Toto the Ninja Cat
★★★☆☆ Sweet
King’s Theatre: Fri 23 – Sun 25 Oct 2026
Review by Hugh Simpson
Toto the Ninja Cat and the Great Snake Escape, at the King’s for one weekend, is a touring children’s production full of fun and charm.
Aimed at audiences over 5, the Little Angel Theatre production (co-produced by Mercury Theatre, Colchester and Mayflower Southampton) is adapted from one of a series of books by broadcaster Dermot O’Leary and illustrated by Nick East.
Toto the Ninja Cat and the Great Snake Escape. Pic: Ellie Kurttz.
Based on O’Leary’s real-life rescue cat, the story features an almost-blind feline who has ninja skills, and her brother Silver. Led by a suspiciously ratty cat named Catface, they voyage all over London trying to find a king cobra named Brian who has escaped from the zoo.
Director Samantha Lane has adapted the book along with Barb Jungr, who provides the songs. It’s an attractive and humorous – if oddly low-key –story. All elegantly framed by the narrator figures, two (human) zoo keepers played by Charlotte Bloomsbury and Richard Lounds. Along with Vinnie Monachello, they also manipulate the impressive series of animal puppets, with rats, a parakeet and a tiger also appearing.
expressive, funny and handled with considerable dexterity
Designed by Oliver Hymans (also responsible for the clever set) and heavily influenced by East’s drawings, the puppets are expressive, funny and handled with considerable dexterity.
The performances are engaging and accomplished, Lane’s direction is assured and Jungr’s songs are varied and effective, with a general cabaret-like feel also accommodating various other styles.
Toto the Ninja Cat and the Great Snake Escape. Pic: Ellie Kurttz.
The careful pacing of the production does camouflage the fact that the source material is perhaps not the most inspired. The storyline is a series of set pieces, not in themselves startlingly original, strung together in a way that is not always convincing. It also depends on a familiarity with London and its geography that can’t necessarily be assumed in its target age range everywhere else in the country.
There are also other problems with the storytelling. Puppets like these, however good they are, have less impact when those operating them are constantly narrating at the same time. The understated nature of much of this is not helped by sections of it, particularly at the beginning, being almost inaudible, which does not help a young audience become immersed in the tale.
visually it is highly creditable
Much of it does strike home, however. The humour (usually gentle but with welcome tinges of pantomime) is accessible, the storytelling is clear, and visually it is highly creditable. There’s nothing earth-shattering here, but as a theatrical entertainment for a young audience it certainly works.
Running time: 55 minutes (no interval).
King’s Theatre, 2 Leven St, EH3 9LQ.
Friday 23 – Sunday 25 October 2026.
Fri: 3.30pm; Sat: 10.30am & 1.30pm; Sun: 1.30pm.
Tickets and details: Book here.
Productions website: tototheninjacatonstage.com
Toto the Ninja Cat and the Great Snake Escape. Pic: Ellie Kurttz.
ENDS
