What is the Very Hungry Caterpillar show about?
The show is broken down into four different stories, each told by a team of puppeteers with giant puppets and charming music.
– ‘Brown Bear, Brown Bear’ – featuring different coloured animals. The audience is asked each time what they say, and eventually it leads back to the storyteller appearing as the teacher telling the story to his schoolchildren.
-‘10 Little Rubber Ducks’ – This story tells of 10 little rubber ducks who fall overboard and get separated. The audience follows the ducks whilst they float to different places and meet different characters.
– ‘Dream Snow’ – The kind farmer in this story shows his animals the true spirit of Christmas (and also has a dream about snow!).
– The Very Hungry Caterpillar – The final story is clearly the star of the show. It is a popular book (having sold 45 million copies worldwide) and many people can recite it off by heart. This hilarious retelling was very endearing. It certainly hooked us in whilst we watched the caterpillar turn into a big caterpillar, cocoon and butterfly.
Delightful puppetry
The puppets in this production are superb and truly a sight to behold. The cast of actor-puppeteers includes Karyn Claydon, Katie Haygarth, Ben Murrell, Jonathan Norman, Amber-Rose Perry and Adam Ryan. They are full of joy and enthusiasm for the puppets around them and bring them to life perfectly. This production doesn’t shy away from size of puppets too – be prepared for a few surprises. One of which is when you see the Caterpillar’s transformation into the beautiful butterfly! The puppeteers mostly wear white dungaree style clothing, which provides a plain backdrop to showcase the stunning colours of the puppets themselves.
Fun for all the family
The performance is recommended for ages 1-6 and is perfect toddler fodder. Our daughter is 6, and even though she enjoyed it, I would say it is mostly for the younger end of that age group, and a perfect first introduction to the theatre in a relaxed environment. That said, it entertained all three of us, age 6, 42 and 44! There is audience interaction. Also, you needn’t feel embarrassed should your child be talking, shouting or grizzling through the performance. It is all embraced!
Five-star feeding!
We loved this show, which was a faithful retelling of Eric Carle’s wonderful storybook. We especially liked the colourful costumes, playful facial expressions of the puppeteers and the way in which the Hungry Caterpilar munched his way through the food itself! We’d give the show five stars, and hope that by Saturday the Caterpillar doesn’t come along and eat them all.
Where can I find out more about The Very Hungry Caterpillar show?
The Very Hungry Caterpillar show played at Warwick Arts Centre from 13th – 24th December 2021. Warwick Arts Centre have a variety of shows on for all age groups, many of which are family friendly – please see the Warwick Arts Centre What’s On page for more details.
You can find out details about the Very Hungry Caterpillar and future dates and venues of their tour on the Very Hungry Caterpillar show website.Join the conversation!
Have you been to see a Christmas Show? If so, we’d love to hear what you thought of the production! Join in the conversation by using the comments box below, or via our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.(Disclaimer: We received tickets in exchange for this review, however all views and opinions are our own.)