Recently embarking on a UK and Ireland tour, the adored classic - 101 Dalmatians - could be bringing the puppy pandemonium to a stage near you. The family-friendly show provides a musical treat to accommodate the story, with fun for all as Cruella De Vil tries her tyranny, stealing the dogs for her fur coat. An amazing entourage of puppetry creates spectacular visuals to represent the canine companions too.
As part of the cast, Danny Hendrix has kindly told us more about what his role entails.
Can you tell us about your part and how you feel about joining this cast?
I play Jasper- one of Cruella’s hapless nephews who do all of her dirty work, but all he (and his brother Casper) really want is to be loved by their aunty. I’m so excited to be part of this amazing show! The entire team from cast and creatives to stage management and WHAM (wigs, hair and makeup), everyone who tours with the show are all incredible and talented people and it’s such a joy and pleasure to be sharing this show with them.
How familiar were you with the 101 Dalmatians story before taking on this role, and what impact did this have on creating your interpretation of the character?
The 101 Dalmatians movies by Disney are so iconic and I have watched them all many times over but of course this version is not affiliated with Disney, instead being based on the original book by Dodie Smith. The story is one that so many people know and love and can connect with on many levels so when bringing Jasper to life, I wanted to keep that hapless yet keen energy to bring out the comedy in the show which we’ve come to love from the well-known adaptations out there.
What makes the musical retelling so unique compared with other mediums?
The magic of musical theatre is that the music can help portray and express emotions and story on a much deeper level that sometimes just words simply cannot do alone. Through the music, the audience can truly see and feel the heightened panic, terror, sadness, longing or joy that the characters are experiencing making the theatrical journey much more intense and enjoyable.
How does the puppetry bring the story to life and what particular skills have you worked on to interact with characters presented as animals?
As much as we’d all love to be working with 101 real Dalmatians, we all know it just wouldn’t be feasible or realistic so the perfect alternative is puppetry and the beautiful designs by Jimmy Grimes are unbelievably joyous and endearing. They truly make you believe that there are real dogs on stage and that is also down to the fantastic work of all of the puppeteers. I was told once that anyone who interacts with a puppet also becomes a puppeteer and they are helping to convince the audience of the living essence of the puppet so this is something I always aim to do in the show.
What effect does the new music have on bringing the piece together?
Theatre music plays such an important part in the show and Douglas Hodge along with the incredible music department have created beautiful, catchy songs and motifs that will get stuck in your head for days. I think the music really helps push the narrative along with a beautiful rhythm that keeps audiences engaged from start to finish.
Why do you think this is such a timeless narrative, still being loved by audiences of all ages?
101 Dalmatians has everything, it has an unhinged villain, a daring escape and of course beautiful dogs but at its heart it is a story about home, family, community and hope and I think; particularly at this point in time around the world, these are things that we need to hold onto and protect.
What do you most enjoy about the touring experience?
The thing I love most about touring is getting to visit new cities up and down the UK that I haven’t been to before or may not have thought to visit.
How would you sum up the show in a sentence?
A fun, pawsome spectacle for the whole family!
Huge thanks to Danny for such a great interview, and I hope you have a wonderful time on tour!
To see the dates and get your tickets for 101 Dalmatians, click here:
Additional thanks to Izzy Sheldon for coordinating this interview.
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