BWW Reviews: THE 3 LITTLE PIGS, Town Hall Birmingham, August 1 2015

The 3 Little Pigs is currently enjoying a short pre-West End run at the beautiful Town Hall venue in Birmingham. With music by George Stiles and the book/lyrics by Anthony Drewe, this classic tale is given a fresh re-telling that will appeal to young children and parents alike.

The show has already had massive success in America, Finland, China and Singapore and the original cast recording was released earlier this year. Stiles and Drewe have absolutely nailed the brief given to them by Gaurav Kripalani (Artistic Director of the Singapore Repertory Theatre) in creating a piece suitable for the entire family. The material is witty, clever and incredibly catchy and undoubtedly left a lasting impression on the younger members of the audience following the 50-minute show.

Jason Denvir's set begins simply with three separate slides which were reversed whilst the houses of straw, sticks and bricks are 'built'. When the houses are revealed, the seemingly basic structures had effective mechanisms to dismantle themselves when the wolf 'blows them down'. Denvir's costume design is modern and fits the tone of the production perfectly. Ewan Jones' choreography is superb and the five-strong cast deliver it with style and ease. He draws inspiration from many different dance styles and even gets a Ballroom/Latin section in for Simon Webbe - as the Big Bad Wolf - following his appearance on Strictly Come Dancing.

Webbe is a very energetic and characterful Wolf. He bounces around the stage and performs his numbers, 'A Bit Misunderstood' and 'I'll Huff and I'll Puff' brilliantly. Musical theatre star Alison Jiear, who was recently seen on Britain's Got Talent, showcases her extraordinary vocals throughout as Mother Pig and she is supported confidently by the aptly named Bar, Bee and Q - played by Taofique Folarin, Leanne Jones and Daniel Buckley. Buckley in particular gives a very charismatic performance, especially during 'A Little House'. The harmony work and musicality is stunning and performances across the board are slick.

The 3 Little Pigs runs at the Town Hall, Birmingham until Sunday 2nd August before opening at the Palace Theatre, London on Wednesday 5th August for a limited run until Sunday 6th September 2015.

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