Show: The Twelve Days of Christmas
Society: Shorwell Drama Club
Venue: No venue information available
Credits: Alan P Frayn
Type: Sardines
Performance Date: 09/12/2017
The Twelve Days of Christmas
Cheryl Barrett | 13 Dec 2017 13:16pm
Plenty of festive panto cheer at Shorwell
Shorwell Drama Club’s recent pantomime ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ by Alan P Frayn delighted Isle of Wight audiences at Shorwell village hall. Such is the reputation of Shorwell Drama Club’s pantomimes that it sold out just hours after tickets went on sale, adding a dress rehearsal night performance to meet the demand for tickets.
This season Shorwell Drama Club chose to stage ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’, not a traditional pantomime title, but with all the elements required for an enjoyable panto. The story revolves around a large advent calendar built on the village green to mark the occasion of the Queen’s festive ball. The calendar has twelve doors to be opened by corresponding coloured keys, but wicked wizard, Wizbad, steals the keys and scatters them around the world. Aided by the good fairy the characters set off on a quest to thwart the baddie, retrieve the keys and save Christmas. Hurrah!
There was plenty of comedy in this pantomime, some of which had been added by Director Sarah Scotcher – where else would you get Dave the reindeer and Rod Stewart on the same bill? Sarah always includes a back stage boys ‘turn’ one of the highlights of Shorwell pantomimes. This year they were dressed as Scotsmen and the big reveal under their kilts had the audience in hysterics – I shall never look at a wooden spoon and saucepan in the same light again.
Renowned for being one of the finest pantomime dames on the island John Woodford as Gertie Gusset worked the audience engaging children and adults alike, whilst Vicky Pointer added plenty of laughs as Gertie’s son, Izzy. As usual this pairing worked well and both were in fine panto form.
Keith Williams and Carol Hutchings played council workers Stampit and Klampit, and added to the fun, Williams playing a very convincing ‘jobsworth’.
Marina Ignarski was delightful in the role of Prince Rupert as was Emily Scotcher as Suzie, his love interest. Both gave wonderful performances and were in fine voice – I particularly enjoyed their duet, Something Stupid and Prince Rupert’s affected royal laugh.
My favourite was the evil villain, Wizbad, a noticeable performance by Jason Harris whose evil scheming generated plenty of boos from the audience. Lynn Willis was ideal as the fairy trying to thwart Wizbad, with the added comedy of her side-stepping across the stage as she insisted on taking the key from the dame and unlocking the advent calendar doors herself. Jackie Biggin made a very gracious Queen Cupcake. Santa Claus Tim Smith and Dave Russell as the reindeer completed the cast, their entrance down the middle aisle on an elf-filled sleigh delighted the local beaver group.
Director/Choreographer, Sarah Scotcher, certainly utilised the many talents of her cast. The chorus singing and dancing was enjoyable, they had plenty of costume changes – I particularly liked the children dressed as guardsmen, the one adult adding visual humour. The If I Were Not Upon This Stage and the Twelve Days of Christmas washing line scenes both worked well with plenty of audience participation as we waved panties in the air to ‘five pairs of pants’.
Live music at a panto adds so much more, and musical director Kim Ball entertained us with plenty of festive and well-known songs ranging from The Lambeth Walk to Mama Loves Mambo, although the music somewhat overpowered Wizbad’s I Hate Christmas song.
With scenes in Paris, London, Brazil, Scotland, Egypt and the North Pole the sets and costumes were bright and colourful. The lighting and sound worked well and were effective.
Overall this was an extremely enjoyable production and everyone involved should be congratulated.
Photos by Craig Williams Photography
- : admin
- : 09/12/2017