Olivier Award-winning stage show Hey Duggee heads to Bath’s Theatre Royal

Squirrels get ready! The all-new interactive stage performance Hey Duggee The Live Theatre Show visits the Theatre Royal Bath from Wednesday 9 to Saturday 12 August. The first-ever stage adaptation of the hugely popular CBeebies series brings Duggee and friends to life through extraordinary puppetry and storytelling in the perfect summertime treat for youngsters and their parents.

Families can look forward to seeing their TV heroes on stage as Duggee, the Squirrels and their friends star in the musical play Hey Duggee The Live Theatre Show – named Best Family Show at the 2023 Olivier Awards. The new stage show, which is packed with non-stop fun, laughs, music, singing and dancing, has been delighting fans of the smash hit CBeebies series Hey Duggee on its first UK tour.

Since bursting onto TV screens in 2014, the BBC Studios and Studio AKA creation has won seven BAFTAs and is an international Emmy award-winning hit. Hey Duggee was the most streamed children’s show on BBC iPlayer in 2022 for the third year in a row and is popular among both children and parents; with fans both young and old, up and down the country now able to join the much-loved character on tour.

Presenter and comedian – and Narrator of the Hey Duggee TV series, Alexander Armstrong recently watched the stage production and said: “It’s just the most fabulous, uplifting show. I loved it!”

Benedict Hastings, who grew up in Bath, plays the lovable TV character Duggee and the Narrator in the live theatre show. His previous stage credits range from UK tours of Zog, We’re Going On A Bear Hunt and What The Ladybird Heard to Wolf Hall and Bring Up The Bodies for the Royal Shakespeare Company.

The Squirrels are played by Jane Crawshaw as Norrie, Kaidyn Niall Hinds as Happy, Clarke Joseph-Edwards as Roly, Vinnie Monachello as Tag, and Sarah Palmer as Betty. Joining them at the Clubhouse will be Lunga Anele-Skosana playing Mrs Weaver, Hennie, Chew Chew and more. Understudies are Charlie Daniells, Elliott Samuels and Shakira Alleyne.

Hey Duggee The Live Theatre Show has been adapted for the stage by Vikki Stone (#ZoologicalSociety for the Royal and Derngate, Romeo and Duet for ITV) and Matthew Xia (Artistic Director for Actors Touring Company). Matthew also directs the theatre production and Vikki is musical supervisor and arranger.

Director Matthew Xia said: “My daughter was born in 2014, the same year Hey Duggee started, so we’ve really 

Matthew continued: “Without any spoilers, the Squirrels have never been to a show before, and they set out to learn about all the things that go into making a show and earn the relevant badges, with some of our favourite Hey Duggee characters helping them along the way. And the children and families in the audience are very much part of the Squirrel gang with some important jobs to do!”

Musical supervisor and arranger Vikki Stone added: “Hey Duggee is such a special TV series in the realm of co-viewing, where adults are watching it with their children, not just putting it on to entertain them while they’re doing something else. And it is brilliant to see families come together in theatres on the tour to experience that same magic live on stage – and in many cases it’s the children’s first theatre experience.”

Puppet designer and puppetry director Yvonne Stone’s credits include War Horse for the National Theatre and stage productions of Oi Frog & Friends! Live, Room on the Broom, The Gruffalo’s Child and The Smeds and The Smoos. Completing the creative team are puppet co-designer Daisy Beattie, lighting designer Ciarán Cunningham, set and costume designer Jacqueline Trousdale, projection designer George Reeve, sound designer Rob Bettle, choreographer Dannielle ‘Rhimes’ Lecointe-Mosca and associate director Helena Middleton.