Review: Bluey's Big Play delivers deep message amidst the fun as it enchants young audience in Sheffield

A cartoon about an Australian family of talking dogs may not have seemed the most obvious global hit on paper, but the show has captivated countless millions around the world in recent years thanks to its brilliant writing and humour that captures the madcap mix of challenges, craziness and magical moments which make up everyday life when raising young children.

Bluey’s Big Play is a stage show based on the cartoon, with the production based on an original story by Bluey creator Joe Brumm and featuring the voices of the TV cast. The live show has recently reached a new audience with a recording of it being streamed on Disney+, with the ongoing UK tour finding its way to Sheffield this week.

Our three-year-old daughter is among those who have been captivated by the Disney+ recording of the stage show and she was among hordes of pre-schoolers decked out in Bluey clothes excitedly making their way to the Lyceum on Friday morning as its brief run in Sheffield got under way. The show also appeals to primary school children and I expect many will be in attendance this weekend once school is out of the way.

The show parallels the cartoon series in using a simple and playful plot to gently highlight much bigger themes about family dynamics. It focuses on Bluey and her younger sister Bingo hiding their dad Bandit’s phone to get him to play with them – with their subsequent fallout leading mum Chilli to reflect on her strained adult relationship with her own sister.

If that sounds rather deep for a show aimed at young children, don’t worry. The sweet but serious message of valuing family relationships may underpin the show but it is filled with knockabout humour, silly jokes and audience participation which kept the young audience enthralled throughout its 45-minute runtime.

The show is cleverly performed with brilliantly-created puppets operated by a skilful cast of puppeteers, while the script is littered with references and callbacks to popular episodes of the show.

Our daughter was entranced and laughing along throughout and instantly gave it a ‘10 out of 10’ rating as we left. The only minor quibble she offered was that rather than inflatables being thrown into the audience at the end as happens on the Disney+ recording, bubbles came down instead. But that did not take the shine off her enjoyment of the overall performance.

Taking our youngest daughter along a week before her fourth birthday was also something of a bittersweet moment for my wife and myself, having taken her older brother and sister to the same show at the same venue a couple of years ago. It was a reminder of how quickly the years pass when you are raising young children – even if it doesn’t feel like it some of the time!

So in that spirit, families should grab the opportunity to go and see this show while they can if they get the chance.

Bluey’s Big Play is on at the Sheffield Lyceum until Sunday, May 17. For more information and tickets, visit www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk.