Review: Mika and the Polar Bear, Gulbenkian Theatre, Canterbury, UK

bOing! International Family Festival 2026

A moving, non-verbal tale of friendship and climate resilience that blends seamless choreography with inventive puppetry.

Coalesce Dance Theatre, in association with Theatre Porto brings an impactful and heartwarming original story to young audiences with Mika and the Polar Bear. Designed for children aged 4–11 and their families, this 50-minute performance tackles the pressing themes of climate change, habitat loss, and environmental care through pure physical movement, visual projection, and captivating puppet design.

The show opens idyllically in a picturesque mountain home, where a young child, Mika, plays happily alongside their father. However, disaster strikes in the form of a violent storm that separates the pair, leaving Mika scared and alone. When the storm subsides, the pristine mountain environment is left marred by trash, pollution, and decay.

Without relying on a single spoken word, the story unfolds through well-synchronized, highly rehearsed physical theatre and dance. The company makes brilliant use of digital projections mapped onto the back of the stage, which seamlessly tie the narrative beats together and frame the emotional weight of Mika’s changing environment.

A standout element of the production is its inventive use of puppetry, designed by Bek Palmer. In one particularly poignant moment early on, a cheeky puppet fox trots onto the stage to play, only to get its snout trapped inside a discarded tin can. Mika’s gentle intervention to free the creature serves as a simple yet effective lesson for younger audience members on how human waste impacts wildlife.

The true highlight of the performance, however, is the introduction of the polar bear. Stranded on a shrinking, floating glacier as the world grows too hot and dry, the bear collides with Mika’s world. The craftsmanship and physical execution of the polar bear puppet are nothing short of outstanding. The performer behind the puppet captures remarkably nuanced body movements, but it is the expressive tilt and sway of the bear's head that allows the audience to genuinely feel its grief, loneliness, and emerging affection for Mika.

While the story’s pacing can feel a bit slow in certain stretches, giving extra room to breath where younger, restless viewers might prefer a swifter progression, the atmospheric build-up pays off. As these two unlikely friends navigate a crumbling world together, their journey transforms into a joyful story of hope, showing how love, compassion, and connection can help us rebuild after the storm.

Mika and the Polar Bear is an engaging, visually compelling piece of physical theatre for young audiences that sparks important conversations about our planet with warmth and gentle optimism. It makes us think that every living being deserves a safe, free space to call home. Watching the show made us reflect on how every animal was born to thrive in their own specific climate, and how we as humans have no right to disturb their peace or destroy their natural habitats. It is a sobering reminder that we are severely responsible for the climate change threatening animal lives today and if we do not change our actions, the destruction of their world will very soon become our own.

For upcoming tour dates and further details, visit: Mika and the Polar Bear

Reviewer: Kanta Biswas

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Original Story: Coalesce Dance Theatre

Co-Direction and Choreography: Coalesce Dance Theatre

Co-Direction and Dramaturg: Nina Hajiyianni Theatre Porto

Dance Artists and Choreographic Collaborators: Janice Ho and Luke Speddings

Composers: Patch Middleton and Richard Smithson

Visual Artist: Aaron Howell

Photography/Videography: Elly Wellford/Aaron Howell

Set Design & Puppetry: Bek Palmer

Original Lighting Design: Barnaby Booth

Lighting Adaptation for Tour: Matt Bennett

Technician/Production Manager: Fraser Owen

Venue & Performance Date: Gulbenkian Theatre, Canterbury | 29 August 2026