In 1994
Peter Rabbit and friends joined Alton Towers in a magical new ice show, replacing Captain Henry's Ice show. Costume, characters and fantastic
skaters helped tell the story of Peter Rabbit live on ice.
The show would start with Lucie reading her favourite book 'The Tale of
Peter Rabbit', very quickly she falls into a deep sleep. Magic stars fall all around her and she wakes up in a magical new world. The lid of the picnic hamper opens and out climbs
Peter Rabbit himself!
Inviting Lucie
to dance he puts down his red spotted handkerchief, after a song
and dance, Peter realises he has lost his
handkerchief. Lucie and Peter begin their exciting adventure as they go off into the hills in search of the spotted
handkerchief.
In the nursery, they meet the two bad mice, at the river side Jeremy Fisher tries to help them find it, but in the garden Mr McGregor
isn't too pleased that Peter is eating his carrots. Finally they find the
handkerchief on Mrs Tiggy-Winkle's washing line. After the long adventure they all hurry back to the hills to the country fair, where everyone dances merrily around the maypole.
After 4 years of this show it was altered and a new
Peter Rabbit show was launched in 1998, this one had a several smaller stories of each of the main characters. And again 4 years later the magic of
Peter Rabbit was stopped as the last of his shows was performed in the Summer of 2001.
The sets and costumes were designed in the Tussauds
studios making full use of Beatrix Potters
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 goats 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!''
The story, characters and photographs belong to their
original owners, the Beatrix Potter estate and Alton Towers
