From the moment Duggee ‘A-Woof’ed his way on to CBeebies back in 2014, children and parents alike have been captivated by the lovable Clubhouse leader.
Duggee and the Squirrels, who join him for fun, adventures and hands-on learning at the Clubhouse, were an instant hit with viewers. Their popularity has only increased ever since, with Hey Duggee being the most streamed children’s show on BBC iPlayer in 2021.
Now, Duggee and the Squirrels are about to head to the Swansea Grand to celebrate the summer with their Olivier award-winning production – HEY DUGGIE THE LIVE THEATRE SHOW, which is packed with non-stop fun, laughs, music, singing and dancing!
This is the first-ever stage adaptation of the hugely popular CBeebies series, which brings Duggee and friends to life through extraordinary puppetry and storytelling, with families able to see their TV heroes live in theatres across the UK until August, getting to the Wales Millennium Centre today – full details at the bottom of the page.
We were at the Royal Albert Hall when Hey Duggee The Live Theatre Show won Best Family Show and I can tell you, there was much excitement from all of us in the audience.
Presenter and comedian – and Narrator of the Hey Duggee TV series ALEXANDER ARMSTRONG recently watched the show. He said……
“It’s just the most fabulous, uplifting show. I loved it!”
The show has been has been adapted for the stage by VIKKI STONE (#zoologicalsociety – Royal And Derngate, Romeo And Duet – ITV) and MATTHEW XIA (The Wiz – Hope Mill Theatre, artistic director Actors Touring Company). Matthew also directs the production and Vikki is musical supervisor and arranger.
Matthew told us…….
“My daughter was born in 2014, the same year Hey Duggee started, so we’ve really grown up with the TV series, and it’s been an absolute treat to create this new stage show.
Without any spoilers, the Squirrels have never been to a show before, and they set out to learn about all the things that go into making a show and earn the relevant badges, with some of our favourite Hey Duggee characters helping them along the way.
And the children and families in the audience are very much part of the Squirrel gang with some important jobs to do!”
Vikki added…..
“Hey Duggee is such a special TV series in the realm of co-viewing, where adults are watching it with their children, not just putting it on to entertain them while they’re doing something else. And it is brilliant to see families come together in theatres on the tour to experience that same magic live on stage – and in many cases it’s the children’s first theatre experience.”
Since bursting onto TV screens in 2014, the BBC Studios and Studio AKA creation has won seven BAFTAs and is an international Emmy award-winning hit.
Hey Duggee was the most streamed children’s show on BBC iPlayer in 2022 for the third year in a row and is popular among both children and parents; with fans both young and old, up and down the country now able to join the much-loved character on tour.
Mathew said…..
“When the producer Kenny Wax first approached me – I’m not sure if you’ve heard of Hey Duggee…’, and I said it’s one of my favourites. I told him my daughter was born the same year Hey Duggee started, so we’ve really grown up with the show.”
By contrast, Vikki, who is also the live show’s musical supervisor and arranger, hadn’t seen a single episode…….
“I didn’t know Hey Duggee at all when I was approached. So, I spent a long time getting very closely acquainted with the show, and now I love it!
I very quickly got pulled into it and caught up in the world of Duggee, the Squirrels and their friends. It’s very funny and full of joy and laughs.
“And I very soon realised how special Hey Duggee is, that it sits in the realm of co-viewing; the adults are watching it with their children, not just putting it on to entertain them while they’re doing something else.”
So how did you tackle creating Hey Duggee The Live Theatre Show?
“The first day, Matthew and I sat in an office and had our own lists of our favourite bits – and we had chosen a lot of the same things.”
Matthew added……..
“Kenny had given us pretty much free reign. That also made the challenge even greater. Taking 156 episodes, each one seven minutes long, and turning them into a complete theatrical experience for children.
Series one and two I knew really well – I’d seen those episodes a lot. Any parent knows what it’s like! So,I kind of knew where the hits were.
We had to keep the big format of the show, you know – where the narrator says to the Squirrels ‘Do you know what time it is?’. That’s the start of the adventure, and that had to be the same on stage.”
Matthew and Vikki have a wealth of experience between them as co-adaptors.
As well as working in theatre, Matthew was known as DJ Excalibah – and was in the original line-up on BBC Radio 1Xtra, as well as DJing for the London Paralympic Games opening ceremony.
