When it comes to Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler book to theatre adaptations, Freckle Productions undoubtedly have the Midas touch. Zog and the Flying Doctors - the sequel to the enormously successful Zog is no exception.
The plot faithfully follows that of the book, with embellishments and musical digressions along the way. Zog (played by Ethan Jay Scott), an ultra-enthusiastic dragon student turned air-ambulance, together with his Flying Doctor crew - Princess Pearl (Emily Attridge Cox) and Gadabout (Edward Conroy) attend to a variety of patients. These include a sunburnt, moany mermaid, a ‘duocorn’ (a unicorn with an extra horn), and a lion with the flu (both played by Darcy Manning). Zog’s propensity to land with a ‘crash-bang-thump’ lands the trio in a tricky situation when they find themselves at Pearl’s uncle’s house. Pearl’s uncle (James Stirling) - who happens to be the King, has strong ideas about whether princesses ought to be doctors, and is not afraid to express them! To her dismay, Pearl finds herself locked up in a castle, wearing a crown and a ‘silly frilly’ dress. Gadabout and Zog go on a quest to rescue Pearl and help her prove the King wrong.
In many ways, the plot of Zog and the Flying Doctors is meatier than the original story, and is perfect for the stage adaptation. There is so much material to play with, even before the creative team, led by Katie Beard and Robert Delaney, have added their artistic genius, peppering the show with delicious comedic gems that will mostly go over the children’s heads, but appeal hugely to the adults accompanying them. I especially enjoyed Princess Pearl’s allusion to her crochet emporium on Etsy, and the reference to the NHS (‘National Horn Service’). There is so much to delight here: rapping rabbits, cheesy jokes (‘can you Brie-lieve it’), and a healthy dose of audience participation. The music is fabulous throughout. There are some delicious contrapuntal melodies, some rousing heart-felt choruses, and downright hilarious libretto.
Based on my sample audience of two (girls aged seven and five), this will be a big hit with any young people. I saw some older children in the audience, whose initial apathy - presumably they had been dragged along with younger siblings - evaporated almost instantly, and the entire audience was dancing in the aisles by the end of this joyous, exuberant production.
Zog and the Flying Doctors at Cadogan Hall, 5 Sloane Terrace, London SW1X 9DQ until 31 August 2024.
For tickets, please visit zoglive.com
