JENNY DE KLERK
THE pantomime is here at last and those who have bought tickets – and there are already soldout shows – will not be disappointed.
From the moment the stars come out and the music strikes up, it is magic all the way with some spectacular scenes and effects.
And yes, there is a real live helicopter on stage. It even takes off, augmented by appropriate sound and lighting. The devilish Captain Hook and his pirate crew arrive in style in something shiny, stretchy and zooty (I fear I’m not a petrolhead) and there is a Peugeot on stage later in the show (it says Peugeot on the door).
Obviously the sponsors are not forgotten and there is plenty of patter about products, but it is tastefully done and blended with the show – which is not always the case.
Of course, the scene the children anticipate is the fairy dust and the flying. That definitely did not disappoint as Peter and the Darling children rise into the air, much to Nana the dog’s howling dismay, and fly across the starry sky to Never Land.
Michael Riff Themba makes an agile and energetic Peter Pan with an engaging grin and an infectious “I’m Happy” musical theme.
Energy defines this show. Everyone gives it their all in a series of slick and colourful song ’n dance numbers to appropriate and popular songs, neatly interspersed with moody ballads for a complete change of pace.
Our narrator is Smee, usually Captain Hook’s bungling sidekick, but here an engagingly “nice” pirate played by the multitalented Bongi Mthombeni. He lights up the stage on every appearance.
The story of Peter Pan doesn’t really lend itself to the traditional pantomime dame, so writer and director Janice Honeyman has created one. Weslee Swain Lauder plays the buxom Dame Clementina Coconut, searching the Caribbean islands by helicopter (hence the helicopter) for her long-lost pirate husband (guess who?) and long-lost boys and girls.
This is an excuse for some rousing and colourful Caribbean beach scenes, infused with the scent of pina colada. I’m not joking. When you enter you are presented with an odourama scratch card and on command you scratch for the scent of the moment, some pleasant, such as Mrs Darling’s perfume, some, well, not, like the crocodile’s breath and Captain Hook’s socks. I nearly choked.
Otherwise it’s the story as written. Peter takes the Darling children – Wendy, John and Michael – off to Never Land, so Wendy (a vivacious performance by Joanna Abatzoglou) can be a mum to the Lost Boys, much to Tinkerbell’s dismay.
Now, how do you do Tinkerbell, the tiny fairy, in pantomime? Easy, you make her huge! Thembsie Matu is a true African mama with all the idiosyncrasies – a slight shock at first, but she grows on you. Certainly there were enough children yelling that they believe in fairies when her tink started to untinkle.
Horrible Captain Hook – and I mean that in the nicest way – wants to rid his island of pernicious Pansy Peter and the pesky Indians, so dreams up a devilish plan. Craig Urbani is an urbane Captain Hook with a well-practised leer and a twinkle in his eye. You are almost sorry when the tick-tock croc catches up.
Naturally Peter saves the day in the nick of time, and for Tiger Lily, the pirate Starkey is transformed into a handsome prince type with a well-defined six pack, a good match for her equally chiselled bod. Well, it’s panto. You have to have a wedding …
This is definitely one of the better pantos we have seen recently, with sound performances, pulsating music, lots of jokes for the adults and lashings of magic for little ones. It certainly sets the mood for the festive season.