This blog post is marked as an AD (advert) because I was gifted tickets free of charge in return for creating this content. I aim to be transparent in order to retain your trust and hope you will continue to support the Thrifty Mumma Thrifty Bubba blog and social media channels.
A fun filled on stage adventure featuring all the stars of the series, Hey Duggee the live theatre show is an immersive, interactive experience sure to keep you and your little ones entertained.
We are very fond of Cbeebies in the Thrifty household and since Thrifty Bubba was tiny, Hey Duggee has been a firm favourite.
With a diverse cast of characters, catchy songs and concept of exploration alongside friends, it’s easy to see why the television series is loved by children and adults alike.
We were delighted to be gifted tickets to see the show whilst on its UK tour at The Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham.
As soon as we entered the theatre foyer, we knew we were in for a treat. Bustling with parents, prams, toddlers and a children, the atmosphere was family friendly from the start which is so important for a family activity in the school holidays.
At the entrance to the auditorium, we were offered a booster seat for Thrifty Bubba to sit on – these are super useful and ensure your littles can see the stage easily over the heads of others.
We were also given a page of ‘badges’ for Thrifty Bubba to earn and stick on throughout the show. I thought this was a brilliant idea and it kept the children in the audience focused and listening for the “Well done Squirrels, you’ve earned your … badge!” catchphrase throughout the show. Helpfully, the lighting was lifted each time the audience earned a badge so that we could see our sticker sheets, easily peel them off and stick them on.
Waiting for the show to begin, I can’t explain how lovely it felt for the theatre to be full of families. After lockdown and the closure of theatres, its such a celebration to be back in full swing with all generations enjoying shows together. I felt my eyes tear up a little looking around and thinking how special it is to see little faces light up as they experience live theatre for the first time.
The show starts just like the Hey Duggee television series with the signature sound of a ukelele. The music throughout the show is a real triumph – lively, exciting and recognisable.
Beginning at the Hey Duggee Clubhouse, each character is introduced in turn. Large puppets of Norrie (Jane Crawshaw), Betty, Happy (Kaidyn Niall Hinds), Roly (Clarke Joseph Edwards) Tag (Vinnie Monachello) and Duggee are cleverly brought to life by individual actors who give them their distinctive voices and lifelike movements. The cast have such zest for life and clearly have a lot of fun working together on the show.
Elliott Samuels is magnificent as Duggee and perfectly emulates Alexander Armstrong’s tone of voice when narrating. It was a joy to watch him performing and to see the children in the audience responding and cheering back.
Charlie Daniells also gave a brilliant performance as Betty. It was magical to watch her puppeteer with delight and enthusiasm, sharing her sing-song voice and infectious giggle!
Lunga Anele-Skosana expertly and seamlessly switches character, costume and accent from Mrs Weaver (the Beaver) to Hennie, Chew Chew, Chipo and Boris.
On our badge collecting journey we collected the a cappella, egg, singing, space, choreography and costume badges before receiving the theatre badge itself!
Thrifty Bubba and I loved the ‘space badge’ section of the show the best. Full of lighting effects, the audience travelled to space and saw rockets, comets, planets and aliens. The children in the audience were in awe seeing stars all around them. The funny pink alien was a real highlight of the show for us!
It was fantastic to see Mr and Mr Crab make an appearance and the crowd went wild when the famous ‘stick with eyes’ popped up to perform ‘Sticky, sticky, stick, stick’! All generations were up and bopping along to the beat.
If you are booked to see the show then you are sure to enjoy it – we honestly had a brilliant time. Similarly, if you’ve been wondering whether or not the live show will live up to the television series, you will not be disappointed.
Thank you very much to The Everyman Theatre for gifting us tickets to review the show.
Are you hoping to see Hey Duggee Live on stage? Have you seen the show and loved it too? Comment below, say hello and let us know!
As always, thank you for reading!
Love, Thrifty Mumma X
To find out more about the Everyman Theatre or to book tickets please visit: http://www.everymantheatre.org.uk
To find out more about Hey Duggee the live theatre show or to book tickets please visit: https://www.heyduggee.com/live-show/
Thrifty Mumma Thrifty Bubba 