Puss in Boots

This was another well written, witty and colourful Pantomime by Leo Appleton and Rob Fearn who are fast making a name for themselves in this field. The evening was most enjoyable and judging by the reaction of the audience, young and not so young, was a great success. I have seen several Pantomimes by this company and have always been impressed and this was no exception. The pace was slick and the scenes moved smoothly from one to the next. The sets were minimal but were all that were needed. Someone had done a great job with painting the cloth/back wall. I did feel that the tower, stage right, should have been lower as The Ogre made most of her appearances from there and she was not as obvious as she should have been.

There was a real feel good factor and the enthusiasm of the cast was there to see. It is good to know that traditional Pantomime is still being staged at a level that is appropriate for a wide range of age groups in the audience. The script was “littered” with “cat” jokes, again aimed at both young and not so young.

There were some excellent performances on stage. Megan Hill as Puss in Boots gave a very mature , confident interpretation and completely  held the stage at every appearance. Her dance training obviously helped her convey the “Cat” persona. Phil Thomas as King Charlemagne gave a great performance. His diction was excellent and he used the stage well. I have seen him grow in confidence and acting ability over the past few years. Leo Appleton and Pauline Hardie as Rambo and Arnie were very funny as the Ogre’s henchmen.

On looking through the programme one can see the same people who have been involved in directing and performing in previous productions. This is so important as commitment, talent and enthusiasm keeps the standards as high as possible. It is also good to see the introduction of younger members, so essential for the future of any company. The Production Team has done yet another sterling job to produce such an enjoyable show.

It was great to see such colourful and appropriate costumes on stage, so important in Pantomime. I was also impressed with the orchestra who kept the whole production flowing. Young Louis Reilly on percussion was excellent in which, I believe, was his first production.

Well done to all concerned. Thank you for your very warm welcome to my wife and myself.

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