Hey Duggee - Olivier Winner 2023

Kenny Wax Productions Limited

Matthew Xia


OLIVIER WINNER BEST FAMILY SHOW 2023. Set and costume designs for the Kenny Wax stage adaptation by Matthew Xia and Vikki Stone, based on much loved BBC TV series of Hey Duggee created by Grant Orchard. Bringing such a well loved TV series to life on stage was a delight. The responsibility of being faithful to the television show, but also realising the animated characters in 3D was a triumph for the fabulous puppet designers Yvonne Stone and Daisy Beattie. The set provided the environment for those characters to experience their various adventures. With the clever writing by Vikki Stone and Matthew Xia's creative direction the show is a fabulous first theatre experience for many very young audience members. Using the colour palette of the Hey Duggee animation world and the planking graphic style of the clubhouse, the bright tones but simple in hues allow the puppets to operate freely without competing with them. The planking colours suggest landscape, from greens to blues but also helps gives us the interior worlds. The squirrels journey through the colourful Landscape, Club House Interior, Space, then finally arriving at the theatre, with splashes of bright colour punch ing through the planking set. The designs for our one multi-roll actor - Lunga Anele-Skosana, who switches costumes in a series of quick changes, becoming a variety of 'human' versions of other popular characters from the series. Simple hat style animal heads, coats and jackets, or part puppet part costume additions, create Chew Chew, Hennie and Mrs Weaver. Sparkly and inventive lighting design by Ciaran Cunningham, beautiful animated video by George Reeve and sumptuous sound by Rob Bettle all create the necessary environment to help transport our characters on their adventures.

Hey Duggee with Cast, Grant Orchard Creator and Sue Goffe on set.

Photograph of the cast and BBC creatives on the set of Southampton MAST.