This week, 101 Dalmatians - The Musical visits Wolverhampton Grand Theatre. Featuring original songs, pantomime villainy, and a whole host of puppy puppets, the production is sure to get tails wagging.

Dodie Smith’s 1956 novel, The Hundred and One Dalmatians, has had new life breathed into it many times over, not least in the animated version that hit the big screen in 1961. Fans of the book or its numerous Disney incarnations might notice some differences to the story, but will be pleased to recognise Dalmatian parents Pongo and Perdi, their hapless human ‘pets’, the two bumbling henchmen and - of course - the iconic fur-fanatic, Cruella De Vil.

Cruella is played by erstwhile Steps member Faye Tozer, who looks like she’s having the time of her life. For this show, the characters have been updated, but she has certainly not been turned into a tormented or misunderstood villain: Cruella is a Baddie, through and through.

She’s hell-bent on hoarding Dalmatian pups to add to her RSPCA noncompliant wardrobe, resolved to use their skins to make a coat. She is assisted by her nephews Jasper (Danny Hendrix) and Casper (Charles Brunton), who fall on the slapstick - rather than scary - side of the henchman scale.

The stars of the show are unsurprisingly the dogs. Pongo is voiced and puppeteered by Linford Johnson, and Perdi by Emma Thornett, and both performances are seamless. It seems impossible that actors operating the dog puppets could melt into the background, but it was easy to forget that humans were on stage at times. By the end of the show, the set is swarming with Dalmatians - often with one ensemble puppeteer controlling multiple dogs.

Zinnia Harris’ stage adaptation is a truncated version of the story, which allows the plot to rattle along, carried by the strong personalities on stage, and making room for Douglas Hodge’s charming original songs. The lighthearted love song Now Wow! sees Pongo and Perdi tie up their owners in a tangle of dog leads, as the two couples fall for each other, and there is an epic number in the second half where dogs communicate across the nation, via barking.

101 Dalmatians - The Musical caters for all ages, with enough cartoonish silliness to smooth over any anxiety caused by puppies in peril, and plenty of laughter from the adults in the audience as well. This week is the last chance to see the show in the Midlands - you’d be barking mad to miss it.

Four Stars

101 Dalmatians - The Musical was reviewed by Jessica Clixby on Tuesday 20 August, at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, where it runs until Saturday 24 August.