Brighton Centre – 13th July 2025
5 stars
Paw Patrol Live! made a welcome stop at the Brighton Centre with The Great Pirate Adventure, a fun, musical, character-driven show with amazing puppetry that had children on their feet and parents pleasantly surprised.
The plot was simple and easy to follow. Ryder and the pups raced against Mayor Humdinger to track down a hidden pirate treasure, using map clues uncovered during Adventure Bay’s Pirate Day celebration.
The characters and puppetry gave the production its heart. The Paw Patrol were brought to life with full-body costumes operated by puppeteers. Though the operators were visible, the illusion was convincing thanks to their fluid movements and excellent timing. Each pup had animatronic features, with eyes and mouths that moved in sync with their speech.
Skye, Chase, Marshall, Rubble, Rocky and Zuma all stayed true to their on-screen personalities. Tracker’s entrance in the second half earned a cheer from fans who weren’t expecting the jungle pup to join the adventure.
The non-costumed cast was equally strong. Cap’n Turbot opened the show with animated gestures and a voice that was nearly indistinguishable from the cartoon. His frantic charm was a highlight.
Mayor Goodway was another standout, perfectly capturing her dramatic delivery and constant concern for Chickaletta, who sat squawking nearby.
Mayor Humdinger offered comic relief with exaggerated antics and Ryder provided a steady presence and kept the story moving smoothly.
Audience participation was cleverly built in, with clues appearing on a large screen and children asked to guess what they saw. The cast responded to the young crowd enthusiastically, encouraging dancing, cheering and audience participation throughout.
The show’s energy, clever puppetry and strong character performances gave the excited audience a well-produced theatrical experience that stayed true to the spirit of Paw Patrol while offering something genuinely engaging for the whole family.
