Cinderella

It’s panto time!  And before you feel driven to respond “Oh no it isn’t!”, well, oh yes it is.  But then, Avocet Theatre Company has got form when it comes to this sort of thing.  Past productions include several Musical Pantomimes, most if not all of which have been staged at times when you would struggle to find any mince pies or brandy butter in the shops.  The company describes itself as innovative and evolving, so perhaps this is part of its grand plan to drag pantomime out of its Christmas cul-de-sac and into the mainstream of English theatre.  More plausibly, pantomimes are perfectly matched to the ethos of Avocet Theatre Company, in that they are incredibly inclusive and give unrivalled opportunities to performers of all ages and abilities to work together on productions with almost universal appeal.

The ability of Avocet Theatre Company to combine talents from all age groups into a coherent production was very much in evidence here, and is perhaps the secret to how the group manages to retain a sense of community theatre while staging shows to the highest standards.  Everybody in the auditorium was amongst friends, and everyone on stage must have been feeling the love from the audience.  The pantomime could hardly have gone down better, but then it would have played well enough to a room full of strangers because the energy levels were just extraordinary.  From the safety notices to the final curtain the production was driven forward relentlessly by the entire cast, leaving us mere spectators exhausted in its wake.

The book by Tom Whalley featured additional dialogue by the director, who was no doubt responsible for the amusing local references, although there was a touch of pathos in the observation that a Banbury High Street advent calendar has all its windows boarded up.  Current affairs were wisely avoided, although Elon Musk got a mention, and the edgier double entendres were suitably risqué but without straying into vulgarity.

Most of the familiar components of a traditional pantomime, such as the scary ghost scene, were present and correct, although the show was perhaps a bit light on slapstick.  An unusual feature of this production was that it empowered the romantic leads.  All too often Cinderella and Prince Charming find themselves providing the narrative thread, but are merely expected to look pretty and sing nicely while the Dame and the comedy duo get all the laughs and the plaudits.  Not so here.  We were treated to a thoroughly modern Cinderella, who despite being pushed around by her stepmother and stepsisters still largely managed to avoid the sense of victimhood that often characterises the role; while Prince Charming eschewed the strong poses and thigh slapping of the Principal Boy in favour of something altogether more intense.  This was a Prince for the digital age, more at home in a boy band than in a palace; indeed, the closing number, packed with stereotypical dance moves, parodied the style very effectively.

What was perhaps most remarkable about this production was that it got all the basics right.  Everyone knew their roles and their lines, cues were hit sharply and the dialogue was pacey more or less throughout.  Objectively the show was too long with a running time of over two and a half hours, but subjectively it never flagged.  The musical numbers were sung well and with self-belief, while the company sold the choreography with their eyes up to the audience and with total confidence in their ability to deliver.  The result of all this was that the energy levels were something else; it was exhilarating to watch, and how the company managed to stage both a matinee and an evening performance on the Saturday I can’t begin to imagine.  Perhaps presenting pantomimes in the summer will catch on!

© NODA CIO.  All rights reserved.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.