Director: Mark Chatterton
The Everyman have done it again! Each year the Christmas panto just gets better and better and that can be only down to the fact that this is a creative team that work well together and all have the same end goal of a fun filled Christmas extravaganza that can be enjoyed by Children and Adults alike.
Telling the story of beloved and loving Ma Goose (Mark Chatterton marking a decade of Everyman panto's) who never lets Chuck – her feathered friend out of sight since she found him abandoned, her son Bruce is in love with the Princess and the King won't have anything to do with it, throw a witch that wants the blood of Chuck to keep her young and you have a panto that even the youngest members of the audience understand and this is credit to the wonderful script by Mark Chatterton and Sarah Nixon, who have once again produced a script full of double entendres that not only keep the children laughing but making sure the adults have a hoot as well.
The directing is also courtesy of Mark Chatterton and he provides us with a high energy production that is helped along by a simple but effective set by Dinah England providing us with a painted garden and balcony, which is used throughout the show, my only concern was that people on the sides didn't always get to see everything that took place on the balcony. Everyone knows that panto costumes need to be creative and bright and this is a show that keeps to those rules also designed by Dinah are a vision of pure hallucinogenic colour.
The show started off quite dark and menacing and had my granddaughter clinging to me in fright but this temporary distraction was soon displaced as the cast whipped us up in a laughing frenzy, getting us singing and clapping along under the musical supervison of Tayo Akinbode, it is clear to see why this is a man that is never out of work.
All the cast work their socks off to get their pay but its the on stage chemistry between Adam Keast (King Bling) and Francis Tucker (Ma Goose) that makes sure that you are creased with laughter and kept this zingy panto zipping along, they clearly love working together and this is so obvious from the offset. Notable mentions must also be given to Nicky Swift (Fairy Feathers), Matthew Quinn (Chuck), Tara Nelson (Princess Aurora), Rebecca Bainbridge ( Queen Narcissa) and Luke Kempner (Bruce Goose)
So grab a ticket while you can and be prepared to have a fabulous time, but also be prepared to take part.
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