There are very few books as iconic as Michael Rosen’s classic tale of a family going on an ill-advised bear hunt in a questionable climate and so both myself and my toddler were excited to see it translated onto stage.
We follow Tim Hibbered, as the lovable Dad, as he takes his creatively named children, Neha Eapen as Girl, and Benedict Hastings as Boy, on an adventure through a variety of terrains to find a bear hunt. Hibbered, Eapen and Hastings brought an energy to the stage that managed to be engaging to the children without being annoying to the adults – not an easy feat!
The baby (aptly named Baby) was played (if that’s the right term) by an adorable puppet, and there were some really lovely moments with them. However, after a cute lullaby, the baby was put inside a cardboard box and set on the side of the stage while the rest of the family went through a few different climates. It was a shame because the puppeteering was so endearing and it felt like a bit of a waste – not to mention the child cruelty of course.
However, for me there was one character that I couldn’t take my eyes off. I’ll admit it, I’m a cat person, but Benjamin Hills as Buddy the dog may have tipped my preference for this 55 minute show. What an incredibly talented and charismatic performer. The use of live music really elevated the show, and Indiana and I loved watching Buddy (the coolest dog ever) play a variety of interesting instruments. When I first saw Hills in the audience as the dog, I was a little sceptical; I thought a human playing a dog would be a little cheesy and awkward but I could not have been more wrong!
In fact, I was wrong about a lot of this show. When the first song started, I was worried that it might be one of those terrible shows with songs added for no real reason other than to fill some time and for the actors ego. However, it’s several hours later and me and my toddler keep bursting into the “We’re going on a Bear Hunt” song. The songs were catchy and fun and the four sounded fantastic together.
The use of every-day objects to become a forest of cardboard trees, brown paint mud and watering cans into bucket rivers, brought a real playful element to the set and there were inspired moments of audience participation which resulted in squeals of joy from the children in the audience.
I do have to say, I was a tiny bit disappointed by the bear. It sounds stupid – especially considering the fact that there isn’t a single other person in the cast that looks anything like their literary counterpart (and were still fantastically cast!), – but I just felt like the bear was “wrong”. He didn’t look like the bear in the book, and compared to all the other stunning visuals in the show, just looked a little cheap and almost mascot-esque. (Sorry bear, you were very cute!)
Overall, this is a visually stunning show of pure fun, reminding nostalgic grown-ups of the importance of play, and capturing the imaginations of the children in the audience. Hugely worth a visit.
The Show is on at the Lowry until Sunday 7th January, including several different accessible shows. https://thelowry.com/
Reviewer: Codie Wright
Reviewed: 7th December 2023
North West End UK Rating: