After all the muddy puddles left by the recent storms, I took my youngest junior Hatter to The Grand Opera House for some indoor entertainment with Peppa Pig, Best Day Ever, the latest licensed production from Fierylight.
Peppa Pig is excited to be going on a special day out with George, Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig – it’s going to be her best day ever! But was it our best day ever, or all a bit hammy? Find out below!
Before seeing the show, I wondered how the creative team would stay true to the cartoon that children know and love. Everything you’d expect is here though, from bright colours and catchy songs to high-pitched voices and plenty of oinking. And most of the familiar characters make an appearance too, although sadly no Mr Potato (I guess the chips are down!)
A combination of puppets and costumed characters help capture the TV magic well, and it’s as if someone applied a 3D filter to the hit cartoon. Characters bounce and bob around, arms flail, and the rotund Daddy Pig and Mr Bull look like they could topple over any second!
The puppeteers work hard and add plenty of expression to the animal antics. Lizzie Burder as Daisy pulls everything together with plenty of energy and enthusiasm, and addresses the young audience as her new friends. She often comments on how well they joined in with a song, or how clever they are for spotting the leak in the road for example. This gentle encouragement really spurs them on to join in all the more!
The Scenic Route
The action takes in roadworks, caves and a castle amongst other locations. Scene changes are slick and smooth with two-dimensional elements popping in and out, and even the odd inflatable! The banquet scene was especially detailed, and the castle on the hill was reminiscent of nearby Clifford’s Tower…a home from home?
Highlights for me were an inventive UV scene which sees food comes to life in the dark, mice scamper after cheese and lemonade whizz and whirl around. An impressive dragon towards the end also gets gasps although, due to it’s size, some young faces around me looked a little spooked! Still, I thought it was ROARsome…
Making a Splash
At the end of the show, Peppa and pals play in muddy puddles as water is sprayed over the excited audience. However, as is often the case, the higher tiers get missed out here which is a shame, and my son was itching to join in with the splashy fun like so many others. Perhaps arm Front of House staff with water pistols too to really include everyone?
At 35 years old (yes, really!) I’m clearly not the target demographic for Peppa Pig…although I am partial to a bit of GiggleBiz! However, my 3-year-old was absolutely gripped by seeing some of his favourite characters come to life on stage.
He excitedly joined in with the songs, often tweaked versions of classic nursery rhymes such as The Grand Old Duke of York (with a digger twist) and The Wheels on the Bus…or in this case, the car! And of course there are the Peppa hits too like Bing Bong Boo which is still stuck in my head many hours later.
At up to £35 a ticket, this isn’t a cheap treat. Merchandise was on sale including Peppa Pig flashing wands for the eye-watering price of £10 each (no, I’m not telling porkies) And if you want to PIG out on sweets or ice-cream then of course it all adds up. But of course this is an officially licensed show, and they need to bring home the bacon (yes, that was another pig pun!)
Children under 18 months don’t need a paid ticket though, and there are places to store pushchairs and buggies. A free Peppa Pig sticker for each child is a nice touch.
With plenty of colour, catchy songs, a simple story and lots of interaction, this show will have young fans squealing with delight! Oink!
MAGIC RATING 
VALUE FOR MONEY 
OVERALL 
The show runs for 1 hour and 20 minutes with an interval, an ideal length for young children and fidgety bottoms.
There are seats available tomorrow (Thursday March 5th) in York before the tour moves on to Winchester.
For online booking visit https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/peppa-pigs-best-day-ever/grand-opera-house-york/
Photos by Dan Tsantilis
Disclaimer: Tickets were kindly provided for this performance, however all opinions are honest and are our own.
Review Wizard 