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Stars explained: * A production of no real merit
with failings in all areas. ** A production showing evidence of not
enough time or effort, or even talent, and which never breathes any real
life into the piece – or a show lumbered with a terrible script. *** A
good enjoyable show which might have some small flaws but has largely
achieved what it set out to do.**** An excellent show which shows a
great deal of work and stage craft with no noticeable or major
flaws.***** A four star show which has found that extra bit of magic
which lifts theatre to another plane. |
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Little risk paying big dividend
Mother Goose, played by Phil Sheffield, who makes
all his own costumes, keeps an eye on Little Polly Flinders, played by
Vicky Portman ad the Bigger, Badder Wolf played by Tony Stamp. Mother
Goose Dudley
Little Theatre Netherton
Arts Centre ***
IT’S that time of year again and Dudley Little Theatre’s festive
offering has arrived in a flurry of feathers in the shape of Mother
Goose at Netherton Arts Centre. It’s been
a very long time since I have seen Mother Goose performed as a pantomime
and it’s nice to see amateur companies taking a little bit of a risk and
doing something different. The pantomime opens with
Mother Goose (Phil Sheffield) talking to all the traditional nursery
rhyme characters who are looking for some excitement in their life.
Mother Goose proclaims they shall have an adventure and here the tale
begins. The characters stumble across
a goose who has escaped the evil giant, a pair of Wolves are on his
trail and a golden egg keeps getting bigger and bigger. Throw in a
magical fairy, a damsel in distress in the form of Little Miss Muffet
and you have yourself a show. Much of the comedy is centred
around the brilliant double act of the Big Bad Wolf and the Bigger
Badder Wolf played by Gareth May and Tony Stamp. The Big Bad Wolf is on
tranquilisers for his nerves, he has asthma therefore can’t blow the
pigs house down and his colour-blindness prevents him from capturing Red
Riding Hood! Pure pantomime gold. May and Stamp have the best
dialogue throughout the show and their slapstick double act really was
the highlight of the production – they made me laugh out loud at several
points. Another brilliant part goes to
Tommy Tucker’s (James Goode) under water scene in search of the golden
egg. Goode was very believable in the role of Tommy Tucker and, as well
being comical, you felt real empathy for him at times. Whoever takes on the role of
Mother Goose really has a challenge on their hands, very rarely leaving
the stage, massive costume changes and basically carrying the entire
show – Sheffield did this well and especially shone during the
traditional pantomime “Underwear scene” which was very funny. Louise Reed and Michael Kelly
deserve a mention for their portrayal of sea monsters, spiders and
sheep. It’s not easy to play multiple parts and they were particularly
good as the spiders – they really were quite scary. Throughout the production each
nursery rhyme character had a moment to shine with a song, which worked
well. Overall the production was
full of energy and the kids in the audience simply loved it. The cast
had clearly worked very hard during the rehearsal process and on stage
and thoroughly deserved their enthusiastic round of applause. Eva
Easthope |
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