Pirates the Panto

The programme synopsis read like so...
Ahoy me Hearties!  ‘Bluebeard’ the wicked pirate likes gettin’ married ’e just don’t like staying married and now e’s got ‘is beady eye on Cinderella’!  Never fear – the ‘Big Bad Wolf’ an’ ‘Red Riding Hood’ be on their way to rescue ‘er from a ‘watery end’!  Will ‘Cinderella’s’ head be turned by ‘Bluebeard’?  Can ‘Prince Charmin’ be heroic?  What is ‘Goldilocks’ cunning plan?  Why is ‘Widow Twankey’ on a Cruise Ship? Will ye sign on?  Join us as we sail on the ‘Seven Seas’ in search o’ singin’, dancin’ and adventure!  Yo Ho Ho... Pirates the Panto was written by Sharon Hulm and all I can say - in a really good way - well that sounds different!

What was not different was the ‘energy and enthusiasm’ emanating from the stage!  As always the cast from Rainhill Musical Theatre Company gave us everything they had. Each individual adding their own little or not so little contribution to the overall production and what was evident throughout was the fact that everyone on stage was having the time of their life and enjoying being part of it all!

So, having said that, and with such a large cast, 18 named cast members, a Youth Chorus of eight and a Adult Chorus of four and three Skeleton Dancers – it is difficult to start naming names without possibly doing injustice to others, but there were a number of cast members who I really do feel need a special mention.

For me the ‘Stars of the Show’ were, without doubt, ‘Red Riding Hood’ and ‘Wolfie’ (The Big Bad Wolf) played by Jennie Heyes and Stephanie Bourke, respectively.  Individually great together as a ‘pair’ – brilliant!  The chemistry between the two of them was evident throughout.  Both had great stage presence, created believable characters and both had great singing voices ... a highlight from the show for me was their duet ‘Shallow’ from ‘A Star is Born’ ... sung and performed really, really well.... be proud ladies.... job well done!

‘Bluebeard’ was played with great aplomb by Mathew C Roach. Mathew also had great stage presence and boundless energy which was obvious throughout. What wasn’t obvious at all was the fact that Mathew had a disability.  Mathew has a ‘prosthetic leg’ which, for the show, was replaced by a local prosthetic company with a ‘pirate’s peg leg’.  Did this hamper Mathew or his performance? Not at all ...he danced, he sang, he even did the ‘splits’ during his rendition of Mambo No 5... truly, truly inspirational, making the quote ‘ Know me for my abilities not my disabilities’  oh so relevant - well done sir!  Mathew’s first mate ‘Pirate Pat’ who doubled up as ‘Snuffle’ was played really well by Claire Heaton.  Good comedic timing, plenty of facial expression, which I love, even when not front and centre she, was never out of character... well done Claire...job well done!

OK, wait for it...enter ‘Widow Twanky’ played ever so well by Edward Chapman... yes ‘Widow Twanky’ was on board the pirate ship as well - Oh No she wasn’t, Oh Yes she was!  Edward was another with good stage presence who kept in character throughout and ‘worked’ the audience really well. Well done, sir!

Loved the ‘Duo of Baddies’... ‘The Wicked Queen’ and ‘Number One’ played by Julie Molyneux and Sarah Johnson respectively. Again both had wonderful stage presence and worked really well together.  From their first entrance they had the crowd ‘hissing and booing’ which they seemed to thrive on... well done ladies another job well done!

I also really liked Claire Jones’s portrayal of ‘Cat’.  Claire looked totally comfortable in this role which she most definitely made her own. The company choreographer for this show, creating dances for others... but what was evident throughout was her own dancing ability which was ‘first class’ – well done Claire!

Dawn Louise Wright played the role of ‘Cinderella’ and Ruth Gibb played the role of ‘Prince Charming’... I know, ‘Cinders’ and ‘Prince Charming’ on a pirate boat’ as well – but it worked!  Dawn and Ruth were perfect fits for these roles which they made their own... loved their rendition of ‘My Heart will Go on’ and finally we had Julie Gould playing the part of ‘Goldie Locks and Sniffle’ who belted out her rendition of Shirley Bassey’s... ‘Goldfinger’ with some style... well done ladies, be proud!

The ‘principle cast’ also included... Pip Bradshaw as ‘Strong Arm Steve’ and ‘Squeaker’; Poppy Trigwell as the ‘Mirror’; Liam Fitzgerald doubled up as ‘Guard and a Pirate’; Liam Spencer as ‘Cabin Boy’; Sienna Lankertis as ‘Pigeon’ and Ava Wall playing the ‘Ships Head’.

We had a ‘Team of Skeleton Dancers’ that included Ella Donnelly, Jacob Lankertis and Mandi Roberts; an ‘Adult Chorus’ that included Barbara Marsh, Anita Shaw, Bet Davies and Liam Fitzgerald and a ‘Junior Chorus’ that included Ella Donnelly, Jacob Lankertis, Mandi Roberts, Sienna Lankertis, Alfie Shaw, Ava Wall, Rhianna McEwen, Marina Forshaw and Maxwell Harvey all of whom, as I said before, gave us their all and whilst having the times of their lives’....well done ‘me hearties’.

Pulling all these guys and gals together was a ‘team of dedicated folk’ who knew exactly what to do to get the best out of everybody on that stage... the direction and the production was in the capable hands of Karen Woods; musical direction was in the experienced hands of Wayne Oakes and his band (Ben Knowles on Bass, Kevin Bates on Guitar and Trevor Bartlett on Drums). The choreography was entrusted to oh so capable Claire Jones... well done folks... your efforts were well and truly rewarded!

The Production Manager was John Horley who did a fabulous job as did Les Dagnall on ‘lights’.  Special Mention to Sam Heyes (Sound Technician) and I did speak to Sam after the show... this was the best quality sound I’d heard in Rainhill Community Centre, a venue where historically ‘good sound’ is not the easily achieved... so well done, young man!

Costume and props were, as always, of a really great standard and surely enhanced the production – so congrats to Pip Bradshaw, Karen Wood, Ruth Gibb, Claire Jones and Bet Davies on a job well done!

It’s always a pleasure attending this ever so friendly society... so once again thank you all so much for inviting me, my wife was otherwise engaged and was really sorry to have missed the performance.  Special thanks again to Keith Marsh who looked after me so well throughout and I really do look forward to seeing you all again very soon.

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