UK Theatre Network

How do you get yourself in the mood for Christmas? Wrapping the presents? Work’s Christmas Night Out? Finishing the shopping? Taking the kids to see Santa? Well for me it is going to see a Pantomime (I usually see at least 10 each year!).

 

At Glasgow’s King’s Theatre it is a start studded panto indeed for Sleeping Beauty. I’d Do Anything Finalist Keith Jack as Prince Joseph of Jordan Hill, River City’s Lorna Anderson as Princess Beauty, Altered Images songstress Clare Grogan as evil fairy Carabosse and Rab C Nesbitt’s Jamesie Cotter, Tony Roper as her Henchman Hector and topping the bill Karen Dunbar. And Ms Dunbar proves why she is top of the bill for this pantomime, with a first half that was nearly a full cabaret show. Her energy and vocal talents shone in her rendition of Step Back In Time and her comic timing was evident throughout the show, but no better example than when dealing with shout outs from the audience – her quick wit making her a gem for panto. Her comedy “romance” with Tony Roper was a good pairing, allowing two comics lots of time to play and the clever reworking of West Side Story’s Maria is a comic performance not to be missed.

 

A revelation in this show was Lorna Anderson – her presence on the stage was excellent and she certainly matched (and on many occasion even topped) Mr Jack’s singing voice in their powerful duets. I would have liked to see her with a more “princess-y” dress for her “birthday party” but that is a minor issue in what is mostly a well costumed show. Top marks for this show must go to Musical Director/Arranger, Pamela Dunsmuir (or as the kids in the audience now know her, Auntie Pam), as the songs were well paced and sounded great, and her small live band were extremely tight on the night too. I am usually a fan of Eric Potts pantomime scripts, but did feel a slight lack of the usual “sparkle” or “magic” that the Kings Theatre usually produces, however as the cast get used to the show and continue to add their own topical material (there were already references to the hurricane and it was only just happening outside at that moment!) I’m sure this will return.

 

Rounding off the comics in the cast was Arron Usher as Jimmy Jingles the Jester. Although his first Kings Pantomime, his pedigree of many years working on the East Coast pantomimes certainly shines through. Although given the thin end of the wedge with the comedy dialogue (the big lines seem to have gone to the TV comics) his physical humour and interplay with the cast and audience more than make up for it. It is also pleasing to see the roles of the King and Queen delivered with some gusto – Kathryn Howden as Queen Fiona was a joy and her infectious laughter had me giggling whenever she spoke.

 

With many other highlights in the show including a Dragon, a clever version of “Happy Birthday” by Ms Grogan (who takes great relish in her evil performance in her very first pantomime – I’m sure she’ll be back!), a great chorus who dance exceptionally well, lavish walkdown costumes and more songs than you can shake a stick at this pantomime is a jam packed evening of entertainment. With the weather not getting any better outside, get a warm rosy glow from a great family show, that even the adults will enjoy.

 

Listings

Fri 2 Dec – Sun 8 Jan (please call the box office for full details)

Signed Performances: Wed 14 Dec 1pm & Wed 21 Dec 7pm

Audio Described Performances: Wed 14 Dec 1pm & Wed 21 Dec 7pm

Captioned Performances: Thu 22 Dec & Wed 28 Dec 2pm 

 

Ticket prices: £7.20 - £24.75

Box Office: 0844 871 7648 (bkg fee)

Schools and group bookings: 0844 871 7602

www.atgtickets.com/glasgow  (bkg fee)

Cinderella

Darlington Civic Theatre

It isn’t often that the titular character in Cinderella – or any other pantomime, for that matter - is one of the performers who stands out the most. Usually, the role of principal girl (Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Goldilocks) requires the actress ‘to do no more than look beautiful and sing well’, as a well-respected theatre critic and pantomime aficionado succinctly puts it. Indeed, principal girl may often be one of the most limiting and thankless roles in pantomime. However, it seems that Emma Stephens may have broken the traditional mould: her Cinderella is young, pretty and innocent – as she should be – but Miss Stephens skilfully ensures that she is also the central character. After all, the show is named after her and the plot revolves around her – why shouldn’t she occupy centre stage. Graciously and skilfully, Miss Stephens accomplishes this feat in a way in which she does not pull focus or upstage her fellow performers, nor indeed the headliners!

