Bluey's Big Play lands at the Pavilion next week

If you have a household that cannot get enough of the Heeler family, next week is the time to get them in front of it. Bluey's Big Play, the stage show inspired by the Emmy-winning TV series, lands at the Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre from Thursday 6 to Sunday 9 August, and it is built for families rather than just the kids.

The show runs for about 50 minutes with no interval, which is a sensible length for younger audiences. On stage you get Bluey, Bingo, Bandit and Chilli brought to life with puppetry and original music by composer Joff Bush, with the story written by the show's creator, Joe Brumm. It is an Olivier Award-nominated production, put together by Andrew Kay and Cuffe & Taylor with Windmill Theatre Co for BBC Studios, so it carries some real credentials rather than being a simple character appearance.

The Bournemouth run is compact, and the weekend carries the bulk of the shows. Thursday 6 and Friday 7 both have a single 10:00 performance, with Friday being the BSL and audio described show. Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 each run three times, at 10:00, 13:00 and 16:00, so there is a morning, afternoon and late slot to suit different plans. Doors open half an hour before each start, which is worth factoring in if you are arriving with small children. The Pavilion sits on Westover Road, BH1 2BU, so it is easy to reach.

On price, tickets start at £21.25, with a discount for under 16s. Schools booking for ages 10 and over pay £15.50 a ticket, with the eleventh free when you buy ten. Children aged 18 months and under go free, and anyone between 18 months and 18 years needs to be accompanied by an adult over 18. There is a limit of nine tickets per person and per household, so it is worth booking early if you are bringing a larger group. A dedicated BSL performance and audio description headphones are available, so the show is accessible to everyone.

The best bit for the kids comes after the curtain. Everyone is invited to join in with Keepy Uppy games, played with inflated balls made from materials free of BPA, latex and PVC, and a bubble activity using a non-staining solution. There is also a free activity pack with printable arts and crafts to take home, which gives the day some life beyond the show itself.

For context, this is part of a massive UK tour that began in October 2025 and runs well into August 2026, with over 100 dates taking in High Wycombe, Glasgow, Ipswich, Southampton, Nottingham, Southend-On-Sea, Canterbury, Belfast, Salford Quays, Llandudno, Liverpool, Brighton, Wolverhampton and Bristol before wrapping up in Dublin. Joe Brumm, the creator of Bluey, was born in Winton in Central West Queensland and studied animation at Griffith Film School, graduating in 1998, while composer Joff Bush is a Brisbane-based graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium. The Pavilion itself is run by BH Live, a registered charity and social enterprise set up in 2010, with its head office over at the Bournemouth International Centre on Exeter Road. It is a genuine family outing, and the short runtime makes it an easy one to fit in.