Rose Theatre, Kingston – until 23rd February 2019
5*****
Any event which gets children interested in the theatre is always a good thing. Zog, based on the book of the same name by Julia Donaldson (she also wrote The Gruffalo) tells the story of Zog, a Dragon who desperately wants a gold star at school.
Accompanied on his quest for the good star, Zog (played by Elliot MacKenzie) are Princess Pearl (Emily Benjamin), fellow dragons Henry (Dixie McDevitt) and Pip (Robert Ginty) and Dragon teacher Madame Dragon (Euan Wilson).
The story line is simple to follow and at 55 minutes the production is just the right length to keep children engaged, especially as there is audience participation and the dragons “fly” around the audience. The set looks like a giant climbing frame but acts as various things from the woods where the dragons live to Princess Pearl’s prison cell. The use of puppets is well thought out as well as puppet versions of the dragons are used when they are flying but the Dragon costumes worn by the cast being the dragons to live on stage. Pearl is a wonderful character who decides against being a princess and decides to become a doctor. Joining Pearl is Sir Gadabout The Great (Robert Ginty) who becomes the nurse to Pearls doctor. The duo become a trio when Zog offers to be their ambulance and fly them around the world healing people.
All in all Zog is a brilliant production to get children interested in theatre all I’m still not sure if it is a musical or a play with songs but any production that shows that girls can be doctors and boys can be nurses are amazing and every one should go and see this show.