In fact, in this production, the stage time is shared out pretty evenly with no single personality dominating the proceedings. The cast, comprising Ray Quinn (X Factor, Dancing on Ice) as Prince Charming, Deena Payne (Emmerdale) as the Fairy Godmother, and Jimmy Cricket as Baron Hardup, all have an opportunity to shine as individuals, as well as in the ensemble scenes. For the most part, it is a strong, cohesive cast with each of the performers suiting their characters well and bringing something different to the proceedings. Ray Quinn does nothing to conceal his Liverpudlian accent, instead choosing to emphasise it and play the Prince as cheeky rather than charming, thus maximising upon the comic potential. Deena Payne’s Fairy Godmother is feistier than one might expect and the role, which is built up considerably to reflect her billing, has her performing a musical number of her own and a couple of duets with Cinders. And Jimmy Cricket is . . . well . . . just Jimmy Cricket – much to the delight of the audience.

Adam C. Booth, as Buttons, strikes up a great rapport with the kids and capably demonstrates that he possesses the versatility required to do the role full justice, with his singing, dancing, acting and comedy all being first class. Brian Godfrey, as Trinny, displayed his vast and indisputable experience of playing the Dame/Ugly with great aplomb and, in doing so, totally overshadowed the less experienced Darren Southworth’s portrayal of Susannah, though quite unintentionally, I’m sure. The only piece of casting which had me absolutely puzzled was that of ventriloquist Dawson Chance, and his puppet Willy the turtle, as the Broker’s Men. It should be clearly understood that I make no criticism of Mr Chance, nor Willy, when I say that the roles were completely inconsequential and totally superfluous, in that they did nothing to assist the narrative progression. On the plus side, though, the kids loved them both.

Overall, this production of Cinderella is a good one. Michael Vivian’s script provides a faithful re-telling of the classic fairy tale; it is beautifully designed and costumed; there is a nice balance of pop hits and original songs, and the choreography is tight and slick. Qdos may not bestow as big a budget on the Darlington production as they do on the panto in neighbouring Newcastle – for instance we do not have any 3-D special effects, nor does an animatronic flying Pegasus swoop over the audience to take Cinders to the ball – yet that is not to the detriment of the show. The pair of Shetland ponies, used to draw the pumpkin coach, delighted both young and old alike and served as an apt reminder that, in this particular panto, it isn’t just the Prince who is charming.

Steve Burbridge.

Cinderella runs until 15th January 2012.

 

 

 

Usually these things don’t touch us. But there is this dark side to certain people, certain communities. And it’s a reminder to the rest of us, of how vulnerable we all are

Through the Night is an intelligent psychological thriller exploring the question how far people will go to protect the ones they love. Set over a single evening, the play discusses issues of class and violence, and how they have the potential to affect and even destroy the comfort of our sheltered homes.

Sal (Terri Dwyer) arrives at her friend Jessica’s home, shaken. There was a fight involving a gang of boys. One boy was down, an ambulance was called, police were present. Sal’s daughter Debbie (Nadia Giscir) will be coming over to talk to the police at Jessica’s and Michael’s home – she is a witness. The crucial point is that Debbie believes she saw Jessica’s son Joe (Jack Johns) in the fight. Jessica (Jan Shepherd) thinks this is completely ridiculous and that Sal is getting worked up over nothing. She is almost too cheerful and overconfident in her denial whereas Sal is painfully self-conscious and insecure. Jessica’s husband Michael (Steven Elder) is a lawyer dealing with people’s problems every day. His reaction to Sal’s story is different as he is trying to rationalize it. By and by the two old friends are getting more and more irritated with each other. Jessica accuses Sal of being hysterical whilst Sal tells her daughter Debbie: “Make them suffer just for once.” When Michael leaves to fetch Joe, who is staying at Colin’s place – a friend of Michael’s -  the situation escalates.

