Babe The Sheep Pig
Theatreworks can be relied upon to provide top class entertainment and this production is
another winner for all ages.
Keeping true to Dick King Smith’s original story, the cast enthralled both the young and not
so young who had trooped down to Flora’s Green with picnics, blankets and the odd bottle of
wine.
The humans in the story were pretty much background characters as they brought life sized
farm animals to life with intricate puppetry. A play filled with drama – sheep worrying dogs,
Farmer Hoggett lining up his shotgun to dispense with Babe, but prevented at the last
moment by an emergency call from the police, Fly the sheepdog’s sadness as she waves
goodbye to her pups and nail biting excitement as Babe enters the arena in the Championship
Sheepdog Trials. Music plays an important part in Babe’s story, the scene in which Fly puts
Babe through her paces as they train for the trials to the Rocky theme tune is theatre magic
and ending on Queen’s ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ was a grand finale in every sense of the word.
Long may Theatreworks continue to bring live performance to all ages and congratulations
once again to Heligan Gardens for a magical summer setting.
Sheila Vanloo
August 2009
