Puss in Boots

~Children caught up in the world of pantomime - that’s what it’s about; that’s what happened. The cast transported us to another world and kept us there.  Opening the show with a shower of sparks, the Fairy Starlight, this year Anne Easton, waved her wand and worked her magic. A wily Puss in Boots in Jennifer Brisbane transformed from Puss, Ruth Easton, helped the Princess Pearl combat the scheming Grand Duke. In the good stakes, Michelle Weston, as Princess Pearl playing her part well as the innocent victim and Claire Wilson her partner as the go-ahead thigh-slapping Jack, won in the end. The dynamics of the relationship between Derek Easton as Queen Goodheart and Stewart Borthwick as Muggles won over the audience and had us laughing at their antics. The Queen mesmerised with a myriad of costumes each more fantastic than the last and she/he and the personable Muggles broke new barriers, excelling in the comedic ballet sequence. The pair kept the storyline bowling along combatting the baddie, The Grand Duke, John Coe, whose own stylish outfits and plausibility belied the evil beneath. The children just loved to boo him and loved the silly likeable pair Crackle and Cackle, namely Lucy Andrew and Tracy Rice, who lived up to their names. Matched in evil intent were Gina Connell and Helen Roxburgh, the gloriously bad Vlad and Victor whose sinister deliveries had us shivering in our seats; likewise the loud voiced aggressive Ogre played by Paul Rice. The chorus sang and moved well, dressed in colourful costumes. Also noteworthy were the backcloths, especially the details in the Kitchen scene and the Palace cloth with the shields. Action accompanied by bangs and flashes and fluorescent skeletons kept the audience on its toes - literally as we competed for the loudest participation in the communal song. All round, great entertainment.
 

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