Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves

Once again a sell-out with great support from all, with another fund raise for charities and I am sure you must match last year’s amazing total of £3.5K given.           

A really good family pantomime and almost continuous audience participation creating a lot of noise in the hall.  Great enjoyment for all, and watching the smaller members of the audience, unable to control their excitement.   This is what local pantomime should be.

A topical beginning with a referendum vote, but this time for the successful retention of the Norfolk Fairy, Sheilah Olley, and how could Mundesley even think of losing her to introduce us to the action and the cast?

In the title role of Ali Baba, Neil Ellson, supporting family and poor but hoping for riches, a reliable actor and adept at holding the stage.   His family;  Barbara Baba played, ‘in the dress’ and violent coloured wigs, by Paul Reynolds with his usual good timing and comedy.  Hassan Baba from Lottie Waller as a strong principal boy with good singing; plus the obnoxious in-laws Kassim and Eyneeda (played Dave Turrell and Gillian Davidson). The comedy accentuated with good timing and a lot of topical and local content from the duo Mustapha Pea (Pat Nearney) and Mustapha Dribble (Dylan Wilson).   These two livened up proceedings and were a part of the thieves gang even though rather incompetent!    As a really wicked leader with lots of gestures and strong dialogue, Cheryl Collings really put heart and soul into the role of Al Racheed.   

Victoria Ing was an excellent principal girl as the slave  Morgiana, with good vocals.   It is interesting to watch these youngsters on stage as they develop year by year. As the Spirit of Sand, Nick Davidson, moved like the wind and projected his personality like lightening from the stage, worth watching for future. And the rather inept police duo Inspectors Back Ali and Bowling Ali (Gillian Davidson and Georgia Pearce) added to the strong comedy line-up on stage in the Coronation Hall. And one cannot forget the ‘star’ Karmel the Camel (Jean Clarke and Sheilah Olley) with those memorable dancing moments.

But this pantomime is not just about the principals, however good they might be, it is the whole company who sang with vigour and moved in time and obviously enjoyed their whole participation in the production.   It is a tribute to the whole production team that this level of energy and team-work came over so well. And again to saythat it is good to see some new and younger members augmenting the cast ready for the future (including those tiny 5 and 6 year-olds as they skipped in time to music).

I must comment on that outstanding scenery (Nigel and Brenda Holmes), one does not expect this professional painting of such high standard in a ‘village’ pantomime.

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