Cazy Christmas at The Haunted Hotel

Another quite different venue for the players at the Rye College Theatre, with a good-sized stage area to work in, with Martin Bruce MD placed in front who played keyboard throughout. Certainly the opening Bach organ piece was most atmospheric, loud, and quite spooky. ‘Ghost Busters’ and later a great ‘Monster Mash.’ So, with song, slapstick, dance, and mischief plus some surprising special effects this was a real community experience that adults and children responded to so well.

This year’s panto was again a new title to me, from Paul Johnson, full of fun and colour, dance and song, live accompaniment, creative costumes, using imaginative lighting, sound and even pyrotechnics! Even a new venue with a substantial size stage, good facilities and large car park perfect for the good lively audience who reacted well to the spooky happening around the haunted hotel. Good elves and bad elves, a beast, zany characters with a festive Christmas theme.

With a dramatic spooky opening in organ music, song and dance the dame Mrs Brenda White namely Billy Dover with his great chuckle, with son and daughter Arthur and Christine cheekily played by Xavier and Oriana Marrs arrive at the seaside Hideaway House Hotel which appears to have seen grander days. Shannon Dudley played the owner, Madame Moonlight, a strange woman and, even stranger, was her cocktail glass carrying Aunt Avery – Ruth Gibson. The motley staff (think ‘Faulty Towers’) were comedic Sandi Bain as Juan the loveable Bell hop fanatic Bobby Charlton supporter in red/kit, with Helen Gray returning to the boards as Mary-Ann Bright server/maid and Lift Attendant Benson, Stu Clark all in a flap. It seems too that there is rumoured to be a beast lurking in the boiler room! Then we have a mystical appearance in the form of busy elves.

Of course, in all panto we have a good and bad element determined to destroy Christmas and so we discover a wonderful team of numbered hardworking and good elves, namely Venetia Sanders, Clare Murray, Larry Wilson, Gareth Ward and Ian Klemen - even an elf in charge of elf and safety working for Santa was Dan Lake. The bad elves were well led by Sam McGrath together with Mark Russell and David Bentley. The mystery haunting beast terrifying everyone and last seen as a parrot was Kenzo Drummond. And lastly Santa himself, with Lawrie Tumber as hero saving Christmas who I think fell for Madame Moonlight!

The Rye Dance Centre provided a group of young dancers headed by Dance Captain Polly Darkins with delightful, youthful choreography from Jo Fletcher and her assistant Sharon Parker.

I particularly liked the set design created by Kieran Howlett, depicting the hotel, enhanced by the artistry of Charlotte Brooks. The half flats were beautifully painted with good working doors plus an opening and closing lift. Reception desk was set in front for a lot of bobbing up and down which doubled up as the dining room for very dubious cuisine! Bedroom 6C was split with the Boiler Room 6D on the other side. This all worked so well especially for the manic chase scene with excellent timing and was great fun. Excellent exciting lighting was devised including the pyrotechnic surprise with Elena Gil Rodriguez operating with Pat Driver once again on the Sound Desk. The backstage crew kept the scene changes flowing silently. Beneficial use of the space although some chorus exits created some queuing – it looked quite tight. Good audience interaction and the elf and safety officer Dan together with helper were a hit with the children with flashing lights and of course handing out sweets from the fishing net!

Costuming created by the team was first class, especially the elves in their red breeches, shirts and red bows, high vis tunics, red and white striped socks, and pompoms on shoes. Pixie hats and elves’ ears good finishing touches. I liked the variety of colourful headdresses instead of ‘hair’ wigs. The baddies looking sinister with pretty evil make up, so plenty of booing there.

Quite a challenge using another new script, perhaps a little on the long side for Xan Kite and the cast, but together with the huge community input from local businesses and unseen heroes produced an entertainment that was enjoyed by the Saturday afternoon audience as the loud response noises indicated. Thank you to you all for your hard work.

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