Rebecca spoke to Love London Love Culture’s Emma Clarendon about bringing the beloved We’re Going on a Bear Hunt to the West End over the Summer…
Hi Rebecca, thanks so much for talking to me. What do you love the most about ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’? Hello! You are very welcome, my pleasure. So, the thing that I love most about We’re Going on a Bear Hunt is that we all get to spend an hour being very silly. The show, originally a book by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury, is so vibrant and colourful. It is such a joy to perform. The music composed by Benji Bower is also particularly catchy and wonderful!
What do you think it is about the story that captures the children’s attention and imagination? The story is a proper adventure and we take the children along with us on the journey, involving them from the very beginning. It’s noisy and messy and a lot of the objects we use in the show are all things that parents could recreate at home with their kids! The show, originally directed by Sally Cookson, does a beautiful job of creating the classic pictures that you see in the book. This is something the children can recognise and really get involved with.
In your opinion what is the best thing about performing for children? You’ll never perform for a more honest audience than children which is a total delight. It’s lovely to hear them shouting at us during the show, which is understandable. They just really want us to find the bear. It is so wonderful to look out and see them really excited and engaged with the story that we are telling. It is also lovely to see the parents joining in too, of course.
What was it that made you want to be involved with ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’? I had seen the show before I became involved with it and totally adored the bonkers sense of joy it left me with. I was also a huge fan of Sally Cookson’s work and so it was a real dream when I was offered the role. It’s one of those plays that feels fresh and alive every time we perform it. It’s amazing that this is its ten year anniversary!
It is quite a popular book – are there still plenty of surprises for those who love the book? Oh yes, there is plenty to keep everyone of the edge of their seats. I hadn’t ought to spoil any surprises so I can neither confirm nor deny that there might be a bit of a bit of splash zone in our audience.
By Emma Clarendon
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt will play at the Lyric Theatre from the 7th July until the 2nd September. To book tickets click here or visit: See Tickets.com, Theatre Tickets Direct.co.uk, Encore Tickets or From the Box Office.