OUR GUIDE TO CITY PANTOS
PANTOMANIA continues to hold Glasgow in its grip.
Our team of family reviewers have been out and about to discover which are the best shows in town. Today, we go-ho-ho to the King’s, the SEC, Eastwood and the Citizens.
ALADDIN, KING’S THEATRE WHAT’S IT ABOUT?: It’s the traditional tale of boy-meets-Princess, falls in love, hooks up with a couple of genies, crosses swords with an evil magician and all against a backdrop of life in Old Peking, that little known suburb of Glasgow. There are some fabulous special effects, including a gravitydefying magic carpet, and quite a lot of jokes which (hopefully) went over younger kids’ heads.
ANY FAMOUS FACES?: The mighty Elaine C Smith is Widow Twankey, perfectly playing up to the audience she knows so well. She has some great comic routines with daft Wishee Washee, a brilliant performance from likeable Johnny Mac. George Drennan is great as evil Abanazer, and Paul-James Corrigan, as the Imperial Palace Guard was hilarious.
KIDS’ VERDICT: Harry: “Wishee Washee was really funny and I liked the bit when Princess Jasmine beat him up.” Archie: “It would have been good to have some more jokes for younger people. But it was good fun.” GROWN-UPS’ VERDICT: Bright, bold, brash fun. Didn’t much like some of the innuendo, and does a 21st century panto really still have to have scantily clad dancing girls? But the comic timing is exceptional, the singing was amazing and it’s a great family night out. FUNNIEST BIT: “Ah lost ma husband 10 years ago, now. Whit a game of poker that was…”
SCARIEST BIT: Nothing was too frightening, although we gulped when the magic carpet did a 360 degree turn. BEST BIT: The daft slapstick routine. MARK OUT OF TEN: 8
A CHRISTMAS CAROL, CITIZENS THEATRE WHAT’S IT ABOUT? It’s a panto that turns fresh eyes on Charles Dickens’ story of Christmas Eve and the reformation of Scrooge, a miserly man who is afforded the chance to look at what his life has been – and what it threatens to become.
ANY FAMOUS FACES? Benny Young, whom you might know better from Still Game or Monarch of the Glen. KIDS’ VERDICT? Eva: “I really enjoyed it. I thought it was good fun and the actors were great.”
Joseph: “I liked the start of it. I liked the ghosts and that Scrooge liked to enjoy Christmas again.”
Beth: [who fidgeted throughout second act]. “I liked the songs at the start. They knew songs I knew! We sang Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer and Jingle Bells.”
GROWN-UPS’ VERDICT? It was a really enjoyable show. Scrooge – Benny Young – was superb. The only thing perhaps worth noting is that it will appeal to slightly older children. Eva got the most out of it while it was a little bit long for the other two, albeit that they enjoyed the whole experience. It is a fun production and the cast do well to throw fresh light on one of the favoured and most well-known Christmas stories. FUNNIEST BIT?
There are a few funny moments but it’s not the traditional he’s-behind-you-panto. SCARIEST BIT? A few scary bits with
Panto turns a fresh eye on the Dickens story
ghosts coming out and the monster who emerged from the curtains just before the interval caused quite a stir. BEST BIT? The festive sing-a-long. MARK OUT OF TEN? 9/10. CINDERELLA, SEC ARMADILLO WHAT’S IT ABOUT? Cinderella is left at home to do her chores while The Ugly Sisters, Hinger and Minger, head off to the ball to try and woo the dashing Prince Charming. But her Fairy Godmother has other ideas.
ANY FAMOUS FACES? The Krankies and Jonathan Watson of Only an Excuse fame.
KIDS’ VERDICT? Funny, fun and fantastic. Sam: “I really liked the songs out of The Showman, The Ugly Sisters and their silly costumes and when foam/ snow fell from the ceiling.” GROWN-UPS’ VERDICT? Brilliant. There was a good mix of kids’ and adult humour. The Krankies, who played Baron Hardup and Buttons, have incredible energy for entertainers of their age. The interaction between the two of them, particular when it was adlibbed, was a delight. Their catchphrase “fandabidozi” still has an impact. But every member of the cast was excellent and the whole production was very enjoyable. It was quite vulgar in places which may offend some. But the audience will have a ball. FUNNIEST BIT? When the Krankies dressed up as US president Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and sang Rocket Man together. SCARIEST BIT? There weren’t any frightening parts.
BEST BIT? The songs out of the film The Showman were really enjoyable. MARK OUT OF TEN? Nine.
JACK AND THE BEANSTALK II: RETURN OF THE FARMER, EASTWOOD THEATRE
WHAT’S IT ABOUT? It’s the well-worn Jack and the Beanstalk tale but with more than a few twists and turns. Jack has moved on to create the Jack McJack’s “world-famous food emporium”. The beanstalk is super-size but the action from the giant’s castle is re-enacted through a puppet show. Daisy the Cow baas, quacks, snorts, barks and meows (and even moos from time to time). One villain of the piece is the farmer, who provides the magic beans, but even he is scared of the witch.
There is a fair deal of local humour, including a reference to upmarket retailer Wholefoods’ exit from Giffnock and the farmer’s wish to go to Newton Mearns to “start a new life in a land of riches”.
ANY FAMOUS FACES? Maybe some famous faces of tomorrow.
KID’S VERDICT? Luke said: “It was generally good. My favourite character was Jack. It was funny. I liked the bit where they swap the magic goose for Daisy. The ‘my name is actually Kevin’ bit was very funny.” GROWN-UPS’ VERDICT? “A colourful re-telling of Jack and the Beanstalk. Interesting design by Claire Halleran. The beanstalk and the lighting were impressive.”
FUNNIEST BIT? When Daisy the Cow declares: “My name is actually Kevin.” SCARIEST BIT? The Forest of Doom, with the witch staging a high-stakes Scotch pie-eating contest between the Farmer and Jack.
BEST BIT? The comical dressing up as the Good Witch of the East (Renfrewshire) by Alice, played by Kim Allan. MARK OUT OF TEN? 8