Robin Hood - Prince of Panto

Celebrating their 75th year of performing the Halifax YMCA Pantomime Society did so in fabulous style.  With a well decorated entrance the audience were treated to a visit to Sherwood Forest.  The huge cast included many younger members who are part of the YMCA Youth Pantomime Society illustrating the Societies desire to plan for the future whilst celebrating its rich history in the town.  There were thirty members of cast with named roles as well as twenty dancers and everyone on stage put their heart and soul into this production.   From the tiniest chorus member to the coconut tapping Sheriff’s Horse (Rodney Bussey) – everyone on stage seemed to be having just as much fun as the audience.

The title role was played by Karen Parkin who looked and acted the part with great confidence throughout.  Robin certainly met his match in Marian Red Riding with Loelle Cartlidge giving another very strong performance.  There was humour aplenty with panto dame Moll Be-Goode (Mark Verity) who really came into her own as the MHS (Medieval Health Service) Nurse in the opening of act two.  Such fabulous comedy provided through the cleverly designed ‘patients’.  Karen Rise as Gary Be-Goode, Moll’s son and Simple Simon type character, justifiably caught the heart of the audience with his numerous failings and attempts to be the hero.   However Gary really helped to save the day in the end, much to the delight of everyone involved.  More comedy was added with Amanda Gatehouse (To-Me), Coral Carney (To-You), Jimmy Carroll (To-They) and Cheryl Callaghan (Them To) often using their physicality to provide the laughs.

The Merry Men were a great band of misfits with the spirited Big Bobbin (Cemre Doggan), heroic Will Scarlett (Courtney Hanson), drunk Friar Tuck (Rob Whitely), endearing Little John (Karl Gornall), dashing Bobby Locksley (Stevie Comer) and wicked Ed Shear-Wood (Calum Davidson).   All worked well together particularly in the archery scene which again made excellent use of set pieces and technical tricks to capture the flying arrows.  The good spirit of the forest was Pixie Nosey energetically played by Lily Widdop who made a super entrance through a huge tree in front of the pros arch.  Evil abounded in Nottingham Castle with Dean Graddon as the dastardly Sheriff and his group of Knights who were somewhat clumsy but most definitely entertaining.  With several other roles played by this great cast including Evie Gatehouse as Eleanor de Montfort, Eva MacDonald as Prince Arthur and Faith Rooney as Princess Catherine everyone worked well together to put on a fabulous panto.

The in-house set is definitely worthy of a mention and the many clever set pieces and tricks were most entertaining and well done.  Sound and light was strong and the mix of projections and backcloths along with the huge 3D set build was very impressive.  I particularly enjoyed the flying owl and fire torch additions.  The whole production had great pace so congratulations to the Stage Manager and Stage Crew for mastering the many quick changes of the eighteen scenes.

Director Andy MacDonald made good use of the auditorium for the Dames zip-wire entrance, dance routines, audience engagement and the climatic return of Robin.  In 1902 the great Houdini visited Halifax and clearly left one of his escapologists tricks behind which the Society put to use as the captured Robin was put into a cage and then swung from the flies – only to make a dramatic return through the audience.   The strong ensemble dancers were in-time and in-step and the Johnny Be Good opening and Tubular Bells routines were highlights for me.

The three-piece band provided great music and accompaniment under the musical direction of Matt Bamforth.  The finale was a touching mix of Sunshine of Your Smiles and YMCA both of which the cast sang with gusto and really brought to the fore the community spirit and longevity of this clearly much love group.

Huge congratulations to everyone involved on stage, backstage, front of house and the Production Team – it was a lovely evening’s entertainment and is certainly popular in the town with nine performances filling this great venue.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.