As children’s TV shows go, you won’t find much bigger than Bluey, and with million of followers across social media, you can bet there’ll be much excitement when BLUEY’S BIG PLAY is at the Wales Millennium Centre this week as part of its first ever tour of the UK and Ireland, following sell-out shows across Australia and the USA.
Bluey’s Big Play is a brand-new theatrical adaptation of the Emmy® award-winning children’s television series, with an original story by Bluey creator Joe Brumm, and new music by Bluey composer, Joff Bush.
If you’ve never encountered the show it follows Bluey, a six-year-old Blue Heeler puppy who has an abundance of energy, imagination and curiosity about the world.
Audiences of all ages will get to see Bluey, her younger sister Bingo and Mum and Dad (Bandit and Chilli), as they’ve never seen them before, as Bluey and her family embark on their first live theatre show, featuring brilliantly created puppets, live actors, and iconic sets.
When Dad feels like a little bit of Sunday afternoon time out, Bluey and Bingo have other plans! Join them as they pull out all of the games and cleverness at their disposal to get Dad off that bean bag.
The stage show has enjoyed much success in Australia, where it premiered in Bluey’s hometown Brisbane and went on to perform 447 times across 65 venues, including the Sydney Opera House. The tour is currently in the US where it’s played at the Hulu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York, the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles and the iconic Chicago Theatre. A Canadian tour was also announced earlier this year. Bluey’s Big Show has been seen by nearly 1 million fans worldwide.
Natasha Spence, Head of Attractions at BBC Studios Live Entertainment said…..
“Following the incredible reaction to the live theatre show in the US and in Australia, we are so excited to bring Bluey’s Big Play The Stage Show to fans across the UK and Ireland.”
Director Rosemary Myers of Windmill Theatre Company told us….
“The response to the show from fans across Australia and the U.S.A has been nothing short of amazing and we can’t wait for UK families to experience all the fun and excitement of having Bluey and her family on stage live in their city.”
Graeme Farrow, Wales Millennium Centre’s Artistic Director is also excited for the arrival of Bluey’s Big Play……
“Bluey, Bingo, Bandit and Chilli are bringing all of their hilarious, relatable and crazy family fun to Wales Millennium Centre. If you’re looking for love, laughter and canine capers, then shout hooray for Bluey’s Big Play!”
Once you have your tickets the kids are likely to be on the hyper-excited side. TYo keep them going till Bluey arrives into the capital, there’s a brilliant Bluey’s Big Play Activity Pack to go with the show. You can download it straight to your device, then print it off as often as you like.
The pack included a whole set of crafts and activities:
- Step-by-Step instructions on how to draw the whole Heeler family.
- Printable Bluey and Bingo masks to colour in and wear to the show.
- Colouring sheets featuring all your favourite characters.
Since launching in Australia in 2018, Bluey has gained millions of fans around the world, ranks as the number 1 show on CBeebies in the UK and has been streamed over 450 million times since it launched on BBC iPlayer. It’s also had an incredible 5.7 billion lifetime views across its official Bluey YouTube channel portfolio. Now, fresh from tours of Australia and the U.S., the worldwide Bluey phenomenon is coming to theatres around the UK.
As the first-ever stage adaptation of the hugely successful animated Australian children’s TV show, Bluey’s Big Play expands the seven-minute episode format into a fully-fledged theatrical production with a script by Bluey creator Joe Brumm, new music by Joff Bush (who also scores the TV version) and pre-recorded voices by original cast members, including Dave McCormack as Bandit and Melanie Zanetti as Chilli.
Moveable sets and actor-controlled puppets bring the story and characters to life. Show Director Rosemary Myers told us more…..
“We very much wanted to represent the world of Bluey because when people come to this show they want to see Bluey on stage and to be in the room with her and her family.”
Since it first began airing in 2018, the series has centred around the idea of imaginative play with brilliantly-observed moments of modern family life. Bluey’s Big Play reflectsthose themes with a story about Bluey’s mum Chilli and her relationship with her sister, which is weaved into the relationship between sisters Bluey and Bingo, as well as a plot line about dad Bandit spending too much time on his phone when he should be playing with his kids.
With the live show, which toured Australia in 2021 and America the following year, the decision was made to use larger-than-life puppets….
“The show is playing in large spaces, and you want the kids at the back to have a great experience, so the puppets are quite large.”
And there are a lot of the games that the kids know from TV, as well as audience participation to keep them really engaged. It’s got something for the kids and it’s also got something for the adults. There’s a lot of artistry to the TV show and we translate that into a beautiful piece of theatre.”
As one of the first shows to open after the pandemic, Bluey’s Big Play was rapturously received by audiences coming out of the world’s longest lockdown. It was also a sold-out sensation in the States and Rosemary was blown away by the reaction to it when it played at London’s Royal Festival Hall over Christmas, ahead of the tour moving on to several other venues across the UK and Ireland….
“When we got to London we thought ‘Will the audience be a bit more refined and conservative?’ but that wasn’t the case at all. The UK and Ireland has that panto culture, so they were really vocal in their responses.”As for what she hopes people will take away from seeing the play as it now makes its way around the country.
This is an example of a pretty happy family and they’re a great source of joy for audiences. You see parents with their kids, all of them engaged and enjoying the show, and the cast walk out on stage like they’re rock stars because there’s so much love for Bluey and her family. It’s about the love between family members and about taking those special moments to be together and enjoy them.”
BLUEY’S BIG PLAY gets to the Wales Millennium Centre through to Sunday 17th March. There’s 9 performances in total with times to suit most families. Tickets start at £14, although some shows are already at limited availability, so get in quick. Full details HERE.
