By Ben Crocker
To win the princess’s affections, Jack must defeat Giant Blunderbore, terror of the village.
Meet also Simple Simon, Daisy the Cow, Dame Trot, fairies and a host of other traditional fairy tale characters.
This colourful and spectacular show will once again have lots of comedy, slapstick, a large cast, plenty of music and fun. It is ideal for all the family and also as an outing for larger parties from companies, schools and social clubs.
Audience reviews
Fabulous, funny, uplifting and amazing talented cast. Live band, great songs, and an outrageous Dame! What a fantastic start to the Christmas season!
It was fantastic, oh yes it was! Well done to cast, crew and all involved.
Another excellent panto, well done to everyone who seemed very happy in their various roles. Special shout out to you & Liz re costumes, very inventive & well thought out. Also thank you for fitting me in on your table with people I know & could talk to!! See you soon xx
Review by Noda
Society: St Peter Players
Production: Vicar of Dibley
Date: 31st May 2024
Report By: Judith Watsham
Thank you for inviting me to report on this year’s pantomime and for the warm welcome I received from both your excellent Director, Alistair Meads, and your front of house team. It was nice to have the opportunity to talk to Alistair and also to Janeta Kling whose props I have often admired.
This was one from the pen of Ben Crocker who always manages to bring a new and more up to date approach to well-known fairy stories which have been transformed into seasonal pantos.
The ‘elf ‘n’ saf’ty announcements were given by a couple of the cast – always a good touch this!
Pantomime is not the easy option some amateur, and it must be said, professional, groups think it is. A first-rate director and choreographer are both essential and it must be said that a top-notch MD such as Toby Stafford-Allen with his small band is also vital as it keeps the pace going. Live music always makes such a difference; I was especially impressed by the use of a small drum kit because I have seen other pantomimes in small community halls such as yours where a full-size kit has unfortunately dominated the other musicians instead of, as here, complementing them.
Song choice was good and I liked the occasions when different, more appropriate, words were sung – I assume that Alistair and Toby were responsible for the choice of musical numbers and the new words to some of the songs?
Alistair, along with your Choreographers, Matilda Paterson, Amelia Savage and Sophie Paterson, had obviously worked very hard with all the cast to produce such a slick, beautifully timed Panto. The Finale with the cast entering through the audience was very well managed. Well done to all of you and also to your SM, Andrew Barker, and his crew who dealt with the changes required by Tina Barclay’s set design which was realised by your in-house building and painting teams.
Tina Barclay’s set design was excellent, loved the punning shop names – Judy’s Garlands in particular as the cast sang One Short Day from The Wizard of Oz, just in case the audience did not get it!
I was also impressed by the quality of the sound – but when I realised that it was Matt Smith in charge of this element I was not surprised as I know from working with him in the past just how good his mastery of this vital element is.
What is a panto without excellent lighting? Fortunately we didn’t have to find out as Les Brewer took on this one to magnificent effect! (Oh yes, he did)!
Props in the capable hands of Janeta Kling, Yvonne Tobutt and Joan Carr were all effective. Did you make the golden hen too or did that come from the Artistic Painters – Harriet Hickman and Jenny Evans? I note from Alistair’s notes that Jenny made the superb Giant’s outfit. The essential beanstalk was effective but perhaps there could have been a small box behind it so that Jack could appear to start to climb up?
Your costumes were, as always excellent Liz Peskin and Ruth Corner. This is such an important element in all shows but especially in pantoland where some of the outfits, especially the Villain’s and the Dame’s, have to be totally over the top. Ruth also made a good authoritative Sarge Cockroach!
The programme from Jason Congerton was excellent. Congratulations on sourcing the new NODA logo and information page as well as taking the opportunity to inform your audiences of your NODA Awards. It was colourful, easy to read with good photographs as well as puzzles for the children. Do enter it for the next Programme Awards won’t you.
Now – the all-important cast:
The Ensemble, whether playing the roles of villagers, ball goers or cockroaches all worked hard and effectively to bring the storyline together. Singing and dancing all worked well.
Vital characters essential to panto, of course, include goodies, baddies, audience participation and of course cross-dressing. You fulfilled all that very well.
Goodie, Tina Barclay as Edna the Eco Fairy, and baddie, Jason Congerton as Slimeball entered to the traditional cheers and boos. A great ‘rural’ accent Tina, underlining your eco status and, Jason, what a delightfully evil laugh you had! Your solo, Bad to the Bone, was well sung and acted.
Simon Patterson as Dame Trot took to the part very well! Good stage presence and your interpretation of Man Eater using members of the audience as foils worked very well.
Total chaos from the 12 Days of Christmas adaptation with the Dame and Slimeball almost losing the plot! I thought at one point you were going to give up and simply thrown the lot at the audience! Well done both of you.
We got a cross-dressed King Bertram too, as Tamsin Grayling was a bewigged, elegant figure strutting her stuff around the stage.
The other important cross dresser is The Principal Boy, in this case Leanne Dalton in the title role. Your duet with the Principal Girl, One Moment in Time, was delightful. You have perfected a good thigh slapping technique too!
Young Thomas Evans, making his debut with the Players, took on the role of Trumpet, the King’s aide-de-camp. Thomas, you have a very good sense of comedy timing which, alongside your excellent facial expressions, made it hard for me to believe that you are only 12. You also made a lovely tree and worked this element brilliantly!
Steve Cubbage made a very good Giant Blunderbore! Quite how you managed that enormous Giant’s head so well beats me. Excellent!
Good to see such a well-rehearsed a panto cow, inhabited by Matilda Patterson and Joe Alderman. You must have practised a fair amount inside the costume as all movements were so slick.
Thank you again for a most entertaining evening – all to the very high standards your audience has come to expect from St Peter Players. I have made a diary note of the dates of your two 2025 productions, so I do hope you invite me along! In the meantime, I hope you all have a very Happy Christmas and New Year
Judith
Judith Watsham
Regional Rep NODA London District 11 and 11A
Posted On: 26 October 2024