101 Dalmatians the Musical – Hammersmith Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith

Book: Johnny McKnight, based on the original book by Dodie Smith
Music & Lyrics: Douglas Hodge
Director: Bill Buckhurst

Reviewer: Christine Stanton

“Pleasantly Pawsitive“

4 / 5

~This review was originally written for The Reviews Hub ~

You may have spotted that 101 Dalmatians the Musical is back on stage with its ‘tail ‘of adorable puppies being kidnapped by Cruella De Vil. This family-friendly production is full of heart and is a pleasantly pawsitive adaptation of a classic.

Staying close to the original, the story follows aspiring fashion designer Tom (Samuel Thomas) and partner Danielle (Laura Baldwin) as they raise their two Dalmatians Pongo (Linford Johnson) and Perdi (Emma Thornett) together. Out of work and desperate for a commission, Tom is approached by the De Vil fashion house to pitch a new clothing line to evil tycoon Cruella (Sydnie Christmas), whose penchant for animal furs has her intrigued by the litter of 15 Dalmatian puppies Tom’s pets have just produced. Along with her bumbling, eager to please nephews Casper (Jeff Brazier) and Jasper (Aston Merrygold), she puts a plan in place to kidnap the puppies (as well as another 84 around the city) and turn them into a show-stopping, red-carpet-ready outfit.

Under Bill Buckhurst’s direction, the show is filled with warmth and nostalgia, appealing to children and adults alike. The musical numbers crafted by Douglas Hodge aren’t necessarily songs you’d add to your Spotify playlist, but in the moment, they fit the material perfectly. It’s a well varied mix, from the catchy Litterbugs, sweet There’s Always Room for One More, and the brilliantly enjoyable recurring Take Me Home. James Whiteside’s lighting and David Woodhead’s set design work great in conjunction with each other, from bone spotlights cast around the theatre and atmospheric darkness whenever the villainous Cruella comes on stage. They create a fun, well-polished atmosphere throughout.

Christmas as Cruella is perfectly pantomime-esque, and her impressive vocal talent is astoundingly good as she belts out her musical numbers with ease. Her nephews are comedically played by Merrygold and Brazier, both bringing the laughs through their well-timed, groan-inducing jokes. Jimmy Grimes (Puppetry Designer/Director) manages to make the Dalmatians wonderfully realistic, brought to life by the cast, who are fantastically talented and make every movement impressively accurate; from tail-wags to head tilts, it’s a job well done. It’s also a nice touch not having the puppeteers try to hide or blend into the background. You quickly manage to focus solely on the puppets themselves, and children can still be enraptured by the magic of them, but it’s enjoyable from an adult perspective, seeing the work that goes into creating such a skilful portrayal of the loveable pets.

A fun, entertaining, touching production that leaves you with a smile on your face (especially after a gorgeous real-life Dalmatian puppy is brought on stage for the curtain call!) If we rated differently, this heartfelt musical could get a commendable canine out of ten.

Runs until 30 August 2025