Ali Baba

On Saturday 7th December, I was delighted to be invited back to see the latest offering from Our Lady Star of the Sea Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society – their annual panto, Ali Baba.

Ali Baba, a poor woodcutter, stumbles upon a secret cave belonging to a band of forty thieves. Gaining access with the magic words “Open Sesame”, he discovers their hidden treasure and quietly helps himself. When the thieves realise someone’s found their hoard, chaos ensues. With the help of his clever servant girl, Morgiana, Ali Baba outwits the villains in a tale of adventure, disguise, and daring escapes. A classic story of good versus greed, often brought to life in pantomime with comedy, music, and plenty of “he’s behind you!” moments.

OLSS’s version of the panto classic was written by society stalwarts Leo Appleton and Rob Fearn, and the pair had crafted a sharp and amusing script which rattled through the traditional scenes with pace, energy and humour. Appleton also occupied the director’s chair on this production, and the piece was filled with his customary good cheer and well-thought-out creative decisions. Juggling a large panto cast, with performers of all ages, is no mean feat – and even more complicated with a camel thrown into the mix! However, Appleton’s experience shone through, and he crafted a well-performed and enjoyable evening in the theatre for the audience.

Musical direction in this production was by Pauline Hardie, and she had clearly worked hard to get the cast performance-ready, as they whipped through a wide range of both classic and modern pop songs, to the audience’s delight. Live music was provided by The Angie Strickland Quartet, and their work on the day was notable in its quality. Not a single cue was missed throughout, and it was clear this was a group of seasoned and highly skilled musicians. Special mention to Brent Forbes, whose bass playing was hugely impressive throughout the entire show.

The choreography in Ali Baba was courtesy of Amy Appleton, who pulled off a treat. Her dancers had a range of abilities, and the quality of her work lay in the fact that the stronger dancers were given choreography that would stretch them, while the beginners were given a chance to shine too. Appleton’s work was fun and inventive, and the audience clearly enjoyed it from the outset.

Lighting was by Annie Follett, whose work I have complimented before – and will do again here. No missed cues, no performers shrouded in darkness, and a tiny venue made to feel much bigger than it is, through the use of clever and impressive lighting techniques. All done while she was running sound, too!

The set design and build was by Leo Appleton, John Gill and Phil Thomas, and like Follett before them, their inventive work made a small venue feel expansive. Lots of colour, lots of detail, and a set which clearly transported the audience to the intended location of the piece. Well done!

Costumes were courtesy of another member of the Appleton dynasty, Jeanette, and the impact of her work is not to be underestimated. As with many pantos, costume changes came thick and fast, and the pieces created and curated by her were fully in keeping with the aesthetic and energy of the show itself.

On, then, to the performances themselves. There was a large and diverse range of actors on stage, and each of them contributed hugely to the enjoyable atmosphere in the room that day. Everybody gave the show the energy it deserved, and working together as an ensemble, they elevated the script and created a thoroughly fun pantomime.

Leading the show was Niamh Heron in the titular role of Ali Baba, and I was very impressed with her work on the day. I felt she had a relatively reserved start to the piece but very quickly settled into her stride, fully inhabiting the character and driving the show forward.

Heron was ably supported by Sammy Coffey as Morgiana, and she was just fabulous. Whilst her acting was superb, it was her singing that truly shone in the show, and every time she broke into song, the audience was enraptured. Bravo!

On panto dame duties was John Gill, who delivered an uproariously funny and cheeky performance as Dame Barbara Baba. Very funny stuff from an accomplished actor who had the audience in the palm of his hand from his very first appearance on stage. His saucy one-liners were delivered with aplomb, and he had the auditorium in stitches.

As the villain, Khasim, Richie Reed was suitably slimy and drew every last boo and hiss out of the audience with ease. Reed revelled in the role and was clearly enjoying himself a great deal on stage, which other actors were able to feed off and elevate their own performances.

The Sultan was played by co-writer Rob Fearn, who had impact on stage and brought some significant energy and grandeur to proceedings.

I must mention the delightful work of camelious duo Lyndsey Heron and Mia Barlow, who had the audience rolling in the aisles with their collaborative performance as Drusilla. Watching the two of them trying to almost blindly negotiate their way up the stage stairs – slow and sideways – was a joke that never wore thin, and I could have watched a hundred times more!

Casting forty thieves is a bit of an ask, and OLSS did, in fact, fall fairly short in terms of numbers (!) but what they may have lacked in sheer volume of light-fingered individuals, they made up for with sheer energy and enthusiasm for the roles. Forty became seven, and those seven are to be highly commended for their efforts on the day. They were sneaky, cheeky and hilarious from the outset. Huge congratulations to Gracie Palmer, Mia Wood, Lola Donegan Fearn, Elise Heron, Toby Cosgrove, Isaac Heron and Logan Donegan Fearn – all of whom were superb.

Rounding out the cast were a number of experienced and very capable adult chorus members, who threw themselves into every element of the show with a smile. They were Carolyn Clapham, Theresa Donnelly, Pauline Hardie, Des Heron, Chris Lodge, Christine Rouse and Phil Thomas, and all are to be congratulated on their contribution to the show.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with OLSS as I watched Ali Baba, and I know that my young companion did too, given that she wore her complimentary camel mask most of the way home, whilst blasting me with her renditions of songs from the show! I very much look forward to my next visit, and thank everyone at OLSS for the invitation.

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