Rapunzel - Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

This home-grown pantomime directed by Denn Manning and also co-written by him and Darren Worsfold was a laugh a minute - quite a lot more in fact - from beginning to end. The slapstick element was also down to the aforementioned pair in their roles as Frankie, willing assistant to Betty, the Dame and acknowledgements for the chaos and mayhem must also go to the technical team who executed the tricks and effects.

Newly qualified Fairy (Hannah Ryder) was delightfully guiding us through the backbone of the story being the abduction of Rapunzel (Becky Waine) by the wicked aunt, Gothel (Laine Watson). These two were cheered and booed respectively by the audience as they enacted their differing attitudes to life. Gothel’s helper and would-be lover is the disgustingly dirty and smelly Slavern (Patrick Casey). This character was  a great odd-ball part and well portrayed by Patrick.  The King (Andy Bates) and Queen (Anna Bird) worked together very well as a comedy duo and gave us a lot of laughs throughout. Rapunzel’s suitor in this version is Lance (Lauren Smith). The two of them had some lovely duets and sang very well. Another of Gothel’s helpers was Boyle (Daryl Holmwood) who teamed up with Slavern and five “Loathsomes”. These lived up to their dreadful names and provided the extra volume needed in the ensemble songs.  All the music and songs were well chosen and apt for the various characters who performed them.

This theatre group builds and paints their own scenery - an excellent bright, cheerful and colourful stage setting. Lighting and sound well executed  - especially the sound in the headphone music sequence. That was a new experience for me and I thought it was so cleverly written and performed. Congratulations to one and all involved in this production and the busy front of house team  - team work being the key to a wonderful afternoon’s entertainment.       

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