Patrol Live! The Great Pirate Adventure
★★★★
Across the UK – To book visit www.PAWpatrolLive.co.uk
Post a Comment