Puss in Boots

PUSS IN BOOTS by Ben Crocker contains all the ingredients of the traditional panto and a few more.  The opening song set the mood for the evening and the characters were gradually introduced; the two fairies – one good, one bad, a King and Queen, the hapless pair (Jasper and Jethro), the love interest and not forgetting the Dame in the form of Queen Wendy.  

The costumes, in line with the history of Silchester Players, were first class with outfits being well fitted and relevant to their characters; the good fairy was floaty and elegant, the bad fairy punk style with wild hair. The Queen had several flamboyant dresses and a combination of great costume and make up, the Ogre was truly odious and terrifying – although he didn’t scare me! The Killer Rabbits were very smart in their Mafia style suits and both pusses slotted well into their parts with Mime Cat donning a black fluffy one piece and Puss In Boots, the ‘glamorous’ one, looked super in her high boots, fitted bodice and cheeky face paint.    A good deal of attention had been paid to everyone and I loved the detail of the lobster arm bands for the “Twisting by the pool” number.

The scenery, set and props were all brilliant and ranged from the village, the Ogre’s Chamber and the woods to the Princess’s bed chamber and the palace ballroom. All were superbly painted and decorated. The props too were excellent and I loved the scooters that made an appearance alongside great sound effects of an approaching road accident.

The sound, on the whole, was good although some solos could have done with a bit more volume. I didn’t have any trouble hearing – but I was in the second row. The music, arranged and played by Tony Oliver was a great accompaniment for the cast and it always adds to the enjoyment if live music is played as opposed to a backing track. The lighting was good and there was good use of UV lighting for the dance sequence in the woods.

This was a great choice of panto and full of fun and energetic performances. This joy and energy reflected on the audience who enjoyed the dose of humour, interaction with the cast on many occasions and they responded well to the local references and traditional corny panto jokes.   With some entrances from various points – both sides of the stage, the side door and through the auditorium, there were a few surprises.  The songs were catchy and varied.   Some of my favourite moments were the duo “Don’t go Breaking my Heart” and the strong stage presence of the King and Queen. Queen Wendy had no trouble generating laughs from the audience! I found the Killer Rabbits hilarious; their appearance took the audience by surprise, to great effect.  The cast brought the fairy tale to life from start to finish.    With producers and directors Brian Gillett and Tim Oliver, both SP veterans, the success of this show was never in doubt.  Congratulations to all at SP on another hugely enjoyable evening that sent the audience away smiling.

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