Writers: Matt Slack and Alan McHugh Original Music and songs: Marti Pellow and Grant Mitchell Lyrics: Shaun McKenna Director: Michael Harrison The Birmingham Hippodrome at Christmas can mean only one thing – it’s panto time, and once again we have a spectacle featuring a host of well-known names in this year’s offering, Dick Whittington. Possibly the most familiar, in Birmingham panto terms at least, is Matt Slack who is now pretty much established as a regular, back this year for his ninth consecutive Hippodrome appearance (and already booked again for next year, such is his popularity among Birmingham audiences). There…
Author: The Reviews Hub - Central
The Reviews Hub - Central
The Central team is under the editorship of Selwyn Knight. The Reviews Hub was set up in 2007. Our mission is to provide the most in-depth, nationwide arts coverage online.
Writer: Julia Donaldson Director: Brad Fitt Fishing pole-rod suspended bugs and birds flutter and buzz above the giggling families – teasing and beguiling in equal measure and promise. Mandolin-wind theme tunes tickle. ‘Mum, Dad, hurry-up, they’ve got started already!’ Indeed. Based on the emerging-reader books from Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, the simplest of narrative forms works on rhyme and repetition, suggestion and detection – the ‘lift-the-flap’ reward experience – Spot The Dog to Where’s Wally and all between. This works for story-time readings – a sixty-minute show throws up many challenges, some not quite resolved – others rather exquisite.…
Writer: Alan McHugh with additional material by Aaron James Director: Ian Talbot As the festive season fast approaches, theatres up and down the land are swept up into a frenzy with that great British tradition, the pantomime. Milton Keynes’ offering this year is none other than the seminal classic, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. With everything you would expect: a beautiful princess, a menacing baddie and a giant serving of innuendo, this year’s panto offers all you need. Ian Talbot has pulled together an excellent show with exceptional production values. Coupled with Mike Coltman and Teresa Nalton’s quirky costume design…
Writer: Paul Hendy Directors: Bob Golding and Emily Wood Regional panto is alive and thriving, and Jack and the Beanstalk at the Royal & Derngate sits there among the best. It’s living proof, if proof were needed, that you don’t need massive budgets, big casts and spectacular effects to provide some excellent family entertainment – and from the reactions of a theatre full of excited children waiting for the show to start at the press performance, they knew they were in for a treat too. Produced by Evolution Productions, four times winners of Pantomime of the Year, Jack and the…
Writer: Katherine Chandler Director: Caroline Wilkes At just shy of sixty minutes this charming, well-paced interpretation of the famous Fairy Tale keeps its young audience always engaged, often captivated, with verve and ingenious wit. Along the darkened, grotto-like corridors leading to The Door, clusters of what appear to be fly-agaric mushrooms are sprouting – magic mushrooms at a kids’ matinee? What ever were they thinking? From the simplest of materials and basic designs, delightful props and devices are brought to life. Best remembered will be the minimalist Daisy The Cow and the beach casting fishing rod bringing the Beanstalk to…
Writer: James Shone Director: Ian Smith Mirror, mirror, on the wall, is Telford’s pantomime the fairest of them all? It may well be. As panto season commences in theatres across the land, Shropshire’s festive offering of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is wickedly good fun. We meet the evil Queen first, played by 90s pop star ‘Lolly’, aka Anna Kumble, who is good at being bad. On a mission to be the most beautiful woman in Telford, her royal wickedness will stop at nothing, even if that means exterminating Snow White. Luckily, sweet Snow, played by local talent Chloe Barlow, has some good friends to look out for…
Writer: Charles Dickens Director: Kevin Shaw A Christmas Carol may well be nearly two centuries old, but this timeless classic continues to find its way onto playbills up and down the country. The theatre industry is dominated by the ever-popular pantomime at this time of year, but to find a niche in the market, The Albany has re-energised Dickens’ famous novel for the second year running to provide an alternative night out at the theatre for all to enjoy. “Merry Christmas! What right do you have to be merry?” Not just the thoughts of those questioning their work colleagues for…
Book and Lyrics: Tom Eyen Music: Henry Krieger Director: Casey Nicholaw If you’re looking for a dose of glitter among the grey days of December but panto’s not your thing, then maybe give Dreamgirls a go. Originally produced on Broadway in 1981, it won many awards, but it was not to be until 2016 that it graced the West End stage with more award success. And now it’s touring the UK with its bright lights and slick moves. We meet our protagonists, Effie, Deena and Lorrell as they prepare to take part in an amateur night talent show, singing an…