Aptly directed by the talented Matt Grinder, who was also responsible for the intriguing production Orphans at the Trafalgar Studios, this play is perfectly cast and brilliantly unsettling.

 

For information and tickets, see:

http://www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk/productions/2011/production-papatango.php

Finborough Theatre, 118 Finborough Road, London, SW10 9ED

Carolin Kopplin

 

To really get in the festive mood you need some Christmas songs, and there is no better way to hear them than sung by the Rat Pack legends (or actors who perform as them – and are as close to the real thing as we are ever going to get!).

This festive spin off of “Rat Pack Live from Las Vegas” has been a successful touring hit for many years, and there have been a number of Franks, Sammys and Deans who’ve performed the classic songs all over the world. Tonight Chris Mann opened the show as Frank Sinatra, the leader of the pack. With a velvet voice and equally velvet manner, it really did seem like Ol’ Blue Eyes himself was there. Usually with most “tribute” shows, they’ve mastered the voice and if you close your eyes you can imagine it is the star themselves, but Chris Mann has such a look of Sinatra that you can take in the whole performance wide-eyed. As if that wasn’t enough, Nigel Casey as Dean Martin seemed to not only look and sound like the star, but seemed to have the same charisma and charm that he was famous for. His interaction with the audience and his fellow performers made it feel like we really were sharing an evening in the Sands, Las Vegas while watching three of its biggest stars at play.

The third member of the Rat Pack on this show is Sammy Davis Jnr, and this is a very difficult performer to match. I suppose the strength of this kind of show is down to the cast and although George Long had the energy of Sammy Davis Jnr., his vocals didn’t seem to be quite as close a match as his fellow performers. All three were accompanied by Nikki Stokes, Laura Parkes and Jennifer Owen as the Burelli sisters. A fantastic trio who wowed with three part harmony and tight choreography to bring the glamour of these nightclub shows to life. They were also assisted by a fantastic (brass heavy) live band, who gave the whole evening a fantastic sound, and I think received an even bigger applause than the singers for their work. I had never known a trombone could be so tuneful as was shown during the solo from Andy Watson in “I Got You Under My Skin”.

The simple staging of this show is one of its best features. The setting is deliberately intended to hark back to the golden era of the Rat Pack, and the use of lead mics, and the clever choreography required to use them well, is a nice touch that when added to the subtle lighting, grand piano and stunning costumes, provides a classy evening of festive glamour that would certainly be worth raising a mulled wine to!

Listings

Mon 5^th Dec – Sat 10 Dec

Mon – Sat eves: 7.30pm

Thuu & Sat mats: 2.30pm

Tickets: £11 - £29

Box Office: 08448 717 647 (bkg fee)

www.atgtickets.com/glasgow (bkg fee)

Reviewed by Richard Howell-Jones

What does Christmas mean to you? Jingling bells, mingling smells, toffee and coffee and caramels? Crisp snow, pointy trees, goodwill and seasonal fuzziness? Redemption’s happy dawn? Or perhaps lazing down a river in a small boat well-filled with the makings of a summer afternoon’s picnic, the sun glinting off the murmuring waters? In this weather? You must be crackers!

So The Wind in the Willows is not, then, a Christmas show, despite its placing in the calendar, a quick burst of In the Beak Midwinter notwithstanding. It’s entertaining, jolly, funny in places, but doesn’t have that feelgoodwilltoallmen factor generally associated with shows held at this time of year.

But then if you thought Kenneth Graeme’s classic woodland tale included Dasher, Dancer and Rudolph in the cast, you just haven’t been paying attention. So is it a good production?

If we’re honest, the opening is not promising. Assorted actors wander not-entirely-convincingly onstage, their various gaits denoting wildlife of some description, eventually identified through dialogue delivered with all the brio one associates with Boxing Day. But after all, this isn’t a panto, it’s a play, so hearty thigh-slapping isn’t suitable; realism is what we need, of course.

