REVIEW: The Nativity Panto at the King's Head Theatre

This year's Kings Head Christmas offering is the thirteenth Pantomime from the marvellous Charles Court Opera and for once it is a show that fully delivers on the promise of the handbill with a musical that takes" the story that sparked the season to create their most joyous show yet". With a delightfully simple effective set, a fabulous cast of five, some delightful reworking of well known songs and a real appreciation of both Christmas and Pantomime they have magically produced an upbeat fun adult Pantomime that is a joy from start to finish.

Joe Christmas is a toy maker obsessed with making a potion to help Rudolf fly to deliver presents all over a world covered with snow and ice. Mary his wife longs for a child but he is too busy to oblige. When Mary meets the Holy Bush she falls instantly pregnant from a special prick. The three wise men journey to meet them, King Key (full of innuendo), King Size (full of Big Whoppers) and King Pin (full of vodka) with gifts of a white beard, a red hat and a bottomless bag. But Jack Frost wants to stop them and suck all the joy from the world with her assistant Snowflake. None of the parody is subtle but it is delivered in such a lively and entertaining way that even the most miserable grinch will enjoy it.

REVIEW: Cinderella at the Lyric Hammersmith

The Lyric Hammersmith is a curious venue with the wonderful Frank Matcham interior reinstalled inside a new seventies breeze block box with basic finishings and this year's Christmas offering of Cinderella which runs from 16th November to 5th January 2020 seems to follow the same idea with the traditional classic Pantomime story updated in a modern basic frame. I doubt that there will be a more politically correct version of Cinderella on offer this year reflecting the affluent diverse local population and attracting an audience of yummy mummies with their kids.

Jude Christian who wrote and directed the 2018 pantomime Dick Whittington, and directed the 2017 Jack and the Beanstalk, has written "the usual Lyric twist" version of Cinderella set in The Hammersmith of today. Here Buttons is a female tailor who falls in love with one of the ugly sisters, Cinders in dungarees and aspiring to be an astro physicists, falls for a shortsighted shy Prince Bob and the Stepmother has a pet alligator! There are jokes about zero hours contracts, January 31st tax deadlines, Fracking, drones near Heathrow and Pizza Express in Woking and then curiously innuendo references to Fallopian tubes and having only one ball to give the show a grown up feel. 

Pantomime 2019/20: The most expensive and Cheapest Pantos this season!

Pantomimes are a huge business here is the UK and with Christmas just around the corner theatres, actors and creatives are all getting ready for the Christmas season and their runs in the 2019/20 pantomime season. 

If you've followed us recently, you may remember our article 'Theatre Tickets: Every West End shows top and lowest price ticket!', a piece in which we compared all the official shows box office top and lowest price tickets. With the pantomime season coming up, we decided to do the same for these productions. 

With huge pantomimes such as the annual Palladium and QDOS productions to smaller scale ones across the country, we have looked at over 180 productions up and down the UK to compare the prices. 

Firstly, lets look at the popularity of these pantomimes within the ones we surveyed. With a winning 35 productions, the pantomime classic Cinderella is the most popular one this year. Coming in a close second is Aladdin with 30 productions, third is shared by the usually much more popular Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and the perhaps the not so popular Jack and the Beanstalk. The lowest produced pantomimes this year include Rapunzel and Red Riding Hood (both not traditional pantomimes) with only 1 production each and coming close are Puss in Boots, Mother Goose, The Wizard of Oz and this years London Palladium Pantomime, Goldilocks and the Three Bears with just two productions each.

REVIEW: Aladdin at the New Wimbledon Theatre

As the main pantomime season draws to a close for 2018/19 season, two shows hit the news headlines with leading artistes illnesses causing them to drop out mid run. The wonderful Jimmy Osmond was unable to continue and has been replaced for the rest of the run as Hook by Darren Day in Birmingham in a wave of sympathy and concern. Down in the New Theatre Wimbledon, Lee Ryan reportedly left the show at the interval during one performance and has been replaced by  Chris Durtnal with a programme insert being given out to the subsequent audiences. These changes must be very disruptive to cast and crew requiring additional rehearsals to be fitted in to the already hectic two shows a day, six days a week schedule. 

Durtnal makes a solid substitute in his leading role debut as Aladdin opposite Lauren Chia as Princess Jasmine. They combine well in a comedy song routine sat on a wall with Wishy Washy which is featured in many of the Qdos shows this year but when it comes to the big final fight with Abanazar (Adam Pearce) it is Jasmine who takes centre stage to defeat him in the sword fight while Aladdin lies unconscious. 

