The Man in the Moon

One of this company's particular strengths is it's creative use of back projection, and this was evident right from the start with the pre-show safety announcement made by a computerised voice with matching on-screen graphics. I also liked the table stage left with the silver top hat on top, which was just enough to whet our appetites about what was to happen. The Panto opened with two characters who we later realised formed the very small chorus in this show; the combination of one very experienced actor with one less so was a good one. The entrance of the comedy duo, Tongue and Groove, from the back of the auditorium on a scooter, was very high energy, and this pair continued to bring pace and variety throughout the show. They encouraged the audience to use their catch-phrase 'it's ridiculous' and this continued throughout, to the amusement of the audience.

The other Principal characters made their appearances and established themselves in the plot. There was at times a little insecurity of lines from several characters which not only caused pacing issues, but also some elements of the story were perhaps not as obvious as they might have been. There were some lovely moments: the 'Yellow Page Girl' was a very funny running gag in Act 1; the take-off of the rocket, with authentic control consol, lighting and sound effects and excellent acting was a real stand-out moment; the sound and lighting effects used during Al Chemist's spell in Act 1 were really atmospheric and very well cued; the 'Dancing in the moonlight' number with the little Moon People and Robots was just delightful. The delivery of the many puns was good and obviously enjoyed by the actors!

There were quite a few musical numbers, and these were confidently sung, with a mixture of taped and live piano music. The piano was used to particularly good effect in the scene changes, and as you have such an accomplished pianist, why not take the plunge and try more songs using just the piano? This worked very well in the final duet 'How long will I love you' which was beautifully performed. One or two numbers eg. 'Big Spender' and 'If I Were a Rich Man' were under-choreographed and I'm sure the actor would have been more comfortable with some definite moves to make (they need not be complicated). The dance number 'Let's face the music' was very nicely done and only needed a little more confidence and smiling!  Chorus numbers were performed with energy and enthusiasm.

As mentioned above, the back projection has become the signature feature of this group's pantomimes, and as usual it was of an exceptionally high standard with some lovely pictures used and some really nice moving graphics. Used always to enhance, it never detracts from the action on stage. The addition of radio mics for the younger cast members meant that we could hear every word that was spoken, and it is so lovely that even the youngest member had their own lines. On the whole, sound reproduction was good, except for 'If I were a rich man', when the bass was turned up too high. Sound effects were authentic and generally well-cued.

This group faces many problems when adapting a script, as the stage is very small with no half-tabs and limited entrances and exits. The steep steps leading onto the stage do not help the actors to enter at speed, and this can lead to problems with energy and pacing, as was sometimes the case here. The back projection has helped enormously with speeding things up, but there are still quite a few pauses whilst scene changes take place in low light. I would like to see you try to find ways to avoid these pauses if possible: using a more composite set; using actors to move scenery and props; incorporating scene changes into the action or musical numbers; any of the above could help to streamline the show and would help to move your pantomime on to the next level.

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