The phrase “Izzy wizzy, let’s get busy!” was uttered once again by children and grown-ups alike on Saturday morning when the first of two performances of the Sooty Show played to a packed Riverfront Theatre.

After 65 years Sooty, the little yellow bear and his friends Sweep and Soo are still entertaining children with their unique brand of humour. The puppets of course need a straight man and that role is filled to perfection these days by Richard Cadell.

As Richard, Sooty, Sweep and Soo set out to make a cake for Sooty’s birthday party it was all too apparent chaos was about to ensue. From mixture flying everywhere, chaotic balloon blowing and water pistol soaking, even the audience got in on the fun.

I couldn’t help notice that while the children screamed with laughter the adults including myself were enjoying the unfolding chaos as well. For me it was the memories the show brought flooding back to my early childhood when I watched the famous bear handled on television by the late Harry Corbett and later his son Matthew.

The essence and energy of those performances are still there handled expertly by Richard Cadell right down to the mischievous squaring up to Sooty and even overcoming a technical issue when Sooty accidentally dropped a birthday wishes list across the stage.

There was no doubt in my mind that Sooty’s appeal would endure at the close of the show as the audience patiently queued to meet Richard and Sooty for a rare photo opportunity! Great fun was had by everyone indeed!

Bye bye everybody bye bye!

Andy Howells