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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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Rachael Louise Pickard as Aladdin with Abigail Bennett as Princess Jasmine Aladdin
Hall Green Little Theatre
**** Goodies, baddies, a mischievous panda, a
girl who is a boy, or a boy who is a girl depending upon wind direction,
and a buy one get one free offer on genies – yes, it’s panto time. Hall Green have gone for traditional festive fare, complete with all the trimmings including Rachel Louise Pickard in the eponymous role. There is something very satisfying about an old style principal boy and she gives us a slightly tongue in cheek performance as she battles the evil baddy Have a Banana . . . Pardon? You Sure? All right if you say so . . . as she battles baddy Abanazar, even though
I am sure that is not what he said his name was. Anyhow James Weetman
gives us a rather sinister sort of black clothed wizardy chap, lots of
manic laughs and a crystal ball that seems to struggle in getting a
signal. To be honest he is less frightening here than he was, or at
least his bowels were, when he recently played Owen in
The Vicar of Dibley. He wants to rule the world and have his wicked
way with Princess Jasmine, played demurely by Abigail Bennett. She in
turn has the hots for Aladdin . . . well warms really, as it never
really got to hots, this being a family show. Aladdin in turn fancies HRH, which, as it is a
capital offence to merely gaze upon the princess, mean he is lucky to
even make it to the end of Act I after their relationship is discovered
by the Emperor of China, played in a matter of fact way by Steve Brear,
who seems to order beheadings at the drop of a hat – usually with a head
inside them. The Emperor’s wishes are enforced by what appear
to be rejects from the
But what is a panto without a dame, and stepping
in to the over the top frocks, with enough pancake, rouge and lipstick
to paint a small cottage, and “Ohh Ahh Missus” all round is Roy Palmer,
who has had dresses on an off, in panto I hasten to add, for some 35
years. And he flounces his way through the action,
spreading chaos wherever he goes, helped, or hindered, by Richard Scott,
giving us a likeable soul as Wishy Washee, the laundry boy who meanders
through life with pet panda Nobby, played in an excellent costume –
which probably doubled as a sauna – by Amanda Grant.
Nobby, Wishee and Twankey had a nice song routine, with Wishee battered every verse, which the children enjoyed – don’t they just love violence to other people? – and then there was a fun search for Twankey’s missing lucky Chinese 50p which was supposed to see six children brought up from the audience for a little interview. As it was 15 turned up giving Roy a whole new scene to ad lib and battle his way through - the 35 years’ experience served him well. Rub lamp or ring and out would pop Katherine
Williams, y’all, as Genie of the lamp or Katie Drivers as Genie of the
Ring – pity a few pyrotechnics were not used to make their entrance more
dramatic but they played their part, from the very start, time after
time, speaking in . . . sorry, it’s catching. The set worked well, particularly the cave scene
which changed effectively from outside to inside in an instant helped
some clever lighting by Paul Hartop and Palmer again, although Aladdin’s
magic carpet ride from Peking to Egypt might need a tad of adjustment
here and there if it is to be effective.. As always Geddes Cureton was the maestro on the
piano. He is a superb accompanist and fills in with incidental and chase
music as if born to it which all helps to keep up a decent pace even in
scene changes. Directors Christine Bland and Roy Palmer have
done a fine job in producing a traditional panto which will appeal to
young children, who excitedly cheered, booed and sang along, yet there
is still enough to amuse and entertain adults with nothing to shock
maiden aunts or frighten the horses. Good traditional fare for all the
family. To 17-12-16 Roger Clarke 10-11-16 |
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Keystone
Cops, Sgt Ping, played for laughs by Matt Ludlam, and PC Pong, played
with a lovely comic touch by Jean Wilde, last seen as Shirley
Valentine.