So it’s encouraging when Mole appears, complaining, as they do, about spring-cleaning. Sophie Gajewicz’s character is to be our touchstone, our guide through this odd tale of calm and chaos, and she plays with consistency, intensity and innocence her whole Mole role.

Wince if you must, chuckle if you like; this is the type of humour Alan Bennett has injected into the story. And as he regards the characters as ‘relentlessly nice’, he has injected something else too.

Into the tale floats Rat, played with a hint of the late John Le Mesurier by Christopher Wright. As they leave, two of the woodland walk-ons briefly discuss the new friendship in terms that made disquiet stir sleepily in the back of my head. But out of nowhere, Otter arrives, injecting some much-needed comic energy into events, ably assisted by her nervous daughter. Having fulfilled this important function, like a kingfisher darting across a stream, they immediately leave and are never heard from again, even in the programme.

Happily, before things slow down again: enter, Toad. Paul Barnhill is a deserved favourite with the Library Theatre and here he seems to have been given his head. The result is not easy to describe: everything Toad should be, of course, larger than life, irrepressible, bumptious, enthusiastic, a powerball in a tumble-drier; but there’s something else – perhaps it’s the green wig and giant red  glasses – that made me imagine Laurence Olivier in his thirties doing an impression of Elton John in his twenties. Clearly both Barnhill and the audience had tremendous fun, especially with his ‘front of curtain’ pieces.

Which made his near-upstaging all the more remarkable; though I’m certain upstaging wasn’t intended. Albert the Horse, played with beautiful understatement by Jason Furnival, had the funniest lines in the show and got laughs on all of them, apparently without trying, sometimes without moving.

And finally, the production began to hit its stride. Alun Saunders’ Chief Weasel could have been a nastier wide-boy, but not much; Tarek Merchant’s Fox was a tad too Bambi-esque in his movement but certainly sly; and the supporting ‘Bennett team’ students realised that acting was required of them too, and demonstrated that they could do it after all. (To be fair, portraying a woodland creature without drawing criticisms of this kind is almost impossible.) And then came the darkness of the Wild Wood, where dwelt stoats, weasels and, scariest of all, Badger.

Again to be fair, much of Badger’s scariness lies with Alan Bennett. In a doubtless well-meant attempt to ginger up the story, he created a little sub-plot where Rat and Badger not-so-subtly vie for Mole’s friendship and companionship. Unfortunately, the result here is just creepy. I’m sure Robert Calvert means to be avuncular, but he came across as the kind of elderly gentleman whom everyone thinks has, or should have, signed a certain register. It isn’t helped by his repeated enthusiastic references to Mole about ‘keeping your little toes warm’, nor by the heaviness of his costume making him sweat noticeably. Rat looked nervous, and I totally agreed. Perhaps it’s just me, but I’m certain my ten-year-old son would have felt a slight perplexity too.

But the show goes on and things improve. This dubious sub-plot is happily forgotten in the action that follows, as courts are fixed (one of the best scenes), cars stolen, trains hijacked, Toad capers happily across the stage in a variety of outfits, and Rene Krupinsky’s final fight for Toad Hall is all one could wish for.

Mention must be made of the set which was simple, rustic and entirely suitable, though attempts at multi-media using a cloth for projected backgrounds were irrelevant and could easily be omitted without loss. The trucks for railway engine (with engaging steam), motor car and occasional pieces of set seemed to move by magic, though Rat’s boat had to make do with his feet. There was even what appeared to be a live campfire onstage; even more remarkably, no-one got their ears, tails or costumes so much as singed!

Music was provided live by the minor woodland creatures, together with some effective, if occasionally shrill, harmonies; though why Jeremy Sams thought that the show’s happy finale ought to be in a minor key is unclear.

Sadly, the overall feeling was disappointment. Despite Barnhill’s biggest and best efforts, the production seemed too small for the story, the space and the time of year. Opportunities for gags missed, characters played too realistically, not enough joie de vivre. Not a panto; not a Christmas show; and only a fair production. It’s the season of goodwill, I know, but . . . sorry.

