Red Riding Hood

Lights came up on the Wolf, who was beautifully costumed in a suit with buttonhole, handkerchief in pocket, hat and checked tie, together with ears and tail. The Wolf quickly established him/herself as the panto 'baddie' with a penchant for eating well.  Aided by his 'chef' Lurch he was constantly on the lookout for food, usually it seemed, in the form of chickens or piglets. There was an excellent early exchange between these two characters involving Jamie Oliver jokes, and they continued to work well together throughout the show.

The tabs opened onto a scene in the town square, with the cast singing 'Who Will Buy?'.  The music started after the tabs had opened which meant that performers needed to stand and wait during the musical introduction. It is a good idea to time song introductions earlier eg. as the tabs begin to open (or perhaps shorten the introduction) so that performers can start singing instantly. This would have had far more impact, particularly in the first chorus scene.

The chickens played the next scene which helped to inform the audience of their fear of the Wolf. Both large and small chickens were beautifully costumed and made up, and each created a good character. The introduction of the bumbling, short-sighted Doctor raised the comedy stakes by taking us naturally into some rapid 'Dr Dr' jokes, and these were performed with good pace. The Dame immediately set up a good rapport with the audience, and Farmer Hood and Walter created a good double act.

It was a good idea to give the audience song-sheets so that they could help the Three Little Piggies with their song, and this can only help to build the confidence of these young actors. The wallpaper scene was performed well, especially considering there was no water used: a very good example that the audience will see what you want them to see as long as the performers are fully committed to it. I liked the way the chickens got the better of the Wolf in Act 2, and the Geraldine Mathilda puppet was excellent with it's moving beak and light-up eyes.

Sound effects were well cued and appropriate, particularly the offstage 'eating' noises.  The taped music was often faded out, and I think this could be improved by using some basic music editing software which need not be expensive and could really enhance this aspect of the show. Lighting was good and well used, and the glitterball effect in the finale was a nice touch. Backdrops were projected and set each scene authentically. Scenes alternated between full stage and front of tabs, and this occurred swiftly and aided pace.

One of the most impressive aspects of this village pantomime is the inclusion of so many young performers not just into the cast, and the support they receive from cast and audience alike. This made for a very heart-warming and enjoyable evening.
 

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