Rubbin Hood

Last years adult panto, from this company, was a roaring success so it is no surprise that author Luke Coldham decided to write another adult panto.  This script was very traditional ‘panto’ with a constant run of gags and puns, some of which were missed by the audience.  Sometimes a quick-fire delivery can be self-defeating!

The cast were all excellent and they involved the audience perfectly from the get-go.   This is an art that many companies, doing ‘normal’ pantomimes, fail to achieve.  The company is full of strong performers, and everyone threw themselves (sometimes literally) into the show.   The audience loved every single swear word, sexual connotation, rude gesture and overt rudeness.

With such a large cast it would be unfair to single out some and not others, and I do have to be very careful about spelling these characters names, so here goes!  Killian McIntosh played Rubbin Hood well, a strong performance.  Anna Catchpole played Maid Marion Swallows, Jim Wilkinson was Dame Dolly Dildo and Jill Snelling reprised her role, from last year’s panto, of Fairy Hanny.  Wayne Prince played the villain Sheriff of Shaggingham with Kevin Watts playing Prince Long John.  Dave Blackwell and Colin Gibbins played the two, suitably evil, henchmen Picket and Pocket and Martyn Williams played Triar Fuck (yes that is how it is spelt in the programme!)

Sean Hynes (Little Johnny) Dave Carey (Anal of Dale) Josh Handley (Willie Scarlett) and Louise Alsop (Muncher the Rug Miller) played the rest of Rubbin Hood’s Merrie Men and an excellent team they were too, plenty of laughs and some excellent characterisations.  Mike Jones (King Richard 1) Vic Gray (Sir Cumalot) and Pauline Neal (Slag of the Swamp) added to the story line together with Stephanie Firth (Witch Wilma Dickfit) who was excellent in delivering her lines with a great character voice that was still fully understandable.

Lauren Paul, Alexandra Paul and Annie Butler were the dancers, augmented by choreographer Hannah Bird, who has done an excellent job in getting the cast dancing, I loved “Me Old Big Bow”.   I also couldn’t stop laughing at “When I were not upon the Stage”.  Whilst this is an old panto favourite, this company made it completely side splitting and the audience were enjoying every minute of it.  It can get a bit out of hand and I suspect this performance got a bit close to that! 

Well done to MD Alice Fillary for getting the singing sorted and to Sam Jones for some excellent lighting.

Finally, congratulations to author and Director Luke Coldham who also played Lester the Jester, Luke is a seasoned panto performer and when he appears on stage you really don’t know if it is improvised or scripted, and that’s the biggest compliment I can give a panto performer!  His example was followed by many of the cast who all seemed to be having the party of their lives!

Scenery was excellent, costumes were also excellent, production was excellent, what else can I say?  The audience were talking enthusiastically about the show as they left, and I suspect the rest of the run will sell out.  Well done Thurrock Courts Players, I look forward to the next one!

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