presented by Illyria
Doctor Dolittle leads a simple life as the village doctor in sleepy Puddleby-On-The-Marsh. He often undercharges his patients, or even treats them for free, so he is terribly poor. But one day, with the help of his wise old parrot Polynesia, he makes an extraordinary discovery: that he can talk to animals. As news of his talent as an animal doctor spreads, animals across the world send messages asking for his help. So he borrows a leaky old ship and embarks on a thrilling quest to cure illness, spread kindness, and better understand animals everywhere. He is joined on his adventures by a loyal animal crew: Jip (a dog), Chee-Chee (a monkey), Dab Dab (a duck), and Gub Gub (an ever-hungry, cake-loving pig) – who together may even help him fix his money problems once and for all!
Hugh Lofting’s timeless classic celebrates the power of empathy and inspires audiences young and old to see the world through the eyes of animals. This funny, exciting new family musical is performed with flair and wit by Illyria in the great outdoors.
Review by Jane Pugh
The Adventures of Doctor Dolittle by Illyria Theatre Company
On the way home from the show tonight, we had to decide which of Dolittle's animals we liked best. A tough question, considering there are, at the very least, twenty furry or feathered friends to choose from (how they all squeeze into the dressing room, I'll never know). We chose Hedgehog, Sophie the Seal and the Three Spanish Bulls.
Welcome to the wonderful world of Illyria theatre company and the wonderful world of Doctor Dolittle, from Puddleby-on-the-Marsh, to an unspecified African country, a sailing ship, a prison cell, a travelling circus and back home again. If that isn't enough, it's rammed to capacity with sketches, songs, capers and jokes brought before the audience by a wild assortment of characters, including a crocodile that cries crocodile tears to a vainglorious Spanish don and a hapless village constable called PC World (groan).
Playfulness is the watch word of Illyria and its artistic director, Oliver Gray, this high energy, rapid-fire production brings out the child in every single one of us. Yes, it takes a little while to get going, perhaps one too many songs in the first act, but once it does, it doesn't stop. That's not to say there aren't moments to pause (or should I say, 'paws'?) and feel for the characters, their struggles, their dreams, their strengths and fragilities. I had a lump in my throat when Chee Chee the monkey sees Africa again. Underpinning the fun is Dolittle's core belief in an equitable world where everyone takes care of everyone, not just for ourselves as individuals but for the greater global good. Dolittle cares deeply, too deeply according to Too Too the Owl and this adds more poignancy to the story. All the characters are dreamers and believers which means, as one of the opening songs conveys, they're poor! Why the two are mutually exclusive, is something the dear doctor might never come to terms with.
Several times during the show, I had a quick look round to gauge audience reaction, everyone was ooing, aahing and invested in the spirit of the show. It is a high jinks adventure imbibed with heart, big and romantic, and this is what Illyria does best.
What would the show be without the cast who are bursting with versatility, from puppetry, to singing, telling jokes and kicking up their legs to deliver a muscle-pumping Can-Can. And yes, they can-can – do everything, that is! All tightly brought together by the aforementioned Oliver Gray and his team who ably deliver quality and creativity and make us feel better about ourselves and the world around us.
If you're feeling low, Doctor Dolittle has the cure.
