Even though the tales of Beatrix Potter are over a century old, they continue to draw children into the imaginary world of Peter Rabbit and his friends, my son included. We often read about naughty Peter Rabbit before bed, so when I heard that ‘Where is Peter Rabbit?’ was coming to the Theatre Royal Haymarket I rushed to book tickets.
A theatre-lover at the age of just 4, my little one was enthralled from the start as the stage came alive with the recognisable characters from the books. From Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle to Mr. Tod, animals are expertly anthropomorphised through puppets by the cast whose control over the puppets, while adding individual quirks, draw out every part of the characters, entertaining adults and children alike.
The short stories are presented one-by-one, with the audience able to enjoy the tales of Mr. Jeremy Fisher, Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, Mr.Tod, Jemima Puddle-Duck and of course Peter Rabbit come to life on stage.
It brought tears to my eyes as I watched my son totally captivated by the magic that was happening on stage. With Miriam Margolyes narrating the stories of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and Jemima Puddle-Duck, and Griff Rhys-Jones lending his voice to tales of Peter Rabbit and Jeremy Fisher, the musical adventure was provided with a friendly personality and plenty of dimension.
Ending with the company singing and the audience clapping along, it’s obvious that the stories of Beatrix Potter are as loved today as they were when first told in the early 1900s. The show is a beautiful way to introduce your family to Beatrix Potter and perfect for grown-ups who want to relish the nostalgic glow of these enduring characters. The whole 60 minutes was a real visual treat, which only helped cement my sons love for one naughty little rabbit.
Where is Peter Rabbit? Runs at the Theatre Royal Haymarket until 28 April.
