Mark Ludmon reviews the latest production of Where Is Peter Rabbit? at London’s Theatre Royal Haymarket
Where Is Peter Rabbit?
Theatre Royal Haymarket, London
Four stars
Book Tickets
The school holidays have arrived so it’s time for Peter Rabbit to go AWOL again. Since premiering three years ago at The Old Laundry Theatre in the Lake District, family musical Where Is Peter Rabbit? is back with its charming re-telling of some of Beatrix Potter’s enduringly loved stories.
The initial premise is that Potter has lost her manuscript for The Tale of Peter Rabbit but this quickly escalates into Peter himself being missing. There is no foul play afoot apart from Jemima Puddle-Duck who joins the quest to find the mischievous bunny. Along the way, Potter meets many other characters from the stories, all brought to life through the wonders of puppetry. The set by Roger Glossop, who devised the show, along with Tim Reid’s video and Caroline Bronwen Hughes’s costumes all take inspiration from Potter’s beautiful illustrations to recreate the timeless world of her 24 books.
The stories are told by a five-strong ensemble, led by Joanna Brown as Potter, with recorded voiceovers from Griff Rhys Jones and Myleene Klass. My highlight was The Tale of Mr Jeremy Fisher whose attempt to catch some minnows turns into drama of biblical proportions but we also get the sweet tale of prickly-headed washerwoman Mrs Tiggy-Winkle the hedgehog, the co-dependent rivalry of frenemies Mr Tod the fox and Mr Brock the badger, and “simpleton” Jemima Puddle-Duck’s near-death experience at the hands of Mr Tod.
There are a few hints of nature red in tooth and claw, not least from Peter Rabbit’s arch nemesis, the farmer Mr McGregor who proclaims that the best place for a rabbit is in a pie – the fate that befell Peter’s father. But the sunlit charm of Potter’s world makes this dark thread – typical of the best children’s stories – barely discernible. This show features no flashes and bangs, no water pistols, but simple storytelling from a delightful ensemble which also includes Charlotte Harrington, Samuel Knight, Grace Osborn, Matthew Whitby and swing/dance captain Laura Teahan.
There is a handful of songs, composed by Steven Edis with lyrics by playwright Alan Ayckbourn, which are largely forgettable except for one dangerously catchy number that I found myself humming the next day. Directed and choreographed by Sheila Carter, the cast kept the young audience rapt for the full hour. Recommended for ages four and upwards, my companions included an eight-year-old girl who has lost count of how many times she has seen last year’s Peter Rabbit movie. She was gripped throughout the show, telling me she enjoyed it, with Jemima Puddle-Duck standing out as her favourite character. Even her 11-year-old brother, who never wants to sit through the Peter Rabbit movie ever again, admitted he enjoyed it too. And for someone of more advanced years, it was a delightful reminder of stories that I haven’t read since I was child.
Running to 1 September 2019
