Posts with the label pantomime
Showing posts with label pantomime. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pantomime. Show all posts
Friday 8 December 2017
Peter Pan (Pantomime), Grand Opera House, Belfast | Review
Peter Pan (Pantomime)
Grand Opera House, Belfast
Reviewed on Tuesday 5th December 2017 by Damien Murray
★★★★
With over 70,000 tickets having been sold even before press night, Peter Pan is already set to become one of Belfast’s most successful pantomimes yet.
Staged amid visually attractive cut-out sets that transported the audience to a world of wonder in such locations as The Darlings’ nursery, Neverland, Crocodile Creek, on board a pirate ship and beneath the sea, this production had a lot to offer with a talking bra, some super soakers, a giant gorilla and jokes about a mermaid’s shell phone all proving popular with the young audience.
Boasting production values as high as its flying sequences, this impressive show was spectacular with its pyrotechnics and special effects such as a colossal crocodile that moved right out over the front seats of the stalls in the Act 1 finale and a scary 3D underwater journey on film (but, be warned, it is, perhaps, a tad too scary for smaller children as I learned from this, my grandchildren’s first pantomime visit).
With super sets, costumes, dance routines and lighting, this production had cross-generational appeal with the double entendres, political jibes and topical references keeping the adults happy, while the silly one-liners and slapstick comedy made the children laugh loudly throughout.
Celebrating 28 consecutive years as the pantomime dame at Belfast’s Grand Opera House, May McFettridge (aka John Linehan) again proved that he truly is the ‘Grande Dame’ of the local pantomime stage.
This year, playing May Smee, this seasoned dame appeared to go into auto-pilot mode each time he took to the stage as his quick-fire one-liners and audience put-downs now come as natural to him as wearing female clothing each December… they are both part and parcel of his annual residency at the prestigious theatre.
Aided by a strong support cast, his partner in crime was again local actor and regular pantomime performer, Paddy Jenkins (as Smee), who, despite his laid-back approach, always delivered with perfect timing in the comedy routines, while television soap star, Claire King, kept telly fans happy as Mimi the Magical Mermaid.
One of the stars of this production was Britain’s Got Talent impressionist, Paul Burling (as the ship’s entertainer, Starkey), who made a good impression on everyone (in more ways than one) with a wide range of voice impersonations of such famous and celebrated characters as Michael McIntyre, Harry Hill, Alan Carr, Popeye, Top Cat and The Simpsons.
However, the brightest star of this show was the multi award-winning, David Bedella, who’s demanding stage presence, precise diction and perfection of performance was such that he could play such a believable ‘baddie’ as Captain Hook, yet remain such an extremely lovable rogue to those who can appreciate his theatrical talents and skills.
All were joined by Mikey Jay-Heath as a flying Peter Pan, Hollie O’Donoghue as the rude, roller-skating Tinkerbell, Natalie Windsor as a commanding Tiger Lily and Kweeva Garvey as a likeable and popular Wendy, while talented young performers from the McMaster Stage School comprised the children’s ensemble with an amazingly good break dance from one tiny little boy.
From reworded and reworked pop songs like Ed Sheeran’s Shape Of You to show tunes like Cell Block Tango from Chicago and popular favourites like Blondie’s One Way Or Another, The Village Peoples’ In The Navy and Frank Sinatra’s My Way, the music was well-varied to suit all and, under Mark Dougherty’s musical direction, had a surprisingly big sound for such a small band.
It may be the festive season, but Christmas songs were, wisely, restricted here to a comic rendition of The Twelve Days Of Christmas (I say ‘wisely’ as I always think it must sound odd for audiences in the latter stages of a pantomime run to be singing about Christmas in a show that continues well into January).
On their first ever visit to a Grand Opera House pantomime, my grandchildren really enjoyed the experience… and there is no better test to prove that this big production is another big hit from the Grand Opera House!
Photo credit: Aaron McCracken
Wednesday 14 December 2016
Snow White, New Victoria Theatre | Review
A real laugh a minute show, with something for everyone
Snow White (Pantomime)
New Victoria Theatre
Reviewed on Tuesday 13th December 2016 by Melanie Mitchell
★★★★★
I have never been a great fan of pantomime’s, I haven’t seen one for years, in fact can’t remember the last time I saw one. So I have to say, this wasn’t my idea of a great night at the theatre: silly jokes, screaming kids and forced audience participation. How wrong could I have been! Snow White is an absolute treat and the most fun I’ve had at the theatre in a long time.
A real laugh a minute show, with something for everyone. The scenery is beautiful as are the spectacular costumes and choreography with one woodland scene, reminiscent of the Beatrix Potter ballet.
Melissa Potts makes a lovely Snow White: sweet and gentle but feisty all the same. Anne Smith as Queen Morgiana is suitably malevolent and evil but funny at the same time. Her accomplices are quite terrifying but the kids loved them! Chris Cox as Muddles really entranced the kids as well as the adults with his slapstick portrayal of the character- he played the part brilliantly. Warwick Davis as Prof is amazing, an accomplished actor and singer with great comedic timing.
Prince Wayne is played by Shaun Dalton. What can I say? Handsome, debonair and charming, he is so perfectly cast he could have been drawn by a Disney animator. He can sing too. Despite there being one dwarf less due to illness. The other six took over his role with such ease you didn’t even notice.
Andy Ford as Herman the Henchman steals the show. He is absolutely hilarious with wonderful jokes for the kids and just the right amount of smutty innuendo for the adults. He makes a great double act with Chris Cox (Muddles). Very silly but they get the comedy completely right for panto.
The whole audience were encouraged to participate all the way through the show which they did completely willingly, me included! There are lots of songs we all know, along with references to the locality which really made the audience members feel involved.
Snow White is a fun filled, festive treat for the whole family. Book now while you still can, it’ll really put you in the Christmas mood.
By the way check out the magic mirror by the grand piano in the bar, I’ll say no more!
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