Franky Styne in Pantoland

It is always interesting to be invited to  this company’s annual pantomime  as like the proverbial “teddy bears” you are usually “in for a big surprise” and this year certainly lived up to expectations! While generally sticking to the traditional format they always manage to have some unique twists of their own!

The production again this year was an “in house” script  written by a member of the company who certainly had a clever way with words!

After an amusing “front-of-house” announcement  the story unfolded with all the expected pantomime  business but perhaps not always in the expected order!

The story followed the adventures of Franky, the hero, as he pursued his dream to marry Princess Candysnap. The curtains opened to a stunning set showing a laboratory in the depths of Baron Badlot’s castle where he was creating a monster, the cunning plan being to  take over the Kingdom and fulfil his desire to marry his dippy son Hector to the Princess.

The Princess of course had other ideas but unfortunately was soon captured by the “baddies” and imprisoned in the castle, where the hope that a transfusion of her royal blood would make the rather passive  monster more aggressive!  Needless to say, in true hero fashion Franky, together with his mother Phyllis Styne (yes that’s right) and the  Royal Courtiers, all disguised as monks, came to her rescue and everything ended happily ever after!

The Baron, bravely sporting some magnificent leather trousers, was decidedly creepy but very much in the shadow of the Baroness his domineering wife. The King and Queen were suitably regal and the  Princess, who turned out in the end not to be a Princess after all, was feisty and rebellious.

The Monster, complete with red nail varnish and wonderful green make-up, was really most endearing and hardly scary at all, and  Jeeves the lab technician took everything  stoically in his stride - well he did write it! The Dame was played in typical panto style and formed an instant report with the audience, but perhaps just needs a bit more of that “bloke in a frock” style without too much falsetto which must be difficult to sustain over the run.

 Franky was sincerely played and showed a dogged determination to get “his” girl, winning the approval of the King and Queen in the end as it seemed that he was actually the one with the royal blood, Phyllis having switched the babies at birth!

The two Courtiers, forever squabbling about “who said what”, performed magnificently throughout and were great fun. The Assistant Chancellor has a natural stage presence that draws the eye, and gamely performed a “striptease” sequence on stage. 

The principals were well supported  by a bevy of ghostly ghouls and lively village children, and  the cameo parts of  Hector , the Friar and the two “Kung Fu” fighters, Hu Flung Dung and Hu Sed Dat all added to the action! 

Good use was made of the stage and apron, and the auditorium provided an excellent extra entrance and exit – perfect to help with scene changes. On occasion some scenes on the apron felt overly long and it’s also perhaps  worth reflecting on the length of songs - leave the audience wanting more!

However, all the  songs were suitably chosen to fit the story, and well accompanied in inimitable style by the delightful quartet, placed on the flat at the side of the stage but still very much part of the action!

Costumes, makeup, and  props were excellent, the Baroness had a magnificent sceptre, and the laboratory technology was most impressive. 

Everything, together with effective lighting and sound, at times a little loud at this performance but it was the first night, contributed to what was a most delightful Monster Mash, and was very warmly received by the near capacity audience – oh yes it was! 

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