A Christmas Carol - The Pantomime

You know you are getting closer to Christmas once you attend a pantomime.  So, my Christmas is indeed very close. Aldridge Musical Comedy Society certainly put me in the mood for the festive season with their production of A Christmas Carol - The Pantomime. I’m sure we have all seen the film where miserable Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future, well this was no different….oh yes it was!

This pantomime version had all the elements of the real Christmas Carol, but with many aspects of a pantomime – well-known songs, audience participation and an odd splattering of booing the villain! Richard Beckett played the role of Ebenezer Scrooge with recognisable miserableness; he has a great presence on stage and is a very able central character that everyone can work around with ease. Lucy Pountain took on the role of Auntie Mistletoe; she had no problem interacting with the audience who all responded accordingly.  Ade Cox was making his debut with AMCS as Bob Cratchit, he is confident in all he does on stage and has a voice ready made for musical theatre. Gaynor White as Belle Bottoms (the Ghost of Christmas Past), Nickiy Critchley as Bob Sleigh (the Ghost of Christmas Present) and Mark Newman as Crystal Ball (the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come), all put a different slant on their characters, regional accents and supernatural beings certainly set them apart from anyone else who has ever played the part – all very well received by the audience and each of them full of confidence in their performance.  Another trio to wow the audience were Jingle, Sparkle and Twinkle, played by Amelia Critchley, Kiki Bradford and Helen Jolly respectively. They had a lovely working relationship, bouncing off each other and providing energy on stage with every appearance. Every good pantomime has a recurring theme, and what better than an inflatable Christmas tree who continues to make untimely appearances! I’m really pleased that you actually got to have your few minutes of fame at the end!

The main characters were well supported by the ensemble who produced some lovely harmony singing and energetic dance routines to get the audience’s feet tapping. Mark Bayliss as Musical Director and Sarah Beckett as Choreographer, certainly know their trades and it is obvious that they both know how to play to people’s strengths.  Once again, the junior section rose to the occasion, and it is comforting to see so many youngsters who want to perform on stage.

The scenery was projected onto the rear of the stage, the images were very clear and extremely effective, it was a great way to overcome limitations with scenery. The vibrant colours of the costumes made the production spectacular.

This was Richard Beckett’s first time as script writer, not an easy task on its own, but coupled with directing the show and taking a lead role, is a mammoth task, a challenge to which Richard rose to admirably. The direction was clear and everyone moved confidently around the stage.

AMCS produced a very enjoyable evening’s entertainment and the whole audience would have gone away singing many of the tunes and feeling more in the Christmas spirit. Thank you and well done to everyone involved.

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