Photo Flash: MR POPPER'S PENGUINS Launch at Natural History Museum

New family musical MR POPPER'S PENGUINS will make its West End debut at the Criterion Theatre for a magical Christmas season from 15 December to 31 December. Mr and Mrs Popper and their remarkable family of performing penguin puppets come to London direct from a UK tour and US première at New York's renowned New Victory Theatre.

Painter and decorator by day, Mr Popper dreams of Antarctic adventures. He is astounded when one day a packing crate arrives on his doorstep, out of which waddles a penguin!

With original music and lyrics, and a family of performing penguins brought vividly to life through the magic of puppetry, this delightful musical adaptation of Richard and Florence Atwater's popular book (also made into a Hollywood film starring Jim Carrey) has a cast featuring Lucy Grattan (Greta/Admiral Drake), Scott Jones (Understudy/ASM), Toby Manley (Captain Cook/Mr. Greenbaum), Russell Morton (Mr. Popper) and Roxanne Palmer (Mrs. Popper).

Directed by Emma Earle, designed by Zoe Squire with puppetry design by Nick Barnes, co-founder of London's Blind Summit. Mr Popper's Penguins features lyrics by Richy Hughes (Stiles and Drewe Prize winner, 2015) and music by Luke Bateman. Lighting design is by Ric Mountjoy and sound design is by Jason Barnes. Book tickets here

The cast launched the show at the Natural History Museum Ice Rink this morning. See photographs below by Ana Maria Wiggins for BroadwayWorld