Over at the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry (until Sunday 4th June) is the ideal stage show to introduce little ones to the theatre. I headed along today with my two girls (aged 7 and 10) to watch Mog The Forgetful Cat, and it was purr-fect, an absolute delight for all ages – even me in my late 30s.
Judith Kerr’s iconic book series has been adapted for the stage with all the quirky charm of the original stories, and everyone with young children needs to go to see it.
The play follows Mog (Georgina Goodchild) and the Thomas family through different seasons, giving the audience a glimpse into Mog the cat’s life over a period of a year, that is both funny and heartwarming. Mog’s memory lapses lead to a number of adventures that had the whole audience laughing out loud (and also wanting to hug Mog a few times).
The live music and songs throughout the show helped to set the scene for each new escapade and kept the energy levels high. It was nice to see children happily sitting watching the show, laughing, and joining in with the parts that encouraged audience participation.
The set design and costumes are great and cleverly created. My favourite being the cat carrier section – a really clever way of portraying that section.
The cast does a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life, with standout performances by Georgina Goodchild playing Mog (who manages to perfectly capture her feline physicality) and Tom England who played Mr Bunce who really kept the audience entertained and focused. But my favourite had to be Maria Goodman playing Debbie – who brought sunshine to the stage with her smiley character and energy.
Wardrobe, The Old Vic, and Royal & Derngate have co-produced a real crowd pleaser. Mog The Forgetful Cat is a must-see show for anyone who loves the stories of Judith Kerr or just enjoys a good, wholesome, family-friendly production. Don’t miss the chance to fall in love with Mog all over again.
Bother to get tickets for this superb children’s show here: https://www.belgrade.co.uk/