Review: Why Bluey's Big Play at Birmingham Hippodrome is a ten out of ten kids show
Bluey is one of those children's TV shows with the right mix of meaning and mayhem so children can laugh their socks off and grown ups can appreciate the writing - and the stage show is just as good.
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Bluey's Big Play is essentially an extended episode of the TV show, performed live on stage with expert puppeteers (three per character). It's a theatrical adaptation of an Emmy award winning show, and it doesn't disappoint.
It's funny, charming and a touch sad - for reasons I'll go into later - and from a technical perspective it's pretty much a masterpiece.
The storyline is something all mums and dads in the audience will be able to relate to.
It revolves around Bluey and her sister Bingo trying desperately to get their dad to put his phone down and play with them - when all he wants to do is have a Sunday morning rest on the beanbag.
What follows is an elaborate ploy by the two girls to steal their dad's phone and hide it, so he has to play with them.
What follows are series of failed attempts by "big guy" dad to retrieve the phone with several comical moments, and at one stage some intense dance music.
Bluey has always been extremely clever when it comes to offering the adult audience something too - the writers' philosophical understanding of parenting is particularly impressive.
While the dad wants a rest - something all dads long for occasionally - the parenting on display is actually second-to-none, which is something prevalent in all Bluey episodes and books.
There's also a slightly sad sub-plot regarding sibling relationships, which focuses on Bingo copying Bluey, and Bluey's mums' distant relationship with her sister - more of that "meaning" referenced above.
As a parent, nothing beats seeing your five-year-old laughing and smiling at the theatre, and Bluey's Big Show 100 per cent delivered on this front.
And what a venue Birmingham Hippodrome is for a first theatre experience.
So strong is the story telling and entertainment, you occasionally forget there are nearly ten people on stage controlling the characters.
With a running time of 50 minutes, there's no danger of boredom or fidgeting. The show flew by, with the two of us not even able to make a dent in our large popcorn pot.
You can find out more about the show and book tickets by visiting the website: https://www.birminghamhippodrome.com/calendar/blueys-big-play-two/
