In 1994, Peter Rabbit and Friends joined Alton Towers in a magical new ice show, replacing Captain Henry’s Gold with the iconic mascot departing the park. Costume, characters and fantastic skaters helped tell the story of Peter Rabbit live on ice.
Fact File
- Location: Storybook Land
- Opening Year: 1994
- Closing Year: 2001
The show would start with Lucie reading her favourite book ‘The Tale of Peter Rabbit’, very quickly she fell into a deep sleep. Magic stars fell all around her and she woke up in a magical new world. The lid of the picnic hamper opened and out climbed Peter Rabbit himself!
Inviting Lucie to dance he put down his red spotted handkerchief. After a song and dance, Peter realises he had lost his handkerchief. Lucie and Peter began their exciting adventure as they went off into the hills in search of the spotted handkerchief.
In the nursery they met the two bad mice. At the river side Jeremy Fisher tried to help them find the handkerchief. But in the garden Mr McGregor wasn’t too pleased that Peter was eating his carrots. Finally they found the handkerchief on Mrs Tiggy-Winkle’s washing line. After the long adventure they all hurried back to the hills to the country fair, where everyone danced merrily around the maypole.
The sets and costumes were designed in the Tussauds Studios, making full use of Beatrix Potter’s illustrations. Nearly a week was spent sculpting each of the characters’ heads, some of which required special detachable parts, such as ears, so they could be replaced if broken.
The animal heads were made of moulded plastic covered in fur and Mr McGregor’s beard was not made of human hair, but goat hair. The animal shapes were created by gathering layers of net onto body stockings, then trimming them to the form the correct body shape.
During the 20 minute show numerous songs would be performed, here are some of our favourites:
“We’ll be friends and dance for joy,
Human girl and Rabbit Boy,
Holding hands we’ll dance all day,
Over the hills and far away”
“A fisherman frog is hard to find,
But you’re lucky,
you’ve found one-
It’s me!
Jeremy Fisher esquire
At your service
Wishing for fishing- that’s me!”
“The kerchiefs found and more besides-
It’s fair time in the countryside.We’ve found much more than fields and trees-
Found mice and frogs and birds and bees!
Found foxes, rabbits, hedgehogs, moles,
Found butterflies and furry voles.It’s fair time in the countryside!”
After four years the show was altered, with a new Peter Rabbit show launching in 1998. This show featured several smaller stories of each of the main characters. Four years later the magic of Peter Rabbit came to an end as the last of his shows was performed in the summer of 2001.
