Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves

~~This was a good first production from directorial novices Trevor Puckett and John Skinner, who made the best of Ben Crocker’s unusual script:  the resurrection of a dismembered corpse and its rather macabre participation in the final scenes was unexpected and a little uncomfortable, not because we are unfamiliar with the ‘Tales of the Thousand and One Nights’, but because pantomime generally handles dark themes in a different manner – an awkward script, but handled well.
The pre-show action opened with the Exchange transforming into a lively marketplace buzzing with snake-charmers, a rope-trick, enthusiastic hawkers selling rugs and goatskins, and children in the village square.  Telling the story was Scheherazade (Helen Peat), who with expressive hands and voice wove a colourful cast of characters into a tale of trickery and murder, magic and mayhem, as the action moved from the marketplace to Baghdad, the forest and the Secret Cave, accompanied by the original music of Sarah Travis, under the Musical Direction of newcomer Geoffrey Horton.  With a live band in the auditorium the music was immediate and we were totally involved, and although the percussion was a little overwhelming at times, everyone enjoyed Ian Greig’s composition for the community song ‘Tiddly Winky Woo’.  The puppet show was a colourful and inventive way of telling the back-story, so that we were ready to move on with the plot.  The five young dancers from the Unique Dance Academy were fresh and engaging, completely involved in their roles, especially in the Freedom dance and it would have been lovely to see them in more items.  The raspberry-blowing peasant chorus added a touch of local colour.
Ali Baba (Ann Neville) was lively and entered into the spirit of the adventure, and together with Safiya the servant girl (Teegan Pearce) they made a good couple, and sang a nice duet in ‘Let Your Heart Grow’.  Mum Baba (Ian Greig) made a positive and cheerful Dame, with a nice Arabian song and a solid performance, aided and abetted by her dotty chums Loonah, Moonah and Noonah (Vanessa Dawson, Jillian Goldbart, Ann Baseden).   Cassim, Ali Baba’s well-to-do but hen-pecked brother, was played by Richard Skinner, who tackled his songs with gusto and tolerated the nagging of his wife, Sharon (Kirstie Price), who was much more at home after her transformation into the co-operative wife, rather than the old nag.  Sheikh Mustafa Leikh, the Chief Thief (Bill Peat) had a strong voice and an imposing physical presence, and played a Faginesque villain rather than being entirely intimidating: he might have enjoyed being more wicked.  Mustafa Leikh, with sidekicks Yessah and Nossah (Paula Skinner and Jessica Mash) and his band of Thieves entertained us with their song and with searching through the auditorium.  The skeleton appeared all too briefly in the cave.  Kamil the Camel, (expertly animated by Ann Baseden and Pamela Snell) was a most appealing character, with its long tongue and funny dance, upstaged only by the amazing Fab Rick (Matt Rawson), terrifically popular with the audience, who brought to the stage energy, sparkle and enthusiasm as the camp tailor.
The visual impact of the show was delightful, with a characterful kitchen and laundry, but most particularly the beautifully-painted minarets of Old Baghdad which were striking when back-lit for dawn or dusk, so that I would like to have held that vision a little longer between scenes.  Though not to everyone’s taste, the resurrection scene was inventive, with a puff of smoke to represent returning life. Props were nicely thought out, with heaving treasure chests, a bright puppet theatre and puppets, and a fake piano.  Colourful costumes enhanced the atmosphere of an eastern bazaar.
Congratulations, SNADS, on another successful production.
 

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.