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Show: Mother Goose
Society: London (professional shows)
Venue: Wilton's Music Hall
Credits: Roy Hudd
Type: Sardines
Author: Chris Abbott
Performance Date: 13/12/2016
Mother Goose
Chris Abbott | 14 Dec 2016 09:23am
The pantomime audience at the evocative and sensitively-restored Wilton’s Music Hall is an unusual one; lots of office parties from the City, well-watered even before the performance and very few children to be seen, at least on the evening that Sardines attended. However, as the lights faded the audience were hushed into a dutiful silence by the approaching figure of Madeleine Hails-Smith from the children’s chorus as the Christmas Fairy. She stepped confidently up to the footlights and delivered the opening speech of the evening and drew the audience in to the story (and I am sure that Mira Cigman Callor is equally effective when it is her turn to play the same part).
Starting the show with such a young performer seemed particularly appropriate when one or two of the other performers are considerably more advanced in years, although surrounded by some bright young beginners who will be learning much from this fertile mix. With Roy Hudd as writer and playing the leading part, and his wife Debbie Flitcroft directing, this was a Mother Goose that paid tribute not just to Dan Leno but to all the pantomimes with which the cast have been involved. And it was good to see rhyme in use at key moments, especially by the forces of good and evil.
In the opening scenes Hudd has modelled his appearance on that of Leno, and his genial, grandmotherly characterisation suits the role well. This is a Dame that gets humour from character and narrative rather than ever-changing costumes, apart from the obligatory transformation in the Pool of Beauty, and is all the better for it. He is relaxed and on top of his game here, content to let others get laughs as well, but still ready to ad-lib with the audience when appropriate.
As Principal Girl Jill, tuneful Amelia Rose Morgan doesn’t have much to do, but does it very effectively. Her love interest in this version is not the usual Colin, but Willy Goose, played by Ian Jones, combining the comic role and Principal Boy. Jones is an engaging and sympathetic performer, bouncing off others and showing his experience in the role, and he will have once again learned a great deal from working with Hudd. Perhaps in around 40 years he will find himself passing on the classic routines to a young performer in the same way; I certainly hope so. The version here of the classic mirror routine is finely honed, suitably short and a pantomime master class in itself. At his recent V & A lecture, Simon Sladen showed a clip of Hudd in a previous pantomime; let us hope the Museum will be recording this Mother Goose for their collection.
The cast also fall into current pantomime practice by giving us yet another version of the Twelve Days of Christmas routine; well done, certainly, but it is surely time to give this one a rest since it has become so common and overdone. At least here there was a semblance of plausibility around the selection of objects – but this cast must have many more routines to draw upon in future. Another perennial to put in an appearance was the blackboard sum gag, expertly delivered but with a whiteboard which did seem a little out of place.
Involved in many of the routines and both experienced and effective in his role is Gareth Davies as Vanity, a more earthly version of the traditional Demon King, looking not unlike Jeremy Beadle but sounding like Roland Rat: a good combination perhaps for the part. Opposite him is the dainty figure of Julia Sutton, gamely tripping up and down staircases and belting out Can’t Buy Me Love in one of the more surreal moments of the evening. I will even forgive her for coming on Stage Left against all panto tradition, although she did move to the correct side once her adversary appeared. In the rather thankless straight man role of the Squire, Ian Parkin provides a measure of sanity against which others can play, and also takes part in a brisk version of the hat routine. As Priscilla, Maria Askew emotes suitably and engages with the audience, although, bashful perhaps, only lays her golden eggs offstage.
Around these experienced performers are adult and child dancing choruses who are, like all the performers, expertly costumed and with a complete change to white and silver for everyone at the walkdown (and a rather startling set of outfits for the number with Vanity). Costumes throughout were stylish and inventive, and the difficulties of putting on a pantomime in a hall never intended for such performances are largely overcome by the set design, although I did feel the use of some digital elements jarred with the more traditional printed scenery.
Due to the expertise of performers young and old, what could have been something of a museum piece came through well to new audiences. The group of women next to me were on an office outing and new to pantomime and, apart from confusing Roy Hudd with Rod Hull and asking where his emu was, were very impressed and clearly having a ball. It is good to see Mother Goose back on stage, all too rare these days when Dame performers are not usually the headliners, and with such experience and expertise involved. Congratulations to all involved for bringing the spirit of pantomime to a building itself full of ghosts from the past.
- : admin
- : 13/12/2016