The Cat in the Hat at the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre Review
31 January to 3 February 2019
Reviewed by Sarah Bryan
Everyone has heard of The Cat in the Hat; the most famous of all the Dr Seuss books and as I took myself and my girls aged 5, 8 and 10 to Aylesbury Waterside Theatre on a chilly January evening, I was reminded of how some stories really stand the test of time and how they impact children’s imaginations. These stories embrace all those things that grip a child; rhyme, tricks, silliness and I’m pleased to say that this stage adaptation completely brought it to life in the most magical and bonkers way possible!
Right from the start, you are grabbed and pulled into this quirky world where the mundane lives of two young children are turned upside down by the wacky antics of the Cat; played by Nana Amoo-Gottfried whose talents seemed to know no bounds with his powerful voice, elegant balance and superb portrayal of this famous feline, he was adored by the audience and had a wonderfully strong stage presence.
The entertainment ramped up another gear in the second half when Thing 1 and Thing 2 provided us with amazing acrobatic art; played by Celia Francis and Robert Penny; they flipped and twisted and bounced their way up over and inside out the entire set; appearing weightless and with abundance of energy! The kids loved them and were completely in awe.
My favourite character on stage was the Fish – played elegantly by the beautiful Charley Magalit. Draped in a flowing costume that oozed the feel of floaty fin and rippling scales; she burst onto stage in a giant bubble and my 5 year old sat open mouthed before informing me “She’s the fish! The one in the bowl!”
The entire show was laced together by siblings Sally (Melissa Lowe) and Boy (Sam Angell) who had a fantastic rapport on stage and really portrayed the essence of childhood behaviours. How they both moved with exaggerated gesture and expression was delightful and they somehow both managed to pull their inner child out from within and it reflected in their characters.
With a runtime of 1 hour 20 minutes including interval it was just the right balance to keep everyone entertained and as usual the stunning Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury looked pristine and preened to perfection. The foyer area was spotless, and the bar area was serving a wonderful number of snacks including local ice cream, crisps, chocolates, cupcakes and more. The service offered of being able to pre-order refreshments for the interval is a lovely touch and one that made my children feel special.
All 4 of us enjoyed the production of Cat in the Hat by Dr Seuss and my youngest daughter went to sleep tonight wishing she could see it all over again.
A well deserved 4 star performance.
Rating: 4/5
Tickets cost from £13 to £22 (plus £3.65 transaction fee).
The Cat in the Hat is at the Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury from 31 January to 3 February 2019, for more information or to book tickets visit www.atgtickets.com/aylesbury or call the box office on 0844 871 7607.
Waterside Theatre, Exchange Street, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP20 1UG | 0844 871 7607
