Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Right from the word go I felt that this was going to be different!  A powerful and modern feel opening number set the scene and the noise generated by the audience set the tone for the whole evening and the word “unbelievable” kept going through my head.

A first night full house of around 230 included probably 150 children from various cub scout and brownie packs from around the area and they were the noisiest group I have ever witnessed.  They were right into the action straight away knowing the words and the movement and, at times, were well ahead of the cast!  This probably made for some challenging moments on stage but the team coped admirably.

This John Morley panto was at the expected level regarding script and the music chosen to be included was mostly pretty up to date and, in honesty, new to me.  Ian Thompson gave us his usual high class Dame Sandie Spangle, owner of a circus.  He provided most of the comedy alongside Mandy Pearson who was an excellent Joey the Clown.

Georgia Kingston was an enjoyable Goldilocks working well with other performers in the main group and the baddie, Benjamin Black, was very well performed by Joshua Archibald, the first time he has played such a role.   Ronnie the Ringmaster was played with great presence by Jade Easom-Samuels and Mellissa Kay was a nice, friendly fairy, Belinda.  If the audience needed winning over (they didn’t) the three bears, performed by Alison White, Emma Warren and Wendy Kay, were rightly lovable.

A feature I enjoyed and which added to the circus feel was some good trapeze work from India Alton.

There was some very good singing from the cast and I enjoyed the modern choreography.  The costumes were really good and the sound and lighting well managed.

Apart from the fact that the show was perhaps a little long, although most of the children didn’t mind, I don’t think there’s much more that the audience could have asked for.

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