Brighton Centre – 12th & 13th July 2025
The Brighton Centre hosted the much-anticipated return of PawPatrol Live! this weekend with The Great Pirate Adventure. This colourful, action-packed stage show with music, comedy and amazing puppetry kept hundreds of children wide-eyed for the whole 90 minute run time.
With three performances across the weekend, families filled the arena, ready to join Ryder and the pups on their quest for treasure.
The stars of Paw Patrol Live: The Great Pirate Adventure were, of course, the Paw Patrol. Chase, Marshall, Skye, Zuma, Rocky. Rubble and even Tracker make an appearance. Their costumes were amazing with visible operators controlling them but managing to maintain the illusion well. Each had moving eyes and mouths, bringing the pups to life.
From the moment Cap’n Turbot appeared, frantic and flustered as ever, it was clear that the live actors had done their homework. His animated gestures and pitch-perfect voice brought the cartoon character to life impressively. That level of detail ran throughout the performance.
Mayor Goodway, with Chickaletta in tow, was equally spot on, capturing all her quirky charm. Mayor Humdinger, the pantomime-style villain of the piece, earned plenty of laughs with his over-the-top antics. Ryder provided a steadying presence, guiding the pups through each step of their mission.
The plot was simple enough for even the youngest fans to follow. During Adventure Bay’s Pirate Day, Cap’n Turbot discovers a mysterious cave, setting Ryder and the pups on a treasure hunt across land and sea. Each clue is revealed on a large screen and the audience is encouraged to shout out what they see.
This interactive element, along with singing dancing, meant children were constantly engaged, waving their provided Paw Patrol flags and cheering on their favourite pups.
Visually, the production was strong. The animated backdrops were clever and dynamic, syncing well with the action and helping to create immersive transitions from forests to pirate ships to underwater scenes.
The musical numbers were catchy and well-choreographed. Children were clearly having a great time singing along and jumping out of their seats. A surprise appearance from Tracker in the second half drew excited gasps and the finale was a definite crowd-pleaser. Confetti cannons shot paper streamers into the air, wrapping up the adventure with a theatrical bang.
Before the show, there was a Paw Patrol backdrop where families could have souvenir photos taken and buy them as a print out or digital download. The only negative of the experience was the high price of merchandise at the two stalls. This was a common grumble amongst parents but, luckily, many children had brought their own toys along.
Paw Patrol Live in The Great Pirate Adventure was a fun and inventive show that understood its audience perfectly. For children who love Paw Patrol, this was a chance to see their heroes brought to life with care and energy.
Paw Patrol Live review – 5 stars
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