Review: Zog (Cadogan Hall)
- All That Dazzles
- 2 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Review by Oliver Briggs
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Since 2010, Zog the dragon has been learning how to fly, roar, and breathe fire as a beloved picture book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. The musical adaptation debuted in 2019 at the Rose Theatre followed by a UK tour. After a healthy 2026 UK tour, Zog lands in London for a stop at Cadogan Hall. The story itself follows an excited young dragon, Zog, as he and his friends go through years of dragon school together, each hoping to earn a gold star for their work. When Zog is the last one to be left without a star, Madam Dragon reminds him that all he has to do is “practice, practice, practice.” With that in mind and a little help from his friends along the way, Zog gets the coveted golden star.
This production thrives in how it invites the audience into the dragons' classroom. The set design was really appealing thanks to the brilliant mind of Katie Sykes, resembling a climbing frame or a jungle gym you would find in a playground or school, almost inviting you to climb it yourself. Formed with green poles, pale wooden slats, a fireman's pole and ladders, there are so many levels and heights to this set that you could climb and stand on. What worked amazingly is how the set encouraged exploration and play - not just for the actors onstage, but for the audience as well. The pale green and brown colour palette created an environment of nature and outdoor forested space, which is only all the more fitting for a dragon school.
Ryan McBride's direction uses exaggerated physical comedy, giving the production an energetic cartoon-like quality that kept audiences engaged - so much so, it seems as though he plucked a cartoon from the screen and dropped it onto a stage. This made for a spectacularly funny watch for the entire family, but especially the children who will be used to watching cartoons in a similar style. Between Ryan McBride and Edie Edmundson, the director and puppetry director respectively, they have created a family show that's so engaging, I could hear parents around me talking about how much they enjoyed the show on the way out. A favourite scene of mine was definitely “Year Three”, learning how to roar in one of the most unpredictable and exciting scenes where dragons race around the stage, playing with fire and creating a magical atmosphere. In a way, it also mimicked a school playtime with just how uncontrollable the dragons appeared to be, taking up the whole space and zipping all over the place whilst playing with friends.
With the same energy as the animated-style of direction, choreography for Zog by Katie Beard has followed a similar measure. Clean, exciting and exaggerated. Beard’s choreography was the definition of quality over quantity as it didn't try to over-complicate things, instead opting for a simple but defined style. The dances were designed to be engaging for the younger audience members, but maintained the energy and precision to hook the older people present, and more frequent theatre-goers. Some of the most picturesque moments happened suddenly but were enjoyable due to the cast seemingly falling into a polished dance out of nowhere with bursts of excitement - all thanks to the brilliant choreography.
The troupe of five cast members was truly exceptional. Each character possessed their own subtle and detailed character traits that brought more story, emotion, and extra laughs without pulling attention from the main plotline. I must commend Lotti Brigan for her performance as Madam Dragon, doing a spectacular job as she brings a Mary Poppins sound and style to the role. She is a caring teacher to the dragons who also encourages them to learn and find out for themselves how to accomplish their tasks, carrying herself with confidence and energy; floating around the stage in a very approachable manner. Brigan has found a perfect balance of duty and care to her students, commanding the audience's attention and effort as she encourages everybody to get involved in learning how to fly, roar, and breathe fire.
The composition of the music was perfectly scaled to the performance. With orchestration by Paul Herbert, the score was light, bouncy, and often functioned as an underscore without overpowering the movement of the story. This approach was particularly effective for a family audience, as the music avoided sudden, sharp, or aggressive moments, creating a welcoming atmosphere throughout. The lively tunes created a sense of wonder, almost as though they were sending beams of light through the audience, all while reinforcing the adventure and excitement that has run throughout the performance. The score also strengthened the idea of a classroom that is outdoors and amongst the trees, enhancing the magical environment in which the dragons can fly as they please. As a whole, the music complemented the action whilst solidifying both the setting and the audience's engagement with the performance.
An element that really sets this musical apart from other family shows are the costumes, also designed by Katie Sykes. Each character had his or her own colour, opting for a soft orange, blue, green and pink that allowed the performers to be bold and stand out alone, but seemingly disappear into the background when handling their puppets. The dragons all wore overalls in a slightly darker shade of their colours, which gave a more youthful and childish look. To make sure the dragons were dragons, however, spikes were added down the side of their legs with a small pair of wings on their back and a small waggly tail behind them. These smaller features worked to make the dragons appear even younger in a similar way to how a young child's head can appear quite large when compared to its body.
If you want to learn how to fly, roar or breathe fire, Zog is the family adventure for you. With perfectly balanced direction and choreography, charming costumes and a score that pulls you straight into dragon school, this is one class you'll definitely want to attend and a roaring success of a production.
Zog is learning to fly at Cadogan Hall until 23rd August. Tickets from
Photos by Jess Shurte