Panto will put you in the festive mood
NOT in the festive spirit yet? Then get yourself down to the annual civic pantomime where they’re serving up classic entertainment for the whole family.
It’s all about the children, of course, but the art of a good panto is when it works on different levels with the youngsters throwing themselves full-on into the booing and hissing while the adults chuckle at the double entendres and topical references, and grandma lets out a titter when washer woman Widow Twankey (Anthony Wil- liamson) is introduced as the biggest scrubber in town.
Abanazar (James Stirling) plays the perfect villain, desperately trying to get his hands on the magic lamp and the genie inside, complete with three wishes.
But it’s Aladdin (Christian James) who is first to release the imprisoned apparition (Nic Chiappetta) who grants him a palace and riches to enable him to earn the blessing of The Emperor (Benjamin Powell) for the heart of his daughter, Princess Jasmine.
There are certain wishes, however, that the camp spirit from the lamp can’t grant, from a smooth transitional Brexit to making Mrs Twankey beautiful.
Wishee Washee (Scott Livingstone) has a lovely rapport with the kids while the accomplished vocals from the Princess (Rebecca Bailey) – who performs a number of duets with her suitor – provides a modern touch to the show with excellent renditions of Touch (Little Mix), This Is Me (The Greatest Showman) and Pink’s What About Us.
Other numbers include Mrs Twankey belting out It’s My Bosch to Bon Jovi’s It’s My Life and a hilarious cameo by the Genie playing gooseberry on a park bench amid another impressive duet to Ed Sheeran’s Perfect.
There’s an entertaining interlude that always goes down a storm with the kids with luminous puppets dancing in the pitch black to a string of hits from past and present, including a dragon busting moves to The Trammps’ Disco Inferno and four monkeys re-enacting Queen’s ground-breaking Bohemian Rhapsody video.
The enthusiastic cast are backed by an impressive chorus of dancers, a number of whom grew up locally, in what is a thoroughly professional show complete with lavish costumes and great sets – none more so than the Royal Wedding Finale. A must see this Christmas. Runs until December 29. Four out of five stars