AS WE neared the Mayflower Theatre, it was clear that this show was the place to be for anyone aged six and under. Scores of tiny people were waddling towards the Southampton theatre, some clutching blue cuddly toys, others wearing Bluey T-shirts and some wearing blue dog ears. The theatre was packed, almost no empty seats, for the 5pm showing of Bluey's Big Play on August 27, a theatrical adaption of the popular kids' cartoon.
For those without children - Bluey is a Blue Heeler Dog from Australia who lives with her mum, dad and little sister. It's a touching short TV cartoon that's shown on CBeebies and also on Disney+. It's gentle, the colours are not as brash as some other kids' shows, and it's relatively quiet on the noisy scale of children's TV.
The short programmes always lead with a storyline with a moral, which is scarily relatable for any parent and also touchingly told. It's got humour, and it's the kind of show that adults like watching too. The show started in 2018 but it soon swept the world and has become a huge franchise, with Bluey's image appearing on everything from T-shirts to socks.
Now in Southampton on stage, it was clear to see Bluey's star has not even remotely begun to wane, as literally hundreds of children (mostly) managed to sit still and watch a 50-minute theatre production. An absolutely unbelievable accomplishment for that amount of children at any time of year - and even more so during the school summer holidays on a nice sunny day. The show st.