Penguins ready to make a splash
Book is brought to life on stage ... delivering fun for all the family
CUTENESS overload alert – Mr Popper’s Penguins are coming to town.
The lovely little show – based on the book by Richard and Florence Atwater, which was also transformed into a movie starring Jim Carey – will warm your heart and fill you with joy this Christmas.
“It’s a show about family and friendship and following your dreams,” smiles Richard Holt, who plays the title character.
“All the themes that will tug the heartstrings...”
He’s also quick to point out the stage version – adapted by Pins and Needles Productions – is nothing like the movie.
“It’s completely different – our story is much more faithful to the original book than the movie,” he adds. “It’s a great show, really lovely to be part of.”
Mr Popper’s Penguin’s opens at the SEC’s Lomond Auditorium for a magical Christmas season from today until January 6.
It is the story of Mr and Mrs Popper, pleasant, predictable people who live in the small town of Stillwater.
But when a package which arrives at their home produces a penguin, chaos waddles into their lives…
It is hard enough for a modest painter to support himself and his family, without the unexpected addition of twelve penguins into the mix.
But the imaginative Mr Popper has a grand idea – if he turns his talented penguins into a traveling vaudeville act, they could become an all-singing, all-dancing theatrical sensation .....
This hit musical adaptation, from Kenny Wax Family Entertainment – the team behind the stage adaptations of The Gruffalo, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt and What the Ladybird Heard, features a bunch of original songs and a remarkable family of penguin puppets.
“The puppets are incredible,” agree Monica Nash, who plays Mrs Popper, and Susanna Jennings, who plays Greta and Admiral Drake.
Susanna adds: “It’s really amazing how quickly you can almost forget there are people there on stage with them – they all have their own little characters and quirks and it is a lot of fun to do.”
Richard adds: “All of us have worked with puppets in some form of another before, so we are coming in to the show with some experience. But it does take some time to get used to talking to the puppet, rather than the person, on the stage – it’s quite a different thing to have to do as an actor.”
Monica says: “The music in the show is fantastic – there are some really great songs.”
The show was first performed in
They are great comedy animals and very cute
Brighton in 2015, and has gone on to play at the Criterion Theatre in London’s West End, and enjoy a smash hit season in New York.
Richard, Susanna, Monica and Christopher, who plays Captain Cook and Mr Greenbaum, are a new team on the show, which has already toured to rave reviews around the country.
“We’re ready to go and can’t wait to come to Glasgow,” says Christopher. “The previous team have had really great feedback from audiences – kids love the show.”
Monica adds: “It seems to appeal to all ages, not just younger children – it’s a proper family show.”
That, says Richard, is probably down to the penguins.
“Everyone loves penguins,” he laughs. “They are just ridiculous, aren’t they? They are great comedy animals and very cute.”
After the Glasgow dates, the cast and crew are off to America with the show for two months.
“That will be a great experience,” says Richard. “The previous cast went out to the US earlier this year and did a lot of work with schools – the kids were incredibly enthusiastic, so the Q&A sessions were a lot of fun.” Mr Popper’s Penguins runs until January 6 at the SEC. Tickets, priced £14.25, are available from www.sec.co.uk or by calling 0844 395 4000