A Wardrobe Ensemble, Old Vic and Royal & Derngate, Northampton co-production

Judith Kerr’s
MOG THE FORGETFUL CAT
Adapted for the stage by The Wardrobe Ensemble

The Wardrobe Ensemble’s stage adaptation of Judith Kerr’s beloved stories about Mog the Forgetful Cat visits Leicester’s Curve theatre from Tuesday 21 to Saturday 25 February and it is the cat’s pyjamas in creative children’s entertainment and never puts a paw wrong.

This production is the first ever stage adaptation of Judith Kerr’s bestselling Mog picture books, published by HarperCollins Children’s Books. It is directed by Helena Middleton and Jesse Jones, and proves to be a lively and enchanting production using original songs, live music and a menagerie of creatures little and large to bring the iconic stories to life. The Co-Directors are Helena Middleton and Jesse Jones, Musical Director and composer is Joey Hickman, Designer is Laura McEwen, Sound Designer is Beth Duke, Lighting Designer is Rajiv Pattani and Movement Director is Catriona Giles. 

Mog the Forgetful Cat was devised by Tom England, Joey Hickman, Jesse Jones, Helena Middleton, Hanora Kamen, Kerry Lovell, Jesse Meadows, Robyn Sinclair and Ben Vardy. Additional devising by Tom Brennan, Emily Greenslade and James Newton. The 60 minute show was adapted for the stage by The Wardrobe Ensemble, Mog the Forgetful Cat is a co-production between The Old Vic, Royal & Derngate Northampton and The Wardrobe Ensemble and had its world premiere at Royal & Derngate Northampton in June 2022.

For those unfamiliar with Judith Kerr’s endearing stories for the young ones, Mog, the family cat, is a very forgetful cat. Every day she forgets that she has a cat flap; she forgets that she’s already eaten her supper, and she forgets that cats don’t have eggs for breakfast every day. Then – to be honest- what cat does? But, it transpires that Mog’s forgetfulness can actually come in handy. Everyone’s favourite cat might be forgetful, but she certainly has a lot of creative and colourful adventures. Mog loves her family very much even though they do take her to the V.E.T with a nasty thorn stuck in her paw.

This morning, at the newly refurbed Curve studio space, we join cute cat Mog and the Thomas family, who take us on a journey through one year in the life of cat Mog. Would you believe that Mog even catches a burglar then gate crashes a cat show and causes purr-fect havoc at the feared V.E.T surgery. Other pampered pets are not harmed at the visit to the V.E.T honestly.

The hard- working cast (Tom England, Kerry Lovell, Ben Vardy, Jesse Meadows and new cast members, Max Gallagher, Georgina Goodchild and Maria Goodman) are inventive, funny and very engaging and there is plenty of friendly audience participation for the kids to enjoy.

For those families who have become big fans of the books then this show is a ‘must see’ and if it is the first time the children are being brought to the theatre well, I’m certain no better way of introducing them to the magic of theatre can be found right now. Mog The Forgetful Cat is the cat’s whiskers in young children’s entertainment.

 

Tickets for Mog the Forgetful Cat at Curve are on sale now. To find out more and book, visit www.curveonline.co.uk, call 0116 242 3595 or visit Curve’s Box Office in-person.