REVIEW: Cinderella at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking

Cinderella – a charming fairytale and “the Fairy Godmother of all pantomimes” for British audiences everywhere. There is certainly a level of artistic licensing here which tweaks this classic tale for a 2018 audience, but the story fundamentally remains the same: After the death of her mother, Cinderella’s father remarries a woman who turns out to be truly wicked. Favouring her two daughters above her new step-daughter, she mistreats Cinderella as a maid and deprives her of the privileges her own daughters enjoy. Thankfully, all hope is not lost as Cinderella meets a handsome Prince, with the help of her Fairy Godmother, and (eventually) they live happily ever after. Hopefully this is not a spoiler to any of our readers! 

As Baroness Demonica Hardup (the wicked step-mother) is poster-boy Craig Revel-Horwood who relishes in milking every Strictly Come Dancing joke for all they’re worth, with even the producers chiming in and naming ‘her’ daughters Tess and Claudia! He also nods to his credit as Choreographer for ‘Sister Act’ with his own “fab-u-lous” version of “Fabulous Baby”. Revel Horwood is not a casting gimmick – he is a superb talent and earns his space on that stage with not only his dance ability but his terrific voice too. After heavily criticising Katie Price for her stint at Woking two years ago due to her dismal lip-syncing and effortless (not in a good way) acting, I was not only relieved but pleased to welcome Revel Horwood to this production. He was a true asset. I am however disappointed that in the souvenir brochure/programme, Sophie Isaacs is not even pictured on the cover despite being the titular role - it seems Mr Revel Horwood needed more space to showcase his insanely sparkly costume! 

REVIEW: Peter Pan at the Richmond Theatre

Robert Lindsey has waited until his sixty ninth year to make his Pantomime debut and celebrated his birthday at the Gala night performance of Peter Pan at the wonderful Richmond Theatre. It is a perfect combination of the glorious late Victorian theatre and a musical theatre legend revelling in the role of Captain Hook. Over the proscenium arch it says "to wake the soul by tender strokes of art” and with this production the whole family are sure to be stirred by the artful performance.

Dressed in long ringlets and a bandana, Lindsey looks more like Jack Sparrow than Dustin Hoffman in the film Hook but he brings a delightfully cool, Shakespearean, considered delivery with long slow asides into the wings and glances into the audience reacting to each heckle or comment. At every entrance the attention is drawn to him without speaking and he controls the action and pace of the scene. There is some good wordless business down stage left with the stage hand supplying a cup of tea and a sword.

REVIEW: Aladdin at the Hackney Empire

When a pantomime production team have been building their team, experience and ideas for twenty years it shows. Susie McKenna and Steve Eldis continue their tradition of providing a high quality shows fit for the large venue in East London with their version of Aladdin. It is a delightful combination of Victorian traditions, modern references, well known songs and original music that is bound to appeal to adults and children. 

The budgets may be tighter than their new rival as London's No 1 Pantomime across London at the Palladium but they use their cash wisely with a talented cast (though less well known) and some lovely magical effects. Best of all is Gaia, Goddess of light, a huge animated monkey voiced by the wonderful Sharon D Clarke who opens the show in magical style and adds a neat twist to the familiar tale of Aladdin. It is impressive and brilliantly executed character that interacts perfectly with the audience and cast. Equally effective is the sequence with Aladdin hovering over a beautiful dragon flying after the kidnapped Princess and the Palace which like Gaia was created by Jonathan Saville and Scott Brooker.

INTERVIEW: Gemma Sutton, soon to star in the title role in Aladdin at the Hackney Empire

Gemma Sutton is one of the most talked about West End leading ladies of the moment, having starred in numerous musicals over the years. She is now taking on the title role in the Hackney Empires 20th Anniversary Pantomime, Aladdin before heading off to the National Theatre to play Young Sally in Folles. Just some of her credits include Charity in Sweet Charity (Watermill Theatre), Angel in The Rink (Southwark Playhouse), Fran in Strictly Ballroom (West Yorkshire Playhouse, Princess of Wales Theatre), The Go-Between (Apollo Theatre), Louise & June in Gypsy (Savoy Theatre, Chichester Festival Theatre),   Julie Jordan in Carousel (Arcola Theatre), Roxie in Chicago (Leicester Curve), Amber in Hairspray (UK Tour), Sally in Me and My Girl (Kilworth House), Enid & Understudy Elle Woods in Legally Blonde (Savoy Theatre) and  Laurey in Oklahoma! (UK Tour).

You have had such a varied career, performing not only all over the country but around the world too. What’s been your favourite place you’ve visited with work?

