King’s Theatre, Edinburgh – until Sunday 16th January 2022
Reviewed by Ellen Searle
5*****
We all know the story of Sleeping Beauty, the question was, what would the ultra talented Edinburgh King’s pantomime team do with it for the 2021 pantomime? And the answer is, once again, provide stonkingly good entertainment of the highest order.
Grant Stott and Alan Stewart are the familiar faces behind the annual extravaganza of festive silliness and mayhem, and what they and the team present would lift the spirits of the grounchiest Christmas grinch – laughs galore, double entendres, uplifting pop tunes, full cast dance routines, festive sparkle, dramatic stunts and props, and a host of fabulous costumes that would leave the Strictly stars in their finest looking like a wet Sunday afternoon by comparison.
As has become the tradition, Allan Stewart is our naughty pantomime dame, this time playing Queen Aunty May, with as much warmth as cheek. As we have come to expect, Grant Stott takes on the role of the baddie with gusto, camping it up to the max as the queen’s evil twin sister Carabosse. With the sad loss earlier this year of the third part of the trio, ‘King Andy’ Gray, Jordan Young plays Muddles, the court jester and true love of Beauty. They are huge shoes to fill, but he does so with superb energy and expertise. For the many in the audience who have so enjoyed Andy Gray’s panto performances over the year, the appearance of Andy Gray’s daughter, Clare Gray as Carabosse’s daughter, Princess Narcissa, is a real pleasure. Her looks and mannerisms echo those of her father, and he would surely be proud to see her substantial comedic talents entertaining many of those same theatre goers that he did. Sia Dauda and Nicola Meehan impress as Beauty and the Good Fairy respectively, showcasing first class vocal talents.
The stars are supported by a great ensemble of dancers, marvellous writing by Alan McHugh as well as Allan Stewart and Grant Stott, and bewitching set design, lighting and effects, all under the guiding hand of director Ed Curtis.
Panto at the King’s is more than a theatre show. It is an annual festive get together of Edinburgh families, a joyful celebration of the more down to earth culture of the city, from its football teams to its less salubrious neighbourhoods. It is excellent theatre, consummately professional, but not lofty. Rather it