REVIEW: The Detective Dog at Z-arts Manchester – A Lovely Family Theatre Trip Full of Books, Puppetry and Interactive Fun 🐶📚
- May 17
- 5 min read
Updated: May 19
The Detective Dog - A Book-Loving Mystery Adventure Brought Beautifully To Life On Stage ✨
On Saturday 16th May we headed to Z-arts Manchester to see The Detective Dog. We’ve always loved Julia Donaldson books in our house and The Detective Dog has been one of Alice and Leo’s favourites for a long time, so we were really excited to see the stage adaptation again after previously enjoying it at Waterside Arts last year.
The show started at 11am and we decided to get the bus there as it stops almost directly opposite the venue, which makes Z-arts really easy to get to with children. We arrived at around 10:15am which gave us plenty of time before the performance started.
One of the children’s favourite things about visiting Z-arts is the downstairs play area with the giant red bus that children can climb inside. As soon as we arrived Alice jumped straight into the driver’s seat while Leo happily explored the inside of the bus with Lawrence. It’s such a lovely little feature and always helps make visits to Z-arts feel like more than just a theatre trip.
By the time we headed back upstairs towards the theatre space at around 10:45am, there was already a lovely buzz building outside the auditorium with plenty for children to explore before the show began.
Pre-Show Fun, Smell Stations & Family-Friendly Touches 👃✨
Just outside the theatre doors there was a large display board showing photos of the cast and which characters they would be playing during the performance, which I always think is such a nice touch for younger audiences.
Nearby there was also a table set up with ear defenders available to borrow, along with leaflets about the show, feedback forms, pens and a colourful little post box where children could post their completed feedback sheets afterwards.
One of the biggest highlights before the performance for Leo was definitely the interactive “guess the smell” activity inspired by Nell’s incredible detective nose. Different scent stations had been set up on chairs for children to investigate and try to identify the smells. Leo absolutely loved moving between all the scent boxes trying to guess each one, and it was such a fun way of bringing part of the story into the foyer before the show had even started.
Everything about the setup felt really thoughtful and family-friendly, and it immediately created a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
Taking Our Seats Inside The Auditorium 🎭
At around 10:50am we were invited into the auditorium and took our seats in Row D seats 10–13.
The view from these seats was excellent. We had a really central view of the stage and because the seating is nicely raked the children could easily see over the people sitting in front, which is always reassuring when visiting the theatre with younger children.
Even before the performance began, the set already looked bright, colourful and inviting with storybook-style scenery, illustrated greenery, bookshelves and playful projections helping create a lovely family atmosphere inside the space.
The Show 🐾
Adapted and produced by Tiny & Tall Productions, this stage version of The Detective Dog combines puppetry, music, projection, British Sign Language and scent technology to create a really imaginative and accessible theatre experience for younger audiences.
Based on the Julia Donaldson and Sara Ogilvie book, the story follows Nell — a clever little detective dog with an incredible sense of smell and a huge love of books. When all the books mysteriously disappear from school, Nell sets out on a mission to solve the mystery.
The production moved at such a lovely pace for younger audiences and managed to keep both Alice and Leo completely engaged throughout the full 50 minute running time. There’s no interval, but it never felt too long for little ones.
The audience interaction throughout the show worked brilliantly and really helped younger children feel involved in the story. Alice and Leo especially loved the moments where Nell came into the audience, which created so much excitement around the auditorium.
One of the funniest moments for the children was when Nell bounced a ball into the audience and accidentally hit daddy on the head, which had both of them laughing hysterically.
The puppetry throughout the show was absolutely wonderful, but Nell herself completely stole the show. The puppet felt full of personality and movement and it was so easy to see why the children became completely invested in her throughout the performance.
The songs were also really fun and catchy, helping keep the energy up throughout while adding even more warmth and humour to the story.
Meeting Nell After The Show 🐶💛
Following the performance, children were given the opportunity to meet Nell in the foyer afterwards which Alice and Leo absolutely loved — especially Alice, who has always adored puppets.
Seeing Nell up close after spending the whole performance watching her on stage made the experience feel even more magical for the children and was such a lovely way to end the morning.
There was also some merchandise available after the performance near the feedback table including:
📚 The Detective Dog Special Edition Book – £7.99
📚 Gozzle Paperback – £7.99
📚 Gozzle Hardback – £12.99
Once we had finished meeting Nell, my dad picked us up from Z-arts as Lawrence needed to head straight to work afterwards.
Final Thoughts ✨
Overall, The Detective Dog at Z-arts was such a lovely family theatre trip and a brilliant introduction to theatre for younger children.
From the thoughtful pre-show activities and accessibility features to the engaging puppetry, interactive moments and warm storytelling, everything about the experience felt carefully designed with families in mind.
It’s imaginative, inclusive, full of charm and beautifully captures the spirit of Julia Donaldson’s much-loved story.
Alice and Leo both came away smiling, and it was one of those theatre trips that simply felt easy, relaxed and genuinely enjoyable from start to finish.
🎥 Watch Our Visit in Weekly Vlog #453
If you’d like to see what we got up to during our visit to see The Detective Dog, you can watch it in Weekly Vlog #453 below. Our trip to the show begins at 23:29 in the video, although the vlog also includes some other family moments from our week.
🎭 At A Glance
📍 Venue: Z-arts Manchester
📅 Date Visited: Saturday 16th May 2026
⏰ Show Time: 11am
⌛ Running Time: 50 minutes (No Interval)
👶 Recommended Age: Ages 3–10
🎟️ Ticket Prices: £10(20% discount for Bright Sparks & M15 members)
🪑 Our Seats: Row D Seats 10–13
🚌 Getting There: Easy to reach by bus or car. Our bus stopped directly opposite the venue.
👃 Pre-Show Activities: Interactive “guess the smell” stations, cast boards and feedback activities
🎧 Accessibility: Integrated BSL, projected captions and ear defenders available to borrow
🐶 Best Bit: Meeting Nell after the show and all the audience interaction moments
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