Alongside her work as a composer and musician, Vikki is also a stand-up comedian. She made history earlier this year as the first female musical director of a house band on UK television in more than 20 years, with her appearance on ITV’s Romeo And Duet.
Matthew and Vikki have also worked closely with the TV show’s creator Grant Orchard and the rest of the team behind Hey Duggee at Studio AKA, in creating the live experience.
Vikki told us……
“It has been really interesting working alongside the Hey Duggee TV team. Duggee is effectively Grant’s baby.
They are new to theatre and are amazed at what we can do that TV can’t, or how we translate things from TV into a live setting.
With the animated series, the script has to be locked in and cannot be altered from that point. The dialogue is recorded, and then it’s animated to fit. Whereas, in theatre it’s almost the opposite – we can tweak the script all the way through the process.”
With more than 150 episodes to pull from, and the freedom of creativity, what can fans of Hey Duggee expect from the live theatre show Vikki?
We had to think about what an audience member would want and expect to see from Hey Duggee on stage; badges, songs, jokes, in-gags, It’s all there.”
Matthew continued…….
“Essentially, we have created a big quest story. That Narrator’s voice has been really important, it’s that big question setting up each episode: ‘Hey, Duggee, what are you doing?’.
Without spoiling it, the Squirrels have never been to a show before, and they set out to learn about all the things that go into making a show and earn the relevant badges.
We’ve brought in some of our favourite Hey Duggee stars to help the Squirrels – Mrs Weaver, Hennie and Chew Chew, who I can mention, as well as several more that I can’t… And the children and families in the audience are very much going to be part of the Squirrel gang. They will have important things to do!”
Some of the biggest moments in Hey Duggee have been marked by music. One recent example is The Welcome Badge special – where the Squirrels welcome Ukrainian cartoon characters Mavka and Swampy the Kittyfrog to the Clubhouse with a special song to make them feel more at home in the UK.
“We were spoilt for choice with the songs! I wanted to treat Hey Duggee The Live Theatre Show as a musical, where the songs could move the story along – and the songs we’ve pulled from the TV series do that brilliantly.
We’ve taken those songs, added harmonies and dance breaks, made them longer, done all the things which would make them work for stage rather than TV.
And there is a brand-new song, unique to the stage show, which is just fantastic.”
Since bursting onto TV screens in 2014, the hit Studio AKA production with BBC Studios and CBeebies has won no fewer than seven BAFTAs and is an international Emmy award-winning hit.
And since the tour was initially announced in June 2022, a further 13 venues – and more than 100 additional shows, have been added to the schedule, such is the popularity of the CBeebies show.
What do both think makes Hey Duggee so popular?
“There are so many brilliant references in it, for the adults, and then this exceptionally strong look and style that’s so instantly recognisable. When adults enjoy a kids’ programme, that’s a very sweet spot to hit.
Hey Duggee as a TV show is just so playful. It’s really non-judgemental in a most beautiful way – just as children are.”
Vikki adds…..
“There is a lot of activity in the Duggee world that just exists, with the wonderfully subtle light touch.
You know, Happy is a crocodile and his parents are elephants. You see that in the show’s titles, and straight from the off it is subtly stating that families come in all shapes. But there’s never any question or issue made of it.
There’s so much social commentary within the show, but it all just ‘is’. The modes of transport that the Squirrels come to the Clubhouse in, where they travel from, it’s all there but without any fuss.
The TV show is just so brilliantly inclusive, without being virtue signalling – and that’s a beautiful thing for children and families.”
Have they felt the pressure of recreating such a well-loved TV show Matthew?
“I do feel slightly petrified of letting people down, as Hey Duggee is such a very special TV programme. It’s a huge responsibility to take such well-known characters and to meet all the expectations.
Added to that, for many of the children coming to Hey Duggee The Live Theatre Show it will be their first theatrical experience. How exciting is that?
“I can’t wait to see the children’s responses – that’s why I make theatre, to see the effect it has on audiences.
The biggest thing I want to achieve though is that children leave the theatre and say ‘I can’t wait to go back!’.”
HEY DUGGEE THE LIVE THEATRE SHOW is presented by award-winning theatre producer Kenny Wax and theatre and live entertainment promoters Cuffe and Taylor in association with Live Nation.
The show is coming to the Swansea Grand from Thursday 24th through to Sunday 27th August. Performances are at 10am and 2pm on Thursday, Friday and Sunday and 10am and 1pm on Saturday. Tickets, which start at £17 are available now from HERE or directly from the Swansea Grand HERE.
