Ladybird is hit with Northcott audience

REVIEW: What the ladybird heard

What would you do to retire early?

For robbers Lanky Len and Hefty Hugh, stealing a farmer’s prized cow ensures an early pension. Unbeknownst to them, Ladybird overhears their scheming and rallies the farm’s animals to thwart their plans.

What the Ladybird Heard is a hilarious, interactive musical that brings Julia Donaldson’s and Lydia Monks’ endearing farm animals to life on stage. It’s the ideal, sing-along play for children aged four years and older.

Wheeling out a barrow of feed, the Farmer invites his three farmhands to help him take account of his farm animals. In need of assistance, children in the audience yell out the central farm animals from Donaldson’s and Monks’ book. 

The Farmer and farmhands Lily, Eddie and Raymond, propose to make most of the animals. In elaborate choreography they dance and sing their way around the farm in search of items to make animal puppets.

A wooden barrel, painted pink, is a pig’s body. A white watering can is a goose. Or at least enough to convince children of what animals they’re supposed to be. 

The Farmer, aware of a burglary afoot, urges children to call on Ladybird to help prevent Lanky Len and Hefty Hugh from stealing a cow. At the onset of the robbery, Ladybird persuades her friends to confuse both robbers by imitating each other’s sounds.

Relying on slapstick and sound to exaggerate their misfortunes, Lanky Len and Hefty Hugh encounter many obstacles. Forgetful robber Lanky Len mixes-up his directions frequently and causes Hefty Hugh to run into him. Unamused, Hefty Hugh scolds him when their robbery goes amiss, but Lanky Len’s enthusiasm makes up for his occasional mistakes. 

Their playfully mischievous banter and frustrated responses at their bad luck has both children and adults in stitches, while Ladybird and her farm animal friends are praised for catching the robbers red-handed. 

In the end, Ladybird and her farm animal friends rely on each other to defeat their enemies. But their success depends on children!  Altogether, everyone helps to prevent Lanky Len and Hefty Hugh from getting away with stealing a cow for an easy retirement.

What the Ladybird Heard, produced by Kenny Wax Family Entertainment and directed by Graham Hubbard, is at the Northcott Theatre until 2 January.