The puppies are back in town. Following its 2022 premiere at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, 101 Dalmatians returns for a limited summer run — this time wagging its tail across the proscenium stage of the Eventim Apollo. It’s an ambitious transfer, reimagined with a heavy dose of 1950s retro styling that nods to both Dodie Smith’s original 1956 book and the classic early Disney aesthetic.
Just like in Smith’s original, Zinnie Harris and Douglas Hodge’s adaptation follows Pongo, Perdita, and their many, many puppies as they’re pursued by the maniacally glamorous Cruella de Vil, who has set her sights on their spotty pelts. Under Jimmy Grimes’s direction (it was originally directed by Tim Sheader), a small army of puppet dogs (and a few cats) springs to life through the skilful hands of visible puppeteers. It definitely takes a moment to adjust — the puppets sit very close to uncanny — but once you’re in, you’re in.
The clear standout froim teh cast is Britain’s Got Talent winner Sydnie Christmas as Cruella. She devours the stage with the kind of cartoonish gusto you want in a Disney villain —all cackles, claws, and costume changes. Dressed by Sarah Mercadé in a parade of outfits that wouldn’t be out of place in a Lady Gaga tour wardrobe, she’s camp in all the right places.
The rest of the cast, including Aston Merrygold (of British boyband JLS) as bumbling henchman Jasper and Laura Baldwin as Danielle, bring plenty of energy. However, the show’s tear-jerking emotional core never quite hits—probably because it moves too quickly through key moments without lingering long enough in anything they’ve built toward.
On top of that, the show struggles to create any real sustained atmosphere or sense of immersion (despite the cast running out into the audience at various points) — and it’s hard to pinpoint exactly why. Maybe it’s James Whiteside’s colourful lighting design. Or perhaps it’s David Woodhead’s set: an incongruent mash-up of Pixar typography, burlesque reds, and a dustball mustard lounge room. The result is that the space feels paradoxically sparse and strangely contained — picture the inside of a snow globe.
That same feeling carries through into the music. There are definitely some fun, boppy songs throughout — with music and lyrics by Hodge — but stylistically, they lean more towards the formulaic Disney Channel vibe: catchy, playful, and easy to dance to.
Despite its slightly muddled tone and uneven stylistic choices, there are still sparks of something special here — a thrilling car chase, sparky stage theatrics, some genuinely funny one-liners, and a final surprise clearly designed to elicit ‘awws’ from the audience. And I have to admit, it worked on me.
Endearing might be the best way to describe this show. Excellent — not quite.