I enjoyed my 10 weeks in Toronto, Canada in 2017 with Strictly Ballroom as it’s a very friendly place and because we were there for a while we really got to know the city. I also had a very interesting three weeks in Cairo, Egypt doing the first western musical ever seen there - The Sound of Music. It was in a tent in the desert and they dug an orchestra pit out of the sand, so it was a memorable experience to say the least. 

You started your career understudying in shows before really making your name as a true West End leading lady. What have you learnt from starting out that way that you’re proud of? 

I learned a great deal from understudying as it really allows you to observe from the sidelines, watching amazing leading performers work both on stage and in the rehearsal room and also how to lead a company well. I think it’s really important that there is a nice atmosphere in the company, particularly for long runs, and you have a responsibly as a leading performer to help that along. Everyone has a different start in the industry depending on circumstance but working your way up does give you a grounding to know that longevity requires patience and graft.

Pantomime Preview | 2018

As November approaches the final preparations are under way for Pantomime across the country with the first show opening on 10^th November at the Oldham Coliseum Theatre with Cinderella and running at some venues  like the Theatre Royal York until 2^nd February 2019, and  the anticipation grows for this fantastic family festive entertainment. It once again promises to be another brilliant season with the return of old favourites and some wonderful big names being signed up for their first Pantomimes ( hope there are ready for 50 plus shows , twice a day!). Whether you plan to see your local show or venture further afield to a see one of the big productions, you are guaranteed a noisy, fun filled show with so many great traditions maintained and enhanced.

London Palladium (last year's GB Pantomime  award winner (1500 seats plus) presentsSnow Whitefrom 8^th December with a debut performance from Dawn French plus returning stars Julian Clary, Nigel Havers , Charlie Stemp  (best leading male in 2018) and Gary Wilmot after their success last year. It promises to be the biggest pantomime spectacular of them all and expect more flying objects over the audience and risqué adult humour, most of which goes over children’s heads!

Hackney Empire is another with a strong tradition of pantomime now celebrating its 20^th anniversary production. This year it is Aladdin opening on 24^th November with the wonderful Clive Rowe returning to the venue with Susie Mckenna directing and Steven Edis composing for their 20^th show together.

Further Casting Announced For New Victoria Theatre’s Strictly Must-See Pantomime, Cinderella

Following last year’s record-breaking pantomime run which saw over 50,000 festive theatregoers pass through its doors, Woking’s New Victoria Theatrehave announced that the legendary Paul Chuckle will be joining the cast and starring alongsideStrictly Come Dancing’sCraig Revel Horwood inthis year’s must-see Fairy Godmother of all pantomimes, Cinderella, from Friday 7 December. 

Paul Chuckle will play Cinderella’s father, Baron Hardup, making his New Victoria Theatre debut. Best known as one half of the legendary Chuckle Brothers, Cinderellamarks Paul’s first pantomime following the sad passing of his brother and co-star Barry earlier this year. The much-loved duo were known to generations of children for their popular prime-time children’s television show Chucklevision, of which more than 290 episodes were made. The series proved to be so successful that in 2008 BAFTA presented Paul and Barry with an award for ‘services to British children’s television’.

PANTOMIME REVIEW: Jack and the Beanstalk at the Theatre Royal York

As many pantomimes around the country close after their Christmas runs there is one that is still only halfway through its 76 show run and which is a unique tribute to this wonderful theatrical genre.Berwick Kaler has been writing , directing and playing Dame for 39 years and his experience and mastery of pantomime is clear from the start. This is a production firmly rooted in its own tradition and in its Yorkshire home and coming up from the south east to see it feels a bit like a interloper at some huge in joke which the rest of the local audience are in on. The core of the cast are regulars to Theatre Royal Pantomime and have performed together for years as we are often reminded of during the show. The fact that Kaler had a triple heart by pass in 2017 and his straight man Martin Barrass missed last years following a motorbike accident that nearly killed him adds a strong emotional connection to the affection the audience holds these two and their annual traditional outing. The audience itself is older than any other pantomime audience this season with hardly a child in sight, they have clearly grown up together.

The show is in sharp contrast to York's other pantomime offering at the Grand Opera House where Beauty and the Beast is a TV celebrity lead show with Debbie McGee (Strictly come dancing) Lynne McGranger (Home and away), Anthony Costa (Blue) and Ken Morley (Coronation street) and sticks to the traditional story telling approach, although this version feels a bit more like Cinderella than Beauty! 

