The Demon Dentist review at The Bristol Hippodrome 2023
Posted on: 2023-04-06
Our rating:
For me, Emily Harrigan stole the show in her titular role, playing it with a villainous charisma, particularly when belting out her musical numbers
David Walliams’s The Demon Dentist pays an Easter visit to The Bristol Hippodrome between 6 and 8 April 2023. Huw Bendon took his family to see what the dastardly tooth witch was up to.
Never has a trip to see the dentist been so eagerly anticipated in our household as when the children heard we were off to the Hippodrome. We had tickets to see one of David Walliams’s best sellers adapted for stage. A promise of ice cream and toilet humour galore, what’s not to like for a child!
We took our seats in a theatre full and buzzing with young families. My personal experience of David Walliams was mainly limited to Little Britain and late-night talk shows (surprisingly the books had passed me by), so I wasn’t totally sure what to expect: a musical, pantomime, play... But as the curtain rose, I was about to find out.
A musical was quickly confirmed as the answer. Four children sang with gusto about how the teeth placed under their pillows for the tooth fairy had been replaced not with pound coins but various nasties ranging from a spider to a severed fluffy dog’s tail.
If you are not familiar with the plot, it brings together a down-on-his-luck Alfie with plucky Gabz to investigate the mystery of the missing teeth, which – you’ve guessed it – coincides with the arrival in the town of a sinister dentist: Miss Root.
For me, Emily Harrigan stole the show in her titular role, playing it with a villainous charisma, particularly when belting out her musical numbers.
The actors playing children all acted superbly and there were consistently amusing comic turns from Zain Abrahams playing newsagent proprietor Raj, and James Mitchell playing Alfie’s terminally ill and ultimately heroic dad.
Special mention to the set which efficiently accommodated changes in scenes in the first half of the play and sprung one or two dramatic surprises later on. It goes without saying that Walliams’s writing was spot on for the target audience too with “farts”, “bums” and jump scares aplenty – all great for eliciting giggles and gasps from kids on their Easter holidays.
With a critical eye (or rather ear), the sound seemed slightly off to me. At times I thought there may be lip syncing involved but my family didn’t agree and said it was just some kind of voice synthesiser or mic lag.
For me there was a marked difference in pace with the first act setting the scene a little too slowly for a children’s play. But fear not, after the interval it was a non-stop comic romp culminating in a two-part action scene followed by a two-part moment of poignance.
My nine-year-old and thirteen-year-old both enjoyed it and judging by the round of applause (and pantomime boos for Miss Root) so did everyone else. Four stars.
Click for upcoming Bristol Hippodrome shows
Article by:
Huw runs On Point Copywriting, a Bristol-based copywriting agency, helping businesses with their messaging, tone of voice and getting their marketing comms done. He enjoys cooking, watching and playing sport, camping and spending time with his family.
