PantomimeReviewScotland

Mother Goose – Perth Theatre

Reviewer: Dominic Corr

Writer and Director: Barrie Hunter

Musical Director: Alan Penman

The most versatile ingredient? The humble egg. So, it only makes sense that the most versatile of pantomimes, in strong and imaginative hands,MotherGoosecan open itself up to a plethora of story avenues and opportunities – and there are few safer hands than that of legendary pantomime creator and dame Barrie Hunter.

For this year’s Perth Theatre pantomime, it’s down to the Goose farm to lay one golden experience for all as Mother Goose, her son, and a whole gaggle of ganders and goslings fight to save the safety and wellbeing of the geese and spread some festive cheer form a fearsome mogul backtracking on their initial promise of fair compensation and retirement package? Perish the thought…

Looking forward to taking it a bit easier, Hunter’s leading lady role as panto dameMother Gooseis finally retiring from the Goose farm – looking forward to a tidy pension and a cottage to boot. But after the farm is sold into new hands, things take a dark turn as Mother Goose and her flock are banished without a penny. Hunter, as well as writing and directing the piece, is one of Scotland’s most notable and celebrated dames – balancing a traditional performance with just a splash of that contemporary humour and flair. The gags are groan-worthy (deliberate) but always served with a nudge and wink that serves up a grand old time.

Hunter’s script takes a couple of musical numbers and a few characters to get involved before things start to come together – but once all the players are on stage and the music is playing,MotherGoosefast becomes a production of plentiful panto passion. Leading into a more substantial act, the ending of act one is where the stakes are fired up, and the tension in the story wakes up any who thought this might have remained a quaint panto. Complete with adapted songs, some impressive set changes in Becky Minto’s dazzling and appropriate design and costuming, enhanced by a whole flood of colour thanks to the dynamic and atmospheric lighting, even capturing that great Christmas classic,The Great Escape.

Helen Logan, the undisputed best baddie of the Scottish pantosphere, brings every ounce of the much-needed ‘Scroogeness’ to an otherwise bright and cheerful show. Callous, cunning, and fabulous, Greta Garbage is a dream role for anyone taking up the panto gauntlet and has the joyfully devious edge of refusing to be a reformed do-gooder, reminding all the youngsters in the audience that sometimes, the baddies won’t change their ways. With some of the best musical numbers of the night, sharing this honour with Naomi Stirrat and Bethany Tennick, the trio demonstrates Penman’s musical direction of the show to the fullest – shaking tail feathers throughout the theatre – backed by an utterly terrific community cast, who give their heart and feathers to a smashing quartet of wild geese, the real stars of the show.

Any with an ear in the scene knows of just how fantastic Stirrat and Tennick’s vocal performances can be, sublime throughout, translating the humour and spirit of the festivities into their performances as Gloria Goose (including some brilliant facial expressions from Stirrat) and Gaia, Garbage’s daughter who has to come to terms that no matter how she might try, her mother might just be a properly rotten egg. Quite the opposite, the lads are nothing but a bundle of joy – golden eggs through and through – as Ewan Somers and Sean Hay wouldn’t say boo to a, well, you get the jist. Playing Mother’s Goose’s son Grayson is a bundle of energy, while Hay’s dithering previous Goose-farm owner Gregory McGregory has some of the show’s best line deliveries and puns.

A cracking good time, Hunter’s freshest lain panto experience is not over-boiled; MotherGooseis all yolks and banter, rich and bright with a colourful cast of rogues and heroes for the audience to cheer alongside to the bitter end. An adventuring panto, which tremendously benefits from the local flair (including a few smashing ad-libs and cheeky sponsorship moments), keeps the show open to all but is a personal community for those nearby.

Runs until 29 December 2024 | Image: Contribured

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