Goldilocks And The Three Bears

Goldilocks & The Three Bears - Stagedoor Theatre Productions

Stagedoor Theatre Productions are back with glitter, fun, laughter, children dancing in the aisles, the usual innuendoes, fabulous set and, did I say glitter?

Goldilocks And The Three Bears, written and directed by Chris Anderton, takes us on a journey of Dame Tilly Tott’s circus and all the characters she encounters. Stage manager was Deb Lyons who even put in an appearance once or twice - I liked the idea of stage crew being involved in the scenes. The 50 pence scene was hilarious -  so much going on with the whole cast and crew on stage and in the audience and even drilling on the set - organised chaos! I was made to get up several times to check under my chair to look for said 50 pence - all this while Dame Tilly Tott sang As Long As He Needs Me

Stagedoor Theatre Productions always pull out all the stops with their sets and it always involves glitter - why not?!  Set Designer Dennis Boulderstone’s flair for the minutest detail down to the fluorescent eyes in the woods really pays off, inc. the giant sweets and fish & chips in the opening scene. In the second act, the circus troupe came through the audience including strongman and a life size lion in a cage - while on stage was a stilt walker, trapeze artist and a random large bunny! The colourful scene of the circus was a delight - well done team (helped by Set Builder Andrew Parmar and Scene Painter Ben Stanier)!

Costume designer Wallace Wareham again added a magic touch with matching colour schemes enhancing the spectacle. It certainly gives a finished look with help from Wardrobe Supervisor Debs Lyons and assistants Pauline Doctor and Sharon Harper.

The chorus and dancers of The Bolton Dance and Performing Arts looked very colourful, with en pointe and hula hoop dancing and the little cuties were a delight dressed as teddy bears.

Ben Stanier as Mayor Trapper and Dennis Boulderstone as his hapless nephew Weasel try to acquire the circus by fair means or foul and are stopped by Teresa Harper as Fairy Crystal protects Goldilocks in a calm, caring manner and sings beautifully, bringing an ethereal quality to the character.

Helena Carter plays the gutsy Goldilocks who secretly is in love with Billy, which is a welcome change in Panto-land. Billy is played by Graham Cohen who’s comic timing never fails and never lets a comic moment slip by. His Circus routine as a puppet including Mambo Number 5, Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake and Kung Fu Fighting was hilarious! I know some of the ad libs may well be scripted, but how they are delivered – excellent! Oh, and by the way not many actors get the chance to be fired out of a cannon on stage.

Philip Morris was Billy’s mum Dame Tilly Tott and the duo worked well together. Philip had an array of colourful quirky costumes (not least a goldfish bowl complete with yes, a goldfish in a bowl on his head!) and quick changes at jaw-dropping  speed. Dame Tilly Tott first arrives through the audience and men are afraid, very afraid – very funny!

The Twelve Days of Christmas was fun and chaotic as well as topical including lateral flow test and water pistols. Loved The Dame’s ad-libs & yes, thank you, I did get wet!

Nick Murphy as Daddy Bear, Elaine Sessions as Mummy Bear and Libby Smethurst as Baby Bear were huge but it had great impact and the audience loved them.

It was good to be back, and the children of all ages really got involved as we have been starved of live theatre for too long.

Thank you for the invite and warm reception extended to my guest and I.

Liz Hume-Dawson

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