Puss in boots

Mundesley Players and Friends of the Lifeboat in the annual fund raiser, interesting to see that you have chosen a script from the same authors as last year’s successful production; and with a change of Director so that we see Ian Cashmore in a different guise from his usual character performance. All very well cast with the characters well drawn even though there were some usual faces missing: the ‘understudy’ Norfolk Fairy (mark 2) complete with L plates from Lotte Waller did extremely well with a huge amount of dialogue to learn in rhyme, certainly an upcoming lead for the future and no apparent nerves or loss of poise. Another strong performance from a youngster by Victoria Ing in the title role Puss, clear diction as a talking cat, organising ability to keep the story moving, and cleverly made up so that we could see all the moods and expressions in the acting. A very strong performance and great singing voice from Sharon Jiggins as principal boy Jack (and she has the legs!), well balanced in style and singing by her love the Princess Alice from Karen Temple. The Royal parents a good duo of differing styles with the rather dim and hesitant Herbert (Christon Sharpe) and dragon-like Mildred (Val Newell) interfering in the hopeful love affair. The comedy team led by Neil Ellson as Dame Hettie Quette in extravagant dresses and wigs, certainly larger than life and very colourful as well as keeping up with the jokes. Also in attendance the two ‘merry men fools’ Nosmo King and Nopar King (Paul Reynolds and Judy Ellson) who doubled as the ‘funnies’ but also had to serve and join the ‘baddies’ in the kidnaps of Princess and Puss, a good duo well partnered. The ‘baddie’ we loved to hate and boo, Gerry Robbins as Lord Roger had the children in the front of the audience screaming at him, a powerful performance in attitude, style, voice volume and song, excellent. And perhaps we should not even mention Dave Marshall as the ‘camp’ herald?! The chorus sang lustily and with enthusiasm, the movement was lively, the sets very colourful, that superb UV dragon and puppetry in the castle very convincing, and the community singing very noisy: all adding to a proper family pantomime, and hopefully the sell-out week will provide good funding towards the inshore lifeboat coffers.

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