ELAINE PANTO RETURN IS A BEAUTY
SLEEPING BEAUTY KING’S THEATRE, GLASGOW 07.12
SLEEPING Beauty is back at the King’s – and finally the Glasgow theatre has a show worth bragging about. Their annual offerings have been lacklustre of late, but they appear to have got their mojo back. The special effects are top-notch, with one sequence particularly breathtaking. But the magic doesn’t just come from the special effects – the cast are so in tune with each other you just feel you’re in safe hands. Elaine C Smith has gathered some of her old Wildcat theatre pals around her, with Juliet Cadzow – better known as Balamory’s Edie McCreadie to younger audiences – taking on Carabosse and George Drennan as King Hector.
Drennan’s part is seemingly small fry but there is no doubt he is there to give Smith “hauners” as she appears in the Glasgow panto for the first time in more than a decade.
Smith, as Bella, is immense. She knows how to appeal to the younger and older generations and can fairly knock out a tune as well as having the immaculate comedy timing you would expect from a veteran performer. Even when things go awry, she is adroit at getting them back on track.
For 20 years, the late, great Gerard Kelly was the headliner at the Kings, bringing skill to the role of Muddles, the comic sidekick.
Since his death seven years ago, Des Clarke took over but a new broom swept out last year’s panto cast and opted instead for Johnny Mac. He had huge boots to fill but was far better than expected. The sketch using DVDs to tell of a relationship was cleverly done. And the kids in the audience adored all of Mac’s nonsense.
This is a panto which will establish a life-long love of theatre for the children lucky enough to see it. There can be no greater compliment than that. The panto runs until January 7.
VIVIENNE AITKEN