As a piece of pure musical theatre, this touring production is not big enough in the special effects department to do justice to the more ambitious animals. Although the smaller members of the menagerie are great and, crucially, the Pushmi-Pullyu is
the tops.
As a vehicle for Tommy Steele, however, the musical version of Hugh Lofting's famous children's books about a doctor whose parrot Polynesia teaches him to talk to the animals, is as near perfect as he and his fans could ask for.
The plot and musical numbers demand just enough in the dancing department for him to demonstrate his timing and ability to turn, without having to go the whole way with high leaps and marathon-long routines.
The vocal demands are also enough for him to show off what he still has, without being too strenuous. And musical director Stuart Pedlar is able to finesse all the longer passages so that the orchestra are always available to plug any gaps, leaving Steele to hit the big notes.
It is the performance of a consummate entertainer. And there are times when it is a pleasure to take your eyes off all the kerfuffle going on around him and revel in Steele's technique.
Not that you want to do so for long, because what a splendid kerfuffle it all is. The shelves in Dolittle's consulting room are packed not with books, but with assorted owls, badgers and squirrels, all shouting their heads off.
A pig and a hedgehog take it in turns to live in the sofa, while a recalcitrant lamb is ready to gnaw at the fingers of any of the doctor's nasty human patients who come her way.
Such attention to detail is reflected in the whole design, which seems to spiral away into the distance. And when the Doctor's friend Straight Arrow lends him the Pushmi-Pullyu to display in the circus and earn money to go in search of a giant pink snail, the circus performers are a riot of colours and movement.
The supporting cast all put in well moderated performances – letting rip when on stage alone and matching Steele's levels when needed.
They are not able to be so kind to the plot, however. The animal adventures step out brightly, but are let down by a piece of romantic tosh between the Doctor and Emma Fairfax, cousin of the hated General Bellowes, which seems to be sledge-hammered into place.
A fun production which will give equal pleasure to those who like to see fluffy animals come to life as well as those who are happy to see that there is still plenty of life in one particularly sprightly looking septuagenarian.
• Run ends May 31The full article contains 489 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
