Opening the show, you are introduced to Dave (Ben Galpin), a hero trainer that hasn't been all to successful in his training journey thus far. In fact, he hadn't managed to train anyone successfully for hundreds of years. But with a fresh audience with heroes desperate to succeed, he was hopeful that the Southampton crowd would be victorious. In order to succeed there was only a few steps that needed to be completed. Including collecting a unicorns horn, griffins treasure and a dragon's tooth. Simple eh?

As each mythical beast is introduced, you learn about their origin story, some fun facts and are tasked with helping Dave complete the mission. Each mythical beast is created as a brilliant puppet that is manned by a brilliant team of puppeteers who voice and manoeuvre each creature as a synchronised team. Each dragon and mythical beast moves with such grace and animation that it seems almost like perfect choreography that you forget the puppeteers are even there! I can honestly say that each and every mythical beast blew us away and had us on the edge of our seat. 

Our favourite beasts were definitely the adorable baby dragon George (who let's face it, we all wanted to take home!), the cute Japanese Baku who helped rid you of bad dreams, and the majestic Indrik that took up most of the stage and left me sat open mouthed with how gorgeous it was on stage. Following the story, you work with Dave to ensure each and every task is completed. But things don't end as they should, and without spoilers, it's a heart warming tale about working as a team and helping others. 

This interactive show took us on a whirlwind journey that included audience participation, children invited on stage and even photos being permitted (gasps!). It was honestly one of the most child friendly shows that I had been to in such a long time. The perfect blend of jaw dropping theatrics, mixed with the fun and fancy of a pantomime. It hit all the right spots and ticked all the boxes for an hour of family fun. At just under an hour long, this show is perfect for younger audiences as it holds their attention from start until finish. Whilst some of the creatures might look scary and sinister, we heard nothing but cheers and gasps from the packed audience. Everyone was in awe of them on stage.

Dragons and Mythical Beasts is the perfect show for the whole family this summer and beyond. We absolutely loved our time watching it and wished that it was staying in Southampton a bit longer so we could watch it once more! It's heading to London for a short residency at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre before continuing on its UK tour. And it's definitely one not to miss. We all need a hero, and that hero could be you!

*Please note that whilst we were gifted tickets, all thoughts and opinions are our own.