Featuring inventive puppetry and strong vocal performances, 101 DALMATIANS THE MUSICAL is a family-friendly adaptation that remains mostly faithful to the classic story.

The classic canine caper, 101 Dalmatians, is another in a line of classic, animated films to make the jump from screen to stage, with 101 DALMATIANS THE MUSICAL wagging its way to Manchester’s Palace Theatre on the latest leg of a nationwide tour.
The story of Cruella De Vil’s crusade to make a coat from a litter of puppies is well known, and this musical adaptation stays mostly true to the film: Pongo and Perdi, played by Linford Johnson and Emma Thornett, respectively, meet and bring their lonely owners Tom (Samuel Thomas) and Danielle (Jessie Elland) together. Love blossoms, puppies are unexpectedly born, and the aforementioned De Vil (Kym Marsh) hatches a diabolical plot to add to her wardrobe.
101 Dalmatians centres around… you guessed it—dogs. There are so many required to make the show a reality that using actual dogs wouldn’t be feasible, so puppets it is! A huge variety of puppets are used, and almost every breed is different: Pongo and Perdi have a similar mechanism, with one puppeteer controlling them, but there is a Great Dane, which requires two, Chihuahua and French Bulldog hand-puppets, and even a Schnauzer on wheels!
A special mention must go to Tabby the cat, who brought a very different energy and mannerisms to the rest of the puppets. The puppets used are more children-oriented—they are not as sophisticated as you would expect to see in the likes of WAR HORSE or LIFE OF PI, but neither do they need to be. Each breed has its own personality and way of moving, and they are operated to good effect.
The Ensemble plays a key role in the show, operating all puppets and leading the way on vocals, and it is the latter that is the most striking. Their harmonies were powerful and moving, particularly in the show opener, TAKE ME HOME. Equally impressive were Johnson’s vocals: his smooth, velvety voice shone through, particularly in the lower range, at the start of the song.
Whilst performances generally couldn’t be faulted, parts of the show itself fell flat: some songs felt forced and didn’t really fit with the narrative, and the lyrics were a tad unimaginative. Diction was an issue throughout, so songs with lots of lyrics (of which there were several) or those in a patter-song style were quite hard to understand. Whilst some songs really landed, such as TAKE ME HOME, others were forgettable and lacked power or direction.
The infamous Cruella herself also lacked any sort of real threat or danger – perhaps this is slightly harsh, given that 101 Dalmatians is evidently more of a family show, but it means that the whole show is primarily one-note and doesn’t take the audience on much of a journey. Marsh still delivers where she can, showcasing good comedic timing in a version of the role that had a strong panto villain feel to it. However, she lacks the opportunity to show off her obvious vocal talent, other than in the Act 1 finale, FÜR FUR.
Overall, the show lends itself more to children and families: the acting is exaggerated in parts, and the choreography is simple yet effective. Even the language used is surprisingly childish, though there are occasional moments that are aimed at adults: the song WHAT THE BLEEP, for example. It feels reductive to say it is a children’s show, but that is how it tended to lean. That said, it is fun, bright, entertaining, and perfect for families.
101 DALMATIANS THE MUSICAL runs at the Palace Theatre until 10 August 2024.

Michael is a working actor. He studied Drama at Edge Hill University and his main passions are music, sport and acting. Alongside acting, Michael DJs around Manchester and, if not there, is usually found watching football or cricket!
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