Chris Honer directed.

The Wind in the Willows, the Manchester Library Theatre Company,
at the Lowry theatre until 14th January.

Tickets: 0843-208 6010
www.librarytheatre.com

The Glass Slipper

Northern Stage, Newcastle upon Tyne

It was with optimistic anticipation that I took my seat at Northern Stage to watch their Christmas production, The Glass Slipper. The venue has a reputation for taking well-known folk/fairy tales and giving them a strong local twist through the use of North East settings, dialect and music, which worked to especially great effect in their 2008/09 production of Hansel and Gretel.

This season Stephen Sharkey (writer) and Erica Whyman (director) once again collaborate to re-tell the tale of Cinderella. Again they demonstrate inventive creativity by placing the story in 18^th century Newcastle. Set in the 1780’s, when Newcastle was the largest glass-producing centre in the world, Ella Humbleton (Laura Riseborough) lives in fashionable Summerhill Square, tucked away behind Westgate Road. Her widowed father, Sir Henry (Ian McLaughlin), a glass-maker, is often abroad on business trips and Ella occupies herself as a music teacher to the precocious children of wealthy families to pass the time. However, Ella’s life is to change significantly, for the worse, when Sir Henry corresponds to inform her that he has re-married and she now has a step-mother and two step-sisters, who will arrive from Richmond, Surrey, imminently.

The promising opening scene, which takes place in 1860, is beautifully staged. Ella’s mother, Isabella (Ann Marcuson), has just given birth and, in doing so, has lost a lot of blood. She realises that death approaches and spends her last moments comforting her newly-born daughter, reassuring her that, in times of trouble, she will never be far away. Such a poignant scene raised my expectations, only for them to be dashed as the narrative progressed.

The problem with The Glass Slipper is easily identifiable – it doesn’t know what it wants to be. It is neither a play nor a pantomime and this lack of a distinct identity relegates it to what can only be described as a theatrical ‘no man’s land’. There are scenes in which the production takes itself far too seriously, rendering them contrived and conceited, and others in which references to modern popular culture (including the ‘macarena’ dance) undermine the painstaking attention to historical accuracy that is abundantly evident in everything from Angela Simpson’s sumptuous costume design to Sam Kenyon’s musical compositions, which perfectly reflect the period. The result is something of a messy mish-mash of past and present.

Sharkey’s script gives the performers little to work with and I was uncertain as to why so much was made of Prince Hubert’s (Will Featherstone) obsession with hot air ballooning. It did nothing to facilitate the narrative progression and could easily have been omitted entirely. The only positive consequence of this superfluous sub-plot was Ella’s arrival at the Alnwick Castle ball in an impressive hot air balloon, rather than the traditional pumpkin coach. Whyman’s direction, too, is cumbersome and there are a number of longueurs, during which my attention began to wander.

As might be expected, the pretentions of the writer and director had an unfortunate effect upon performances. Bev Fox (as wicked step-mother, Augusta Snifflewick) and Ian McLaughlin (doubling-up as Sir Henry Humbleton and King George III) are the only locally-known ‘names’ and they appeared distinctly ill-at-ease away from their comfort zone of The Suggestibles, the improvisation-based comedy group of which they are both members. I was disappointed, too, by Laura Riseborough’s portrayal of Ella. The characterisation, which was haughty and aloof, had her mocking the students under her tutelage, feigning illness to avoid teaching them and displaying an unwarranted and unappealing, objectionable attitude towards the Prince. Nor did I feel she was visually-suited to the role. Only Ann Marcuson, in her portrayal of the guardian spirit of Isabella, Ella’s mother (who entered, at times of turmoil, through a gilt portrait frame) demonstrated herself worthy of singular praise.

