101 Dalmatians have arrived at the Palace Theatre in puppet form, offering family-friendly entertainment, heart warming themes and one EVIL villain.
With extremely impressive production value, ranging from magnificent set pieces to lavish costumes, as well as some of the best puppets I’ve yet to see on stage – 101 Dalmatians will leave all entertained, from little ones to… not so little ones.
I came into this production of 101 Dalmatians in Manchester in quite an interesting position, because if I’m being completely honest, I don’t think I’ve watched any of the movie adaptations or read any versions of the original novel since I was a young child.
So in what is quite a rarity for myself, I was watching a musical in which I hadn’t a clue what was going to happen. This made for a fun and entertaining ride throughout the entire show, although I’m sure those who’re already familiar with the plot will still find as much enjoyment as I did.
The show as a whole was thoroughly spellbinding – offering fantastic ensemble numbers, belly-laugh comedy, a sincere and wholesome plot and as we’ll discuss in a moment, a truly fitting nemesis.
To highlight individual performances, I’d like to first start with the protagonists of our story. Samuel Thomas as Tom, Jessie Elland as Danielle, Linford Johnson as Pongo and Emma Thornett as Perdi.
These four made a superb litter (little dog based pun for you there), spending the entirety of Act One as a foursome, building up their characters and demonstrating to the audience how important they all are to one another.
Kym Marsh as Cruella de Vil in 101 Dalmatians in Manchester. Credit: Supplied, Phil Tragen
Then in Act Two splitting up into their separate human/animal dynamic duos, both venturing on different quests with the sole purpose and saving the 99 other dalmatians.
Special shout-out to Linford, Emma and the other members of the ensemble who throughout the show expertly maneuvered the K9 puppets in such a way that the biggest compliment I could pay them, is to say, that after a while I forgot they were even there.
Now for the grey area between protagonists and villains… Casper and Jasper, portrayed wonderfully by Charles Brunton and Danny Hendrix. This dynamic duo offered constant comic relief and had by far the most fleshed out character arcs of the entire show. Transforming from clueless sidekicks, to misguided villains all the way through to repentful heroes.
This brings us to the one, the only… Cruella De Ville. Portrayed by Kym Marsh, there was no escaping the fact that she was the person people in the audience were most eager to see. With expectations high and being tasked with taking on the role of such an iconic villain, I’m happy to say that Kym 110% delivered.
With an ominous stage presence, Kym held the audience in the palm of her hand throughout every scene she featured in. Offering up stellar vocals and dance moves to match, she really was the villain the dalmatians needed.
All in all, 101 Dalmatians thrills as it offers big set pieces, flashy musical numbers, terrifying villains, magical puppetry and all out family-friendly entertainment.
‘Pioneering’ immersive theatre productions to take place inside shipping containers across Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
A pioneering production company is bringing immersive theatre inside shipping containers to Greater Manchester.
DARKFIELD has announced their first shows in Greater Manchester for seven years, and will present their three most critically-acclaimed experiences at iconic venues across the region as part of an ‘exciting’ collaboration.
Keen audiences will be able to head to The Lowry, Aviva Studios, and HOME this month to see theatre like they’ve never seen it before.
Renowned for their trademark shipping containers popping up across the UK and internationally, bringing mysterious and exciting experiences across the country, DARKFIELD will present SÉANCE, FLIGHT and ARCADE so crowds can find themselves immersed in the supernatural, boarding a new airline, or navigating a war torn world.
Fresh from sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, BFI London Film Festival, and an extended residency at Shoreditch Town Hall, ARCADE will arrive at The Lowry – which is the company’s newest production.
‘Pioneering’ immersive theatre productions inside shipping containers will be happening across Greater Manchester / Credit: Mihaela Bodlovic | Fiona Rita Blyth
Aviva Studios will welcome one of DARKFIELD’s most popular and critically-acclaimed experiences, FLIGHT.
Over 30 minutes in total darkness, FLIGHT explores the Many-Worlds Interpretation of quantum mechanics, taking audience members through two worlds, two realities, and two possible outcomes to their journey.
And then over at HOME, the company’s first shipping container experience, SÉANCE, will be on show.
The interior of a 24ft container will be transformed into a Victorian séance room, and asks audiences to believe not only what is happening inside the container, but also in what might be conjured up into the room with them.
“We are delighted to be returning to Greater Manchester to present our shows in collaboration with three incredible venues,” commented DARKFIELD, ahead of their arrival in our region.
“We can’t wait to welcome audiences across the region to experience the strange worlds we’ve created.”
Chicago The Musical at The Lowry, Salford – a story of hot jazz and theatrical bliss
Aimee Woodcock
All That Jazz has found its way to Salford this week as Chicago the Musical hits The Lowry, and it’s safe to say the show still knows how to pull in a crowd.
Set in 1920s Chicago, the story centres on Roxie Hart, a chorus girl who shoots her lover and winds up behind bars. Inside Cook County Jail she meets Velma Kelly, a nightclub star with her own double-murder conviction.
Both women want the spotlight as much as they want their freedom, and with the slick lawyer Billy Flynn fighting their corner, it quickly turns into a tit-for-tat battle of who can play the media game best.
The big talking point this time round is Janette Manrara, swapping the Strictly ballroom for the theatre stage in her debut as Roxie. She’s playful, cheeky and full of energy, and it’s clear she’s enjoying every second.
By her side, Djalenga Scott is a knockout Velma. From the moment she kicks things off with ‘All That Jazz’ she owns the stage, captivating the audience with every line.
Together, the pair bounce off each other brilliantly – their love-hate chemistry is one of the show’s strongest pulls.
Chicago The Musical at The Lowry in Salford. Credit: Paul Coltas
Darren Day brings the charm as Billy Flynn, the lawyer who can turn any trial into one big show stopper. His big number ‘Razzle Dazzle’ truly shines.
Stepping in for Brenda Edwards tonight was Victoria Anderson, in her element as Mama Morton, belting out ‘When You’re Good to Mama’ with just the right amount of soul.
Joshua Lloyd shines as Amos Hart, Roxie’s hopeless husband, heartbreakingly relatable in ‘Mr. Cellophane’, while Jordan Lee Davies brings humour and surprise as the iconic Mary Sunshine.
The staging is simple, with the 12-piece orchestra, sat in full view. It gives the whole show a stripped-back, concert-like feel, letting the band drive the energy – and trust us there’s plenty of it throughout the two hour show.
Chicago The Musical at The Lowry in Salford. Credit: Paul Coltas
Of course, Bob Fosse’s iconic choreography is front and centre of each performance and instantly recognisable. The famous ‘Cell Block Tango’ is as gripping as ever, the audience filled with applause upon finishing.
Chicago has been running for nearly 30 years, but it feels far from tired. If anything, its satirical take on fame and the media feels even sharper today than ever.
At The Lowry, it’s delivered with style, glitz and a lot of sass. One for fans old and new and well worth a night out.
Oli Lowe -
2nd August 2024 
