Zog and the Flying Doctors have bang-crash-thumped into a lively theatre production that we wholeheartedly recommend. Keep reading to hear more about the production and see when the tour might be coming to a theatre near you.
Like most families with young children, Julia Donaldson is a household name to us – we have a number of her books, we love the BBC adaptations of her stories and her audiobooks regularly accompany us on car journeys.
If you have young children then Zog and the Flying Doctors is the perfect introduction to theatre.
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The play is an hour long, which we found is the right length for holding our children’s attention – we have a 3, 5 and 7 year old and they all sat and were engaged for the entire performance (which certainly isn’t a given!). We forgot to buy snacks as a motivation to sit still and be quiet (we noticed this when, already sat in our seats, we were enviously looking at the pots of popcorn that others had the foresight to purchase!) but actually, our kids genuinely didn’t need it.
The show is full of dancing, singing, puppetry and audience participation. The scenes move along quickly enough that the children stay engaged and yet there are quiet, reflective moments in the show when the lion, mermaid and unicorn sing solos about their medical woes.
The children totally came away with the point that princesses can be doctors! But the show is lighthearted, funny, innocent, and not at all preachy.
Our favourite character (apart from Princess Pearl of course!) was the baddie of the show, the King. In a similar style to King George in Hamilton – the king sings solos, dances around the stage, addresses the audience and has curly locks. He made us laugh and smile, and whoop for joy when he comes to the realisation that without Princess Pearl’s medical care he would forever be orange!
The show is recommended for 3+, but the audience for our trip ranged from toddlers up to key stage 2 children (on a school trip!) – all seemed to enjoy it.
At the end of the performance, the cast sing and dance and encourage the audience to get on their feet and do the same – it was brilliant to see that the audience were enthusiastically joining in – and it was the older kids who were most into it!
Zog and the Flying Doctors was produced by Freckle, the same company that created the stage show Stickman, which I reviewed a few months ago. After our previous experience, we knew that any stage production by Freckle would be funny, memorable and aimed perfectly for our children’s age. We were not disappointed.
So if you’re looking for a show which will be a hit with your kids – then here it is – Zog and the Flying Doctors. I promise you’ll have a roar-some time.
Zog and the Flying Doctors are touring the UK this Spring and Summer. Below are the tour dates, so you can find a venue near you.
Tuesday 8 – Wednesday 9 March 2022
The Place, Telford
Box Office: 01952 382 382 / www.theplacetelford.com
Friday 11 – Sunday 13 March 2022
New Theatre, Peterborough
Box Office: www.newtheatre-peterborough.com / 01733 852 992
Monday 14 -Tuesday 15 March 2022
New Theatre Royal, Lincoln
Box Office: www.newtheatreroyallincoln.co.uk / 01522 519 999
Friday 18 – Sunday 20 March 2022
The Capitol Horsham
Box Office: www.thecapitolhorsham.com / 01403 750220
Thursday 24 – Saturday 26 March 2022
Churchill Theatre, Bromley
Box Office: www.churchilltheatre.co.uk / 020 3285 6000
Thursday 31 March – Friday 1 April 2022
Leeds Playhouse
Box Office: www.leedsplayhouse.org.uk / 0113 213 7700
Saturday 2 – Sunday 3 April 2022
Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield
Box Office: www.thelbt.org / 01484 430528
Wednesday 6 – Thursday 7 April 2022
The Orchard Theatre, Dartford
Box Office: www.orchardtheatre.co.uk / 01322 220 000
Friday 8 – Sunday 10 April 2022
Southbank Centre, London
Box Office: www.southbankcentre.co.uk
Monday 11 – Tuesday 12 April 2022
St David’s Hall, Cardiff
Box Office: www.stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk
Saturday 16 – Sunday 17 April 2022
Worthing Pavilion Theatre
Box Office: www.wtm.uk / 01903 206 206
Tuesday 19 – Sunday 24 April 2022
Bristol Old Vic
Box Office: www.bristololdvic.org.uk / 0117 987 7877
Tuesday 26 – Wednesday 27 April 2022
The Forum, Barrow-In-Furness
Box Office: www.theforumbarrow.co.uk / 01229 820000
Friday 29 April – Sunday 1 May 2022
Gaiety Theatre, Isle of Man
Box Office: www.villagaiety.com / 01624 600555
Wednesday 11 – Thursday 23 May 2022
Derby Theatre
Box Office: www.derbytheatre.co.uk / 01332 59 39 39
Saturday 14 – Sunday 15 May 2022
Harrogate Theatre
Box Office: www.harrogatetheatre.co.uk / 01423 502 116
Wednesday 25 – Thursday 26 May 2022
Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury
Box Office: www.theatresevern.co.uk / 01743 281 281
Saturday 28 – Sunday 29 May 2022
The Lowry, Salford
Box Office: www.thelowry.com / 0343 208 6000
Tuesday 31 May – Wednesday 1 June 2022
St George’s Hall, Bradford
Box Office: www.bradford-theatres.co.uk / 01274 432000
Thursday 2 – Saturday 4 June 2022
Box Office: www.everymanplayhouse.com / 0151 709 4776
Saturday 11 – Sunday 12 June 2022
Mercury Theatre, Colchester
Box Office: www.mercurytheatre.co.uk / 01206 573948
Friday 17 – Sunday 19 June 2022
Gala Theatre, Durham
Box Office: www.galadurham.co.uk / 03000 266 600
Wednesday 22 – Thursday 23 June 2022
Hull City Hall
Box Office: www.hulltheatres.co.uk / 01482 300 306
Friday 24 – Saturday 25 June 2022
York Theatre Royal
Box Office: 01904 623568 / www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk
Tuesday 28 – Wednesday 29 June 2022
The Gulbenkian, Canterbury
Box Office: www.thegulbenkian.co.uk / 01227 769075
Friday 1 – Sunday 3 June 2022
Exeter Northcott Theatre
Box Office: 01392 726363 / www.exeternorthcott.co.uk
Wednesday 6 – Friday 8 July 2022
Whitehall Theatre, Dundee
Box Office: www.dundeebox.co.uk
Sunday 9 – Wednesday 13 July 2022
King’s Theatre, Edinburgh
Box Office: www.capitaltheatres.com / 0131 529 6000
Friday 15 – Sunday 17 July 2022
Wycombe Swan Theatre, High Wycombe
Box Office: 01494 512 000 / www.wycombeswan.co.uk
Tuesday 19 – Thursday 21 July 2022
Princess Alexandra Auditorium, Stockton-on-Tees
Box Office: 01642 792587 / www.thepaaonline.org
Friday 22 – Sunday 24 July 2022
Darlington Hippodrome
Box Office: 01325 405405 www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk
Friday 29 – Sunday 31 July 2022
Sheffield City Hall
Box Office: www.sheffieldcityhall.co.uk / 0114 2 789 789
Tuesday 2 – Thursday 4 August 2022
Venue Cymru, Llandudno
Box Office: www.venuecymru.co.uk / 01492 872000
Friday 5 – Saturday 6 August 2022
Swansea Grand Theatre
Box Office: www.swanseagrand.co.uk / 01792 475715
Tuesday 16 – Wednesday 17 August 2022
De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill
Box Office: www.dlwp.com
Friday 19 – Sunday 21 August 2022
Oxford Playhouse
Box Office: www.oxfordplayhouse.com / 01865 305305
Tuesday 23 – Sunday 28 August 2022
Birmingham Town Hall
Box Office: www.bmusic.co.uk / 0121 289 6333
Cathy who is married to Scott and has three lively little'uns. Aged 9, 7 and 5.