Red Riding Hood

It is a good few years since I have seen Red Riding Hood which is seemingly a little-done pantomime, so Littleport Players’ offering made a change from the “big five” of Aladdin, Jack and the Beanstalk, Puss in Bots, Dick Whittington and, of course, Cinderella.  

Pantomime is a difficult genre and not as easy as it appears.  All the comic situations and jokes aren’t just thrown together and need to be thoroughly rehearsed (and understood) to make it work.  Confidence and belief in what you are doing  is a must with pantomime plus, of course, the willingness of the audience to participate. 

Littleport’s pantomime benefited from good direction and staging, with an imaginative well designed and constructed set by Rick Forward which made excellent use of the limited space available. 

All the principals certainly looked the part especially Becky Green and Chelsea Booth as Reddy and Willin the inept security guards. Two extremely good performances.

There was also some fine work from Daniel Golding as the Wicked Wolf and Mandy Morrish as the jolly hockey-sticks Miss Took.  Madelene Palmer (Red Riding Hood) and George Harrison (Peter the Wood Cutter) worked well together as did the impressive Polly Sizer as Pinny and her cohort Claire Lees as Patches.  I am still laughing at Patches entrance as Superman - very funny.

Sue Caller as Granny Knott tried hard but for me a female Dame has to work doubly hard to create the character as intended and, however good the person in the role is, it never really comes off in  my opinion.  Full marks to Sue though who did a good job.   Penny Goodearl as The Kind Fairy looked lovely but I would liked to have heard some variety in her delivery which, although clear, was very much on one level.  Similarly, though for different reasons, I had problems hearing Squire Bullymore (Sam Hurst) who would have been clearer if he had raised his head

Littleport Players’ choruses are always well rehearsed and it is evident that every single person knows the words to the songs and throughout the singing was first class. Everyone performed the songs and executed the excellent choreography, courtesy of Nikki Dyer and Becky Green, extremely well.  The music was well chosen with plenty of variety and skilfully played by the trio which made up the Red Riding Hood Rocking Band. 

Sheila Goodall’s excellent costumes and Karen Booth’s expert make-up - particularly the Wicked Wolf’s - deserve the highest praise. The whole was further enhanced by some expert lighting.  

Well done to director Karen Booth and all involved.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.