Treasure Island

It’s been a good few years since I have been to a panto and this was a great one to get back into the panto groove with. Mix a brand-new theatre and an experienced troupe with a heritage of high-quality performances and you get a great night out. Oh yes you do!

We were off to Treasure Island following a motley crew all trying to get their hands on the treasure! We had all of our panto stalwarts and the music had been created and modified specifically for this production. It is also worth noting how Stone Revellers produce fabulous shows on pretty tight schedules, 10 weeks in this case. I am sure there were a few teething issues with working out of a new venue (bet that barrel of rum idea seemed tempting at times!) but the result was a fun and entertaining show.

Rob Stanway (Director) gave us the great traditional panto with all the required opportunities to boo, to shout “oh no he isn’t” and “he’s behind you” although the thunder on the latter was well and truly stolen when one little girl in the audience shouted “well, he’s gone now!” with a clarity of voice any cast member would have been proud of! The choreography (Angela Whitney) was superb, just some very occasional hesitancy amongst some of the younger cast members on the odd part but some fantastic movement, especially when there were lots of people on stage. The music was fantastic, the adaptations to popular songs, both musically and lyrically, to make them more “piratey” worked so well. Dan Stubbs (Musical Director) is to be applauded though I am obviously overlooking the sheer amount of groan inducing pirate puns they managed to work into the programme!

The set worked very well visually and the centre piece of the prow of a ship that could be moved according to the scene provided an excellent focal point. Great to have the live band on stage and part of the action, they were excellent. Some great props used well throughout and the costumes were very well done. The dame had several quite extensive changes and none of them looked that easy to get in and out of! Our poor Jenny did experience the perils of a comedy fake tache which made several bids for freedom until it finally (both fittingly and very dramatically), threw itself off over the bow of the ship!

The lighting was great, there seemed to be one or two sound gremlins popping their heads up occasionally but nothing that detracted from the action. Dynamic sound could have been a little more nuanced in parts, allowing the dialogue to have clarity over the music but again, this was only occasionally.

Matthew Wright (Mum/Dame) – the pantomime Dame is an iconic institution and you handled that with aplomb. I am from Stafford so we will obviously overlook that joke! There was a fabulously generous smattering of the jokes we adults snigger at whilst the children I assume think it’s perfectly reasonable that a random man in the audience might have his phone in his pocket when you sit on his knee!

Hannah Walton & Emily Badger (Jim & Jenny) – the principals made a great pairing, particularly vocally where they sounded great in the duets, their voices complimenting each other well.

Kath Stanway & Nichola Abbott (Long John Silver & Polly) – Kath gave us exactly what any panto needs; a villain to boo at! We had the fab pirate accent (although some of my friends from Bristol sound remarkably similar!), lots of glaring and glowering at the audience and some nefarious plotting for the treasure. As a villain, she was very mean to poor old Polly who just wanted to sit on your shoulder. Before this production, I would have been hard pushed to describe how a disgruntled parrot should be portrayed but Nichola nailed it!

Tamsin Brown & Maddie Hall (Seadog Sam & Seaweed Willy) – this pair were very funny every time they came on stage. Not the brightest sparks but adept at getting themselves up to all sorts and giving the audience a good giggle in the process.

The remaining cast, whether a named part or part of the ensemble/chorus rounded out an excellent cast who gave every bit of effort & energy even though it was the second show of the day. A note about Imogen Patrick (Mrs Henderson) – if in my old age, I turn on the television and find she has been made Prime Minister, I shall exhibit no surprise!

A very entertaining rediscovery of pantomime for myself from the always excellent Stone Revellers. Many thanks for the very kind invitation and I look forward to seeing your 2025 calendar in your new home.

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