PANTOMIME REVIEW: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Mayflower Theatre in Southampton

Most of the parents and some of the grandparents taking their children to the Mayflower this Christmas will have grown up watching the Chuckle Brothers on TV since their debuts on Opportunity Knock and New Faces and may have seen their stage shows over the years since. So they were familiar with their catchphrases and routines but despite both Barry and Paul having now turned seventy they will surely have been delighted with the effortless brilliant comic timing and delivery of this enduring double act. Judging by the audience reaction , the children too found them hilarious . The show provides a platform for them to perform some of their best routines including the song "We have got some presents", the Smelly socks game, the Strongman sketch, the Magic sword trick, and the Goldilocks and the three bears routine all of which they deliver with such ease and experience that even a sideways glance at the audience from Barry can produce howls of laughter from the two thousand plus audience. Of course this all has little to do with Snow White but is does not matter.

PANTOMIME REVIEW: Robin Hood at The New Victoria Theatre, Woking

There’s nothing like a pantomime to truly get you into the Christmas spirit. 

The timeless tale of Robin Hood and his merry men has stormed its way to Woking’s New Victoria Theatre for the holiday season. It’s safe to say Robin Hood is quite easily the most dynamic and exciting panto I have ever seen. Packed full of visual spectacle; acrobats, fight sequences, ACTUAL MAGIC, a 3D movie segment and even a DINOSAUR, Robin Hood is everything you could wish for in a panto. 

Shane Ritchie, of Eastenders fame (and beyond), leads this cast as Robin Hood. He is wonderfully funny and engaging with children and parents alike (especially the “yummy mummys” out there!) It simply wouldn’t be pantomime without a revamped version of The Twelve Days of Christmas and Ritchie shines effortlessly here. Who’d have thought the words “two juicy apples” could great quite so much hysteria!? To quote my thirteen year old brother - “He’s bloody hilarious”.

PANTOMIME REVIEW: Peter Pan at the Wyvern Theatre in Swindon

Pantomime is all about traditions in story telling and the audiences familiarity with the comedy routines and interactions with cast . But it is also fun to see new ideas and innovations in the production and this version of Peter Pan introduces us to a new character Eliza (who becomes Tiger Lily in Neverland) and the unusual pairing of the roles of Mrs Darling and Tinkerbell and it is these two roles that stand out at the Wyvern theatre in Swindon . Eliza is played with a delightful charm by Danielle Black and she is the first to get a reaction from the audience and then leads a lively well choreographed opening number in the nursery with the ensemble and juvenile chorus to get the show off to a great start.

TInkerbell is introduced as a green laser spot flitting around the stage until she bursts from the dolls house played by Abigail Matthews with lots of attitude and immediately taking against Wendy, played as a young girl by Lucy Pollard who never really mothers the confident Lost Boys or Peter Pan (Ryan Anderson). 

PANTOMIME REVIEW: Aladdin at the St Alban Arena

St Alban arena attracts over 40,000 to its annual pantomime and this year's offering from them and producers Evolution is Aladdin. The size of the audience allows them to invest in a first class cast and under Will Brenton's direction , Paul Henry's script delivers an outstanding evening of pantomime family entertainment. 

The central trio of Phil Gallagher as Wishy , Bob Golding as Twankey and Ian Kirby as Pongo , all frequent visitors to the venue drive the show along with great energy, brilliant comic timing and a warm charm. They have also perfected the faux slips, mistakes and corpsing that are part of these shows. Golding and Gallagher link up is reminiscent of the stage performances of Morecambe and Wise in the natural ease together, the asides and the looks and easily win over both the kids and the mums and dads. Their routines with Kirby are show stopping highlights and true to the tradition of great pantomime; a clever spurious shops signs routine , a wonderful 12 days of Christmas with five custard pies, the standard of pantomime bench scene, an overacted death scene and a very good Laundry scene. They all engage the audience well in banter and comic looks but beware sitting in the first few rows especially when they bring the video camera on stage!

PANTOMIME REVIEW: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre

The 1937 Disney film defined this title and sometimes it feels awkward to squeeze it into the Pantomime format but when all the elements come together it is a title that will delight Christmas audiences. This UK Production show written by Andrew Ryan, with a strong ensemble cast, all the essential Pantomime business and some of the original Disney tunes certainly does this and credit must go to the whole team under the direction of Chris Nelson. Rarely even in pantomime do you hear an audience this engaged in a production, even the theatre foyer is dressed to get them in the mood before the start. 