Whether it was due to uninspired writing or technical laziness, the transformation scene was totally devoid of any magic whatsoever. No waving of a magic wand, no flashes of light or puffs of smoke – in fact no real ‘transformation’ as such. Simply, a case of Isabella’s spirit asking Ella if she liked the ball-gown, Ella replying that she did and Isabella telling her to go and put it on then! The children in the audience must have felt robbed and cheated – I know I did! The fact that they remained so impeccably quiet throughout the show can, perhaps, be attributed to the probability that they’d fallen asleep from boredom rather than the possibility that they were enthralled by the production.

Often, during the Christmas season, I am tempted to make a return visit and see certain productions or pantomimes for a second time. Would I consider watching The Glass Slipper again? Suffice to say that the thought of gouging my own eyes out with a soup spoon seems infinitely more appealing!

Steve Burbridge.

The Glass Slipper runs until Saturday 7 January 2012

 

 

 

Aladdin

The Customs House, South Shields

For me, the festive season officially begins when I review my first pantomime or Christmas show – and I cannot think of a more magical or wondrous way to kick things off than this year’s production of Aladdin at The Customs House, South Shields.

As tradition dictates, the cast is led by Ray Spencer MBE and Bob Stott as Tommy Wishy-Washy and Widow Dotty Twanky, respectively. The linchpins of ‘the little panto with the big heart’ are joined by fellow stalwarts Peter Darrant (The Evil Abanazar) and Graham Overton (Sultan Sanddancer), whilst Afnan Ifthikar (Genie) returns for a third consecutive season and Alice Brown (Princess Amira) performs in her second. Steven Lee Hamilton (Aladdin), Iain Cunningham (PC Hacker) and Ryan Lynch (PC Blaggitt) all make a welcome return to the South Tyneside venue, having previously appeared in pantomime at The Customs House, whilst Christina Berriman-Dawson (Slave of the Ring) joins the team for the first time.

Of course, everyone knows the rags-to-riches tale of the poor, but honourable, laundry boy who defeats an evil sorcerer and wins the heart of a beautiful princess. However, I doubt that you’ll have ever seen the story told with as much zip, charm and attack. Indeed, the sheer energy, enthusiasm and effort, evident on stage, enchanted and mesmerised the audience in equal measure and had spirits soaring higher than Aladdin’s marvellous magic carpet.

The production values associated with this technically ambitious production are second to none. Paul Shriek is to be commended for his riotously colourful comic-book sets and the vast array of costumes which vary from being bold and bright to outrageous and outlandish to gloriously garish, depending upon which character is wearing them. The script, co-written by Graeme Thompson and Ray Spencer, contains more slapstick, comedy capers, crafty cons, sing-along songs, silly jokes and festive frolics than you can shake a seasonal stick at and it sparkles as brightly as the legendary jewel of Jarrow.

Solid performances are delivered from each and every member of the cast. Ray Spencer and Bob Stott lead in the comedy stakes, with their inimitable brand of madcap mayhem being delivered in the style of true vaudevillians. They are ably supported by Graham Overton as the bumbling Sultan and Iain Cunningham and Ryan Lynch as the inept policemen. Steven Lee Hamilton, who is carving himself an impressive career in the world of musical theatre, shines brightest during his musical numbers, whilst Afnan Iftikhar has been perfectly cast as the Genie of the Lamp and puts in the best performance I have ever seen him deliver. Alice Brown and Christina Berriman-Dawson take two roles which could easily be overlooked, that of Principal Girl and Slave of The Ring, respectively, and make them absolutely integral. And only Peter Darrant could play Abanazar with more mince than a Dickson’s pie and still keep the character sinister and menacing.

This production of Aladdin is packed with magic and mystique and contains more Eastern promise than a certain well-known brand of Turkish Delight. So, climb aboard your magic carpet or take a rickshaw ride to The Customs House and experience some real treasure of the Orient.

Steve Burbridge.

Aladdin runs until Saturday 7 January 2012.

 

 

 

 

MProductions’ highly popular evening of our favourite musical theatre tunes is back… and this time we’re on tour! Featuring legendary songs from shows such as American Idiot, Into the Woods, Shrek and Hair, the show is coming to venues in Milton Keynes & St Albans.