Pantomime

Writer: Michael Harrison and Alan McHugh, from the book by J.M Barrie Director: Michael Harrison Reviewer: Selwyn Knight It can’t be easy having to step into another performer’s shoes at short notice, especially when the show was written with the original incumbent in mind, but this is exactly what Darren Day has done: the Hippodrome’s panto for 2018/9 was originally ...

Writer: John Nicholson and Le Navet Bete Director: John Nicholson Set & Costume Designer: Fi Russell Composer: Peter Coyte Choreographer: Linzy Na Nakorn Lighting Designer: Marcus Bartlett Reviewer: Helen Tope Bright, bold and wittily inventive, Le Navet Bete’s pantomime takes on the challenge of telling the story of Aladdin. We know the nuts-and-bolts of the story: the lamp, the genie, ...

Writer: Michael Harrison and Alan McHugh, from the book by J.M Barrie Director: Michael Harrison Reviewer: James Garrington It’s panto time in Birmingham and flying in this year is Peter Pan – and it’s the best panto the Hippodrome has seen in many years. We know the costumes and the sets will be spectacular, that it will have stunning effects and ...

Writer: Berwick Kaler Directors: Damian Cruden, Berwick Kaler Designer: Mark Walters Musical Director: Elliot Styche Choreographer: Grace Harrington The Grand Old Dame of York is less a pantomime than an occasion – a unique one at that; celebratory, thoroughly entertaining and often very funny, though somewhat unstructured to a fault. Berwick Kaler’s achievement is remarkable, as is the devotion he ...

Writer and Director: Gordon Barr Reviewer: Dominic Corr Before we close out the year folks there’s time for one last wee trip into Pantoland, with a Caledonian flair of course. Presented by the Byre Theatre, in association with Bard in the Botanics we open the pages of Sleeping Beauty, though with quite the twist. This time, instead of needing to ...

Writer: Alan McHugh Director: Bob Tomson Reviewer: John Roberts  It was always going to be tough to beat Cinderella which opened Qdos’ partnership with the Empire Theatre last year, however, with Jack and the Beanstalk, director Bob Tomson alongside writer Alan McHugh and a hard-working cast pull out all the stops and bring us an almost pitch-perfect pantomime. Making her pantomime ...

Writer: Simon Foster Director: Chantelle Nolan Reviewer: John Roberts The Pantomime’s at St Helens Theatre Royal have consistently delivered slick and very enjoyable productions over the past few years and this year’s return of Peter Panis no different. While it doesn’t scale to the same heights as Aladdin a few years ago, it still soars and sends the audience out ...

Writer and Director: Richard Gauntlett Reviewer: Lu Greer The time has arrived at the Norwich Theatre Royal once again when giant wigs and near day glow costumes grace the stage when the panto arrives in town. The show, again written and directed by Theatre Royal stalwart Richard Gauntlett, this time takes on an adventure to the Far East in the ...