Dogs Don’t do Ballet

The Blunderbus Theatre Group recently came to entertain us. This term the play was ‘Dogs don’t do ballet’ based on the book by Anna Kemp.
Lucy discovers her dog, Biff, is an amazing ballet dancer and tries to persuade her father, Mr Braithwaite, and her ballet teacher, Miss Polly, of his talents. Not surprisingly they are unconvinced!  Lucy is taken to the Royal Ballet by her father and Biff sneaks along. When the prima ballet dancer has an unfortunate accident with a tuba, Biff stands in and saves the day. Clearly dogs can do Ballet!
The performance was full of energy and fun. Three actors and their puppets played the characters – the puppetry was superbly done. We all knew dogs could do ballet long before Biff’s performance at the Royal Ballet!  Harry was asked to look after the Royal Ballet tickets and did so brilliantly! The audience all had a chance to join in some ballet moves. There were some lovely pirouettes twirling around the sports hall and beautifully balanced arabesques, not to mention a few wobbles here and there. The children loved the disco ballet too.
We were joined for the performance by Boot Farm, The Children’s House, Jubilee Nursery, Woolhampton and Bucklebury Primary School.  In the afternoon, the actors ran workshops for the different year groups. The children loved the chance to meet the actors up close and had great fun inventing a new storyline involving the kidnapping of Biff. The children brainstormed ideas with the actors and went on an imaginative journey together eventually rescuing Biff from his captor. Great fun had by all!

REM