MUSICAL REVIEW: Fantastic Mr Fox ★★★

Fantastic Mr Fox

Belgrade Theatre, Coventry

Tuesday 18th April 2017

Based off Roald Dahl's classic children's book, the story of Fantastic Mr Fox tells the tale of the fox family and their friends, badger, mouse, and rabbit, to which this production focuses its heart on telling the friendship between them all, and does so with such warmth that it proves itself to be fantastic family fun!

The production value is clearly very high with catchy and memorable music composed by Arthur Darvill, with lyrics from himself, Darren Clark, Sam Holcroft, who is also the adapter of this production, and Al Muriel all combined to create a score and undertone to the whole production that will stick in your head after the curtain call, especially with the song 'We’ve got to Dig’ in the first act of the performance, all of this to which is then combined with the stunning lighting designed by Lee Curran. The energy from the whole cast is clear as they perform to families in the auditorium, really emphasizing their actions on stage with clear clarity that really has you engaged with the storyline unfolding in front of you.

The set and stage in particular with this production is used to such a great advantage, especially within the second act with the introduction of Rat, who has a brilliant number about not doing as you're told and fooling around, to which Mr Fox also features in the song, and it’s just a really nice rebellious moment which I really enjoyed. Though I looked at this production as a children’s show throughout the majority of the first act, the concluding act actually becomes a little bit darker in certain aspects, not only with Rat having had a lot to drink, which I think I would recognise as an adult theme, but also the moment when the guard dog, to whom had big red luminous eyes, roamed throughout the auditorium peering over the rows towards the children in the audience, I found myself to be quite daunting, though to my disbelief many of the families absolutely loved, which I thought was really nice to see them being engaged with the sequence.

Overall, Fantastic Mr Fox is a brilliant feel good production for the whole family of any age, with a moral about family and friendships, and how we must all stick together throughout some hard times to be united with one another. Fantastic Mr Fox is currently on tour, running till 9th July 2017, where you can find all the details here.