Red Riding Hood and the Three Little Pigs

Garstang Theatre Group`s Pantomime this year was Red Riding Hood and the Three Little Pigs - a kind of mash up of the two stories where we know exactly what`s going to happen to the characters, but the question is, how do we get there? Via a lot of good one liners, a bunch of different characters and a lot of chorus dancing and arm waving it seems!

As with all pantomimes there comes a love interest, in this one it was Will the Woodcutter who was in love with Red Riding Hood. These were played and sung well by Alisha Hodgson and Taya Bell respectively. Both confident and showing a good understanding of timing and the necessity of great diction - clearly heard and understood throughout.

With this pantomime there wasn`t just one love interest, but two. Just to show how fickle love can be, Fin, played by Arthur Xavier (who was in love with Red), ends up with Jenny (Faith Anderson) after Red declare her undying love for Will, the lumberjack, and he’s ok!

Red Riding Hood`s Granny was played by Jane Booker. I have to assume (by the risque one liners and entendres) that this is generally the Dame type role normally played by a man and as such, some of the comedy didn`t work for me the same way as it would for a man doing the role. The role of a Dame in panto, when played by women is incredibly hard to carry off, as generally the humour is very much a nod and a wink to the audience that they are the only ones who know that it`s actually a man dressed up as a woman, which is why the entendres work - when its`s said by a woman playing Dame it comes over as a totally different meaning. Nevertheless, Jane gave a confident performance throughout.

The double act in this production came in the form of Bark (Connie Stewart) and Trunk (Jorja Nickson). This ineffectual pair bounced off each other really well and had a good understanding of their delivery.

Paddy Holman played the role of Ursula, (the Wicked Step-Mother to be) giving an interesting slant to this Fairy tale, becoming more nasty and evil throughout the production as she gradually got her claws into Red’s unassuming, dithering father, Gerald played by Derek Longstaff.

Throw into this plot (yes, there was one) the three pigs as mentioned in the title, Albert, Derek and Rodney (Yes, you`ve guessed it -Trotter!) played well by Rosie Worthington, Bronte Pinder and Declan Stephen add the superbly made up Wolf, joyously played by Sam Wareing throw in some set pieces involving houses made from dubious material choices and there you have it.

As with all Panto`s it all ends with a Happily Ever After - although I think it could have ended Happily Ever a little earlier.

The chorus were were drilled and enthusiastic adding their voices to everything going on.

My initial question was, “how do we get there?”. I think the answer is, quite slowly. Don`t get me wrong, this was generally a good pantomime, but many of the punchlines needed to be given a lot quicker - never give the audience a chance to think of the punchline, or in some cases, a few punchlines. I think once the pace is tightened up it could have been a cracking Panto.

Lighting and scenery were good, and added to the atmosphere.

Choreography by Emma Kinlock was kept simple and effective - there were a lot of people on the stage and the movement fitted well within it.

Musical Directors Lucy Stewart and Chris Metcalf had worked hard and it showed - I thought the band were great under their Musical Direction.

Director Louise Townsend should be pleased with what herself and the production team have achieved

Thank you, Garstang Theatre Group for your invitation and your hospitality.

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