Inside the 101 Dalmatians Musical at London’s Eventim Apollo

The beloved dog tale returns to London in a vibrant new stage production that mixes heartfelt puppetry, playful design and a show-stealing Cruella.

Finally, a musical adaptation that does justice to the beloved 101 Dalmatians story, staying true to the heart of the original film while adding its own theatrical magic. This production delivers charm, spectacle, and a refreshingly faithful retelling, but not without a few glaring issues.

This is a show that doesn’t stray too far. The familiar tale of Pongo and Perdi, their fifteen puppies, and the villainous Cruella is kept intact. The adaptation moves briskly, balancing humour and heart with enough nods to the original to keep longtime fans content. Key moments, like the Twilight Bark and the final puppy parade, land with warmth. It’s a children’s story first, but it remembers to carry some weight.

*The cast of 101 Dalmatians, © Johan Persson*

At the centre of it all is Sydnie Christmas, whose Cruella is unapologetically larger than life. Her voice fills the room, her presence demands attention, and her costumes keep pushing the boundary between fashion icon and full-blown fever dream. It is a performance that carries the show through its rougher patches. She is both the villain and the draw.

The production’s most consistent success is its puppetry. Designed by Jimmy Grimes, the dogs are brought to life by an ensemble of skilled puppeteers whose movement work is precise, fluid and often touching. You forget the mechanics and see the characters. Children are spellbound. Adults, too, are quietly impressed. There is a moment where a puppy pees on an electric gate to free the others. It is absurd and brilliant.

Visually, the show is well balanced. The lighting by James Whiteside and sets by David Woodhead are bold but not overbearing. The production avoids falling into monotone design tropes, instead offering a stage that feels playful, textured and never too dark for young viewers. Sarah Mercadé’s costume work, particularly for Cruella, is a highlight. Sharp, wild, and layered in every scene.

But here is where things start to slip. The Eventim Apollo is the wrong theatre for this show. It is too wide, too deep, and on quiet nights, far too empty. The scale of the venue swallows intimacy, and despite the effort on stage, the warmth rarely reaches the back rows. This is a production that belongs in a West End house with closer walls and fuller energy. You can feel the show trying to fill the space and coming up short.

101 Dalmatians is a charming and well executed musical, carried by its lead performance and elevated by beautiful puppetry. It honours the source and adds just enough modern flair without losing its way. But until it finds a more fitting space to live and breathe, some of its magic will remain stuck behind glass.