Mother Goose

I was impressed by my first visit to the New Linwood Tweedie Hall to see JPTG stage “Mother Goose”. The venue itself, its accessibility from the motorway and the spacious car parking arrangements are all very welcome and a vast change from the former Tweedie Hall. As a venue for stage productions, it is not quite as satisfactory with seating all on one level and restrictions on what can and cannot be attached to the fabric of the building when constructing staging and a set.   This was a challenge met most successfully by Stage Manager Wilson Miller and his team and I suppose it must be kept in mind that the new venue is designed for multi-purpose use.

The show was scripted on this occasion by the Company’s own Director Roy McGregor, who also wrote the script for last year’s pantomime “Aladdin”, so woe betide anyone who forgot or paraphrased the words! Ross Adam with his wide experience in comedy and other roles was ideally cast as Mother Goose, aided and abetted by Craig Inglis as Billy Goose and Barbara Churcher as Jack Goose. Kirstie Paterson played a decidedly up-market but nevertheless wicked Demoness and was duly heckled by the young audience whenever she appeared. The role of the other baddie was played convincingly by David McDonald as Squire Spurtle with Leigh Baxter cast as his daughter Jill. Carol McLaughlan (the Group’s President) and Margaret Taylor were (typecast?) as the two other doubtful but very comical characters Maukit and Hackit. Mother Hubbard (Jean Logue) made what I think was a guest appearance from the nursery rhyme and poor Fiona McGregor sweated it out as Priscilla the Goose. The law was represented by the stern Mhairi Heron as the Judge of Goose Land.

This was a well supported show and all those taking part in the new venue can be well satisfied with the standard attained. For the next show, the group should be back in Ludovic Square, Johnstone in the new civic facilities there.     

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