Which Pantomimes Are You Seeing This Year?

I’d argue that race very much matters in ‘Aladdin’ - a panto set in China, based on a story set in the Middle East.

Casting a white man and woman as Aladdin and Jasmine looks bad any way you frame it. Especially as ‘colourblind casting’ is usually used to help cast more diverse performers in traditionally white roles, rather than casting white people in roles that can be easily filled by a BAME / non-white performer

Saw Goldilocks and the Three Bears at the Mayflower

Sadly Jason Donovan was off due to illness. Apparently something had been going through the cast with Faye Brookes off once last week, and it was a last minute decision for Jason. His understudy did his best at short notice. Even threw off one of his own items during 12 Days of Christmas to which the others mocked him. But there was a noticeable hole in proceedings.

Even Richard Caddell sounded hoarse to me. The show last night lacked a bit of oomph overall.

Enjoyed sooty and sweep, the visuals and liked the balancing act chap. Less the roller skating couple. I know they need to spend time getting harnesses on and off and readying themselves for each act but there were lulls in the pacing consequently.

3/5 stars

Friday evening, braved Goldilocks in Richmond, thanks to a excellent fourth row aisle price promise seat. Thankfully not in the centre of the third row, unlike Brian, who got a lot of attention during the show.

Essentially. this is the Palladium production from a few years ago (with rewrites - and a lot of standard gags/sequences from other pantomimes). After the Palladium, this went to Birmingham and even has one of the Birmingham cast as director. The beauty of Goldilocks is the circus theme and being able to pull in different speciality acts. We got magician Phil Hitchcock, who was also in the Palladium version, plus juggler Grdon Marquez (who is the best juggler I can remember seeing without fire or sharp edges being involved - his balls in mouth juggling is quite a skill). Not quite the scale of the Palladium at any point.

What we didn't get was Matt Baker reprising his role as Joey The Clown from the Palladium (although the One Show joke remained). Nor did we get the scheduled Goldilocks. Instead, two of the six ensemble, all current students at Laine Theatre Arts, stepped in. Quite surprising really to see a professional production rely so heavily on students. Everyone tried hard and I know this will look good on their CVs, but a 42nd Street medley with an ensemble of four doesn't really have the impact you might expect. But it is pantomime! Well done to Tia Gyngell (Goldilocks) and Reece Kilminster (Joey) for saving the show.

You really got a feel for how the audience was directed when, just before interval, Reece asked the audience if he should save the circus performance and walk the high wire and they yelled back no! He did anyway, got across in one go with a lot of encouragement from one of the other students in the ensemble, and got well deserved applause for what we were later told was only his second performance as the lead (the first being the matinee). A great personality too and I expect to see Reece on a West End stage.

Otherwise, a fun performance. Very family friendly (the only swearing I heard was from a nearby teenager when he got covered with water). I wish they'd retire the lip synching sequence. Some good gags and a pretty decent regional pantomime, in an easily accessible theatre for travel from central London. They must make a fortune in ice cream sales as they barely served everyone before the interval ended. The only other comment I have to make is that Jessica Martin stole the show with presence and star power and was criminally underused.

I wonder when they'll announce the Palladium Panto? I have a hunch it'll be around the time The Wizard of Oz opens as that is a Michael Harrison show.

That’s usually one of the last pantomimes to be announced. They tend to pick the title based on what name they can get outside of the usual folks. I remember Dick Whittington being slow because they couldn’t get a name for King Rat so EP came in.

I paid a visit to Liverpool Everyman's Rock 'n' Roll Panto Cinderella last night. Despite a technical hitch with the trap door causing a small delay during the show (prompting a sing along to Beatles songs with the cast to pass the time), it was a really fun evening for both kids and adults.

With a nice mix of rock, pop and disco songs sung by the company of actor-musician cast members to accompany the book by writer Luke Barns with many of the cast present from previous years, there was plenty of sass, silliness and sparkle on display.

Yeah, I'd definitely agree with you. More music please. I'll be booking to watch Rapunzel. It's a show where you can definitely let your hair down.

I used to do Lichfield, Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Cannock, Redditch, Malvern and maybe one other Midland one pre Lockdown. But last year I only did Redditch and Birmingham. Hopefully I can do Wolves and Lichfield too this year to get to four. But I don't really like crowded theatres so only do a couple in the end depending on what the availability is.

Seeing Cinderella in Malvern next Thursday which is opening night!

I'm going to see Sleeping Beauty Takes a Pr**k at the Charing Cross Theatre and thinking about seeing A Very Very Bad Cinderella at the Other Palace!

Already seen Aladdin at Hackney Empire and have bookings for Aladdin at the Marlowe Canterbury, Peter Pan at the London Palladium and Sleeping Beauty at the Hawth Theatre in Crawley.

Clive and Danny have done the Toon panto for about 20 years now so they have likely been through all the regular titles a couple of time so are looking for something new to keep their shows fresh.

Clive must be up there with the most panto appearances amongst active performers. Biggins must be well up the list too along with Paul Chuckle,Su Pollard and Nigel Ellacott. But I'd think the current leader might be Keith Simmons from Simmons and Simmons.

Anyone else got any thoughts?