Perhaps best known for the numerous Disney explorations of the classic tale, 101 Dalmatians is a story each generation has grown up with since the release of Dodie Smith’s original book in 1956. When fur obsessed Cruella de Vil wants a new coat, she sets her heart on Dalmatians for the material. When Pongo and Perdi welcome a litter of 15 puppies, they (along with owners Tom and Danielle) do everything they can to make sure Cruella doesn’t get her way!
The set design is fun and almost cartoon-like visually, which works well in bringing the story to life whilst ensuring charm. This is complemented by Sarah Mercadé’s costume design which is equally fun and adds to the wonderfully camp aesthetic.
Songs like ‘Animal Lover’ are real ear worms and keep the audience engaged. However, these moments are few, and much of the music is sadly forgettable. A stronger score with catchier melodies and more inventive lyrics would really help give the show a boost.
What works well however is Jimmy Grimes' puppetry design. The puppets perfectly blend the movement of real life animals whilst still having a friendly animated charm. It isn’t just Dalmatians, we meet a whole array of breeds from Frenchies to Poodles… and even a cat!
Kym Marsh has the perfect balance of camp and menace as Cruella, completely embodying the iconic villain on stage. Marsh was a joy to watch and the audience lapped up her every moment on stage. Cruella is flanked by dimwitted yet intrinsically sweet nephews Jasper (Danny Hendrix) and Casper (Charles Brunton) who exist to carry out her dirty work. They really bring the comedy through their slapstick performances, endearing the audience to them from the moment we meet them.
Whilst all the performances are credible, it is the book that is the issue and I can see this working much better as a stronger one act play or a more fleshed out two act piece. However, the laughter of children around the auditorium begs to differ, as they giggled there way through to great delight. 101 Dalmatians would benefit in taking note from other successful family shows which manage to have greater appeal to differing ages.
101 Dalmatians is on at Manchester Palace Theatre until Saturday 10 August 2024
Note: My ticket was gifted. Irrespective of whether a show is gifted or bought, I always ensure that my reviews are fair and based on my honest opinion alone.