This weekend we headed to the Bristol Hippodrome to watch Bluey’s Big Play, the live theatre version of the popular TV show, which can be found on both BBC iPlayer and Disney+.
What Is Bluey’s Big Play?
Bluey’s Big play is a children’s theatre show based on the characters from the Childrens TV show Bluey.
The play involves life-sized puppet versions of all of the characters brought to life by a team of puppeteers who can be seen on stage.
We start with several small bird puppets pecking and slowly gradually interacting with the audience.
The main characters then come onto the stage to play an extended version of musical statues to the familiar theme tune music.
Before long, we see Bingo and Bluey playing games with Bandit around the house, which includes a rather noisy cameo from everyone’s favourite toy, Chattermax, as well as a game of Keepy Uppy.
When the games come to an end, Bluey is upset with Bingo and they share some cross words, something |I think most siblings can relate to.
Chilli speaks to Bluey and explains how important it is to be a big sister and eventually the two girls put their differences behind them while Chilli reflects on her relationship with her own sister.
There is even a sneaky appearance from Lucky’s Dad!
The show ends with some fantastic audience participation, and for this alone, I would recommend booking seats in the stalls as it’s quite a finale (I won’t spoil what happens here, but we weren’t expecting it!).
Before watching the show, I wasn’t sure how the characters were going to be portrayed on stage. I had assumed it would be people in costumes, but all the characters are puppets, with two puppeteers each.
If you’ve seen Frozen in the West End, it is similar to how Olaf is portrayed, just with much bigger puppets.
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This worked well, and after a while, it was easy just to focus on how the puppets were moving rather than the people moving them.
The play is designed to be suitable for children of all ages and makes a great introduction to the theatre for toddlers and babies.
As expected at a show aimed at young children, all normal theatre etiquette goes out of the window and the theatre was noisy throughout the performance which, at times, did make it difficult to hear what the characters were saying.
I would have preferred for all spinning light-up toys to be switched off during the show, as I found these very distracting.
However, having many children in the theatre made for a fun and lively atmosphere overall.
What Is The Plot Of Bluey’s Big Play?
The main themes of Bluey’s Big Play are:
Playing with Bandit – the girls hide Bandit’s phone so he has to play with them, even though he’s tired.
Bingo Copying Bluey – Bluey is upset when Bingo copies her all the time, but Chili explains that’s just part of being a good big sister
Sibling Relationships – Chilli talks to Bluey about her sister Brandy.
It’s worth noting that Bluey’s Big Play is set before the events of the season three episode ‘Onesies’, which addresses why Chilli and Brandy don’t see each other very often.
Which Characters Are In Bluey’s Big Play?
Characters in Bluey’s play include:
- Bluey
- Bingo
- Chilli
- Bandit
- Lucky’s Dad
What Age Is Bluey’s Big Play Suitable For?
Bluey’s Big Play is suitable for children of all ages, however, it’s up to you to decide whether your child can sit for long enough, even with the relaxed atmosphere.
We have a very wriggly six-year-old so we’ve only really just started taking her to big theatre shows like this one.
However, she had previously been to local Pantos and a couple of Julia Donaldson adaptions at our local theatre.
On this occasion, we decided to leave our one-year-old at home, although there were children of a similar age in the audience.
Nothing bad or scary happens in the play and there are no loud bangs. There are however some scenes with flashing lights when Chattermax is played with.
How Long Is Bluey’s Big Play?
Bluey’s Big Play is around 50 minutes long, which I think is about right for young children, especially as you’ll likely be in your seats for a little while beforehand too.
Tips For Bluey’s Big Play
Here are my top tips for seeing Bluey’s Big play with your little ones.
Don’t Arrive Too Early – Sitting about waiting for half an hour before the play starts can be too much for some little ones.
Be Aware: Merch Is Expensive – Both adult and children’s T-shirts were £25 – if you’re on a budget, buy beforehand and wear them on the day. Primark and most Supermarkets have Bluey ranges for both adults and children.
Locate The Loos – If you’re unfamiliar with the venue, locate the toilets before sitting down so you know where they are if need to use them during the performance.
Use A Booster Seat – Most theatres provide booster seats for little ones to help them see the stage better.
Bluey’s Big Play – Final Thoughts
Overall, I think Bluey’s Big Play is a great introduction to theatre for young children, especially those who may not be old enough to sit through an entire musical production.
Our six year old absolutely loved it and would happily watch the show again.