Rating: ★★★★★
Venue: Cadogan Hall, London
Cast: Ethan Jay Scott, Emily Attridge-Cox, Edward Conroy, James Stirling and Darcy Manning
Zog, super keen student turned air-ambulance, still lands with a bang-crash-thump. Together with his Flying Doctor crew, Princess Pearl and Sir Gadabout, they tend to a sunburnt mermaid, a unicorn with one too many horns and a lion with the flu. However, Pearl’s uncle, the King, has other ideas about whether princesses should be doctors, and she’s soon locked up in the castle back in a crown and a silly frilly dress! With a bit of help from some friends and half a pound of cheese, can Pearl make her uncle better and prove princesses can be doctors too?
Bang-Crash-Thump - Zog and the Flying Doctors has landed at Cadogan Hall for the end of its UK tour. Julia Donaldson is one of the most popular children's authors, and with her successes of stories such as The Gruffalo, Stick Man and Room on the Broom, it isn't difficult to see why. Paired with illustrations by Axel Scheffler, they often make for the most vibrant and brilliantly ridiculous stories to share with your children. The next book of theirs to be adapted for the stage is the wonderful Zog and the Flying Doctors which is currently taking over Cadogan Hall for the entirety of August.
Zog and the Flying Doctors is an action-packed sixty minute adventure that'll have the whole family on their feet and joining in with its stimulating and engaging madness. Before you even enter the theatre, free programmes and stickers are being handed out to audience members and there's merchandise and brilliant photo opportunities everywhere you look.
As you enter the theatre, the set design by Lucy Bradridge is both striking and eye-catching as it looks as though an animated castle and its surrounding are in the centre of the stage. Throughout the show, the use of props to create scenes are utterly fantastic. For example, to create an underwater scene the use of green ribbons, bubbles and fish puppets is incredibly effective.
It's pantomime-esque in terms of audience interaction, but unlike a pantomime it's condensed into sixty minutes which is far more manageable for little ones, and also more affordable. In terms of seating, I'd advise sitting as central as possible. There are a lot of changes onstage that happen behind the trees and the castle which is quite visible if you're sitting to the side of the theatre. While it doesn't hinder the view, it may take away some of the magic for children.
Ethan Jay-Scott as Zog completely steals the show with his wit, charisma and ability to engage the audience with ease; as well as having utterly gorgeous vocals. An aspect I really enjoyed was that every character had a different accent from up and down the UK - it was great to see that kind of representation on a London stage.
The story is based around Princess Pearl trying to achieve her dream of becoming her doctor, but then being locked away by the King as that isn't the way "a princess should behave". But when the King becomes sick and no one can find a cure, Pearl may be the only one that can save him. The show smashes stereotypes about women being able to do whatever men can, and it's a great message to be spreading to the future adults of today.
The production is best pitched as a mini-musical with catchy numbers (I'm still humming It's A Quest) and characters you love to root for; and at the heart of it all, Zog. A show that's upbeat, vibrant and fun for all the family this summer holiday.
You can book tickets to see Zog and the Flying Doctors, here.
**photo credit: Mark Senior**
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