If your child is around five years old, Paw Patrol is probably already part of your life – whether through toys, clothes, school bags or countless episodes of the animated series.
This weekend, children in the UAE had the chance to step into Adventure Bay themselves as Paw Patrol Live! Heroes Unite arrived at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
By Friday afternoon, anticipation had already turned the drive from Dubai into an “are we there yet?” marathon. The first large Paw Patrol poster spotted on Yas Island prompted pandemonium in the back seat.
There was still some way to go before the show began. First, every Paw Patrol toy at the stand outside the venue had to be examined for size, likeability and playability. Marshall the Dalmatian emerged victorious.
There was just enough time for a picture at the photo booth before the 5.30pm performance began.
With Paw Patrol paddles in hand, the children were ready to see their favourite characters come to life.
Etihad Arena was close to full, with sections at either end sealed off. Ryder and rescue pups Chase, Rocky, Rubble and the rest of the gang – superstars to much of the five-year-old demographic – welcomed the audience to Adventure Bay.
They were soon called into action after Mayor Humdinger stole Robo-Dog as part of his attempt to be named “Top Hero” of the day.
What followed was a suitably straightforward rescue mission, filled with music, dancing and familiar catchphrases. Children regularly jumped out of their seats to join in, while those needing more space spilt happily into the aisles.
Crucially, the production has enough energy to keep adults following along too. That proved useful whenever children wandered away from their seats and returned demanding an immediate explanation of what they had missed. It certainly helped to know your “Chase is on the case” from your “Rubble on the double”.
Mayor Humdinger clones Robo-Dog, declares himself king and even traps members of the team in a dungeon, before Ryder and the pups inevitably restore order. Robo-Dog is rescued, Paw Patrol prevails and the audience celebrates with them.
The show runs for about 90 minutes, including a 15-minute interval. The break is well judged. An uninterrupted performance, even one lasting only an hour, would probably test the attention span of some of the younger members of the audience.
The production also gives accompanying adults enough to watch that reaching for a phone rarely feels necessary. The sets are colourful, the songs come quickly and there is almost always something happening on stage.
The biggest reaction comes at the end, when cameras turn towards the crowd and children dance in the hope of appearing on the big screen as the hero of the day.
Confetti fills Etihad Arena and many children scoop it from the floor on their way out, taking home an improvised memento of the evening.
The only downside to all that excitement was hearing “Chase is on the case” shouted for much of the drive back to Dubai.
It was a small price to pay.
Paw Patrol Live! Heroes Unite concludes at Etihad Arena on Sunday