The show is driven with loads of energy by Andy Collins as Muddles (7th season at Waterside) and La Voix as nurse (another experienced pantomime Dame). They work very well together from their first entrances, Muddles riding a my little pony and Nurse singing Fame and in a gag filled Mastermind parody. The running gag of the missing pots and pans provides further comic moments leading to a show stopping "Twelve days of Christmas", one of the best you will see, with amazing audience involvement and even Company Stage Manager, Robb Mookhoek joining the fun in the auditorium with a super soaker.

PANTOMIME REVIEW: Jack and the Beanstalk at the Salisbury Playhouse

Many pantomimes sell themselves on a poster of celebrities from children's TV and the soaps, corny and topical jokes and borrowed or reused sets so it is very refreshing to see a production that sets out to create its own unique feel while remaining consistent with pantomime traditions. Andrew Pollard's script and Ryan McBryde's direction achieve this with Jack and The Beanstalk at Salisbury Playhouse. 

You get a sense that you are going to see a production created with loving care as soon as you enter the auditorium and see the beautiful sunflower covered proscenium arch and large giants eye looking out with clever lighting highlights behind the clouds. The opening prologue by Jemma Geanaus as Fortuna (the fairy character) reinforces the fresh take on the familiar story and her active role in the story with a good rendition of "I need a hero" to defeat the gIant . The not so obvious choice of hero is Jack Trot (played by Sam Harrison) who with easy charm establishes himself as both the love interest and usual silly character.Richard Ede plays his mother Dame Dottie Trot with equal charm and delightfully plays to the audience. 

PANTOMIME REVIEW: Peter Pan at Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury

The Marlowe production in 2016 won a pantomime of the year award with Dick Whittington and this year's offering of Peter Pan starts with great confidence using a camera to poke fun at the audience and an excellent Peter Pan graphic and London skyline animation. This transports us into a very strong opening scene in the Darling's nursery. The fresh approach bringing the whole cast into the nursery, not just the Darling family and Peter Pan but also Mrs Smee, Lily and Starkey. Their entrances, the children through the stalls, Mr Darling in a circle box and Peter flying in from the upper circle creates an exciting dynamic opening. Added to this is a break dancing Nana the dog, an effective projected dancing shadow and a lively dance routine. 

The strong opening continues with a good flying sequence to "Don't stop me now" to Neverland and a brilliant comedy routine with a wheelbarrow of fruit which firmly establishes Mrs Smee, Starkey and Hook as the driving energy of the production. But just as Mrs Smee comments "if you listen carefully you can hear the sound of JM Barrie revolving" , the show settles into a traditional telling of his Peter Pan story and the production never quite hits this level of the opening scenes.

REVIEW: King Tut: A Pyramid Panto at the Kings Head's Theatre

The Kings Head's Christmas offering is billed as a boutique pantomime and is the third consecutive year presented by Charles Court Opera with script, direction and starring (for around half the nights) John Savournin. This year's show is loosely based around the discovery of Tutankhamun burial chamber by Howard Carter and is firmly targeted at an adult audience . 

The small intimate space of 110 seats is transformed by Sean Turner into the Egyptian tomb and we are whisked from 1922 back to King Tut's time. In many ways this production has its routes in the harlequinade that proceeded traditional Victorian pantomime with just five stock characters . Harlequin, here Howard Carter, loves Columbine, here called Evelyn and they are pursued by Pantaloon, here called Lord Conniving. The chaos is created by Clown; here as King Tut and the servant, here a talking camel!

Further casting announced for Dick Whittington at the London Palladium this Christmas

Dick Whittington is produced by Nick Thomas and Michael Harrison for Qdos Entertainment, the team behind last year’s twice Olivier-nominated London Palladium production of Cinderella, which broke box office records for the highest grossing week in West End theatre history. Dick Whittington is written by Alan McHugh, directed by Michael Harrison, choreographed by Karen Bruce with musical supervision and orchestrations by Gary Hind, lighting by Ben Cracknell, set designs by Ian Westbrook, 3D Creations, costumes by Hugh Durrant, visual special effects by The Twins FX, projection design by Duncan McLean and sound design by Gareth Owen. 

Emma Williams and Lukus Alexander complete the principle casting for the London Palladium Pantomime this Christmas playing the role of Alice Fitzwarren and Eileen the Cat respectively. They will join the previously announced Julian Clary (Spirit of the Bells),Elaine Paige (Queen Rat), Ashley Banjo (The Sultan) and Diversity (The Sultan’s Special Advisors), Paul Zerdin (Idle Jack), Nigel Havers (Captain Nigel), Gary Wilmot (Sarah the Cook) and Charlie Stemp (Dick Whittington).