Review: We’re Going on a Bear Hunt Live for a lively summer family show

On a Friday in July Big Boy and I experienced a snow storm despite London being in the middle of a heatwave.

It was a special foam snow storm. The type of snow storm that is bound to put a smile on your face.

We had been invited to review the stage adaptation of Michael Rosen’s award-winning children’s classic We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, which has returned to London this summer.

The show tells the story of the family and their musical dog who go on a quest to find a bear. They wade through gigantic swishy swashy grass, a splishy splashy river, thick oozy, squelchy mud and a swirling whirling snowstorm.

Each section in the book is creatively interpreted in this lively Sally Cookson production, and the actors use buckets of water to create a river and brown paint and hand painting to do a muddy scene. In the water scene, there is a risk of getting wet, and Big Boy and I were laughing and ducking while the actors were squirting audience members with water pistols. In the snowstorm, foam was falling from the ceiling, and we were reaching out trying to catch as much as possible.

From beginning to end, there were catchy songs, varied props, minimalist staging and plenty of audience participation. This was the second time I was invited to the touring show and the first time the highlight was when one dad in the audience was selected to sing with the actor who plays the dad–a moment that made us laugh again at Lyric.

The ending also continues to be one of my favourite parts, and I love that the bear in the play is nowhere near as scary as it could have been. In fact, the bear looks like an adorable giant teddy–a charming furry friend who I’m not surprised seems to be a crowd-pleaser.

Overall, We’re Gong on a Bear Hunt is a lively and charming musical show for fans of the popular picture book!

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt is playing at West End’s Lyric Theatre until Sunday 2 September.

Photos: Lesley Cook

Tags: Children's theatre, Michael Rosen, Review, We're Going on a Bear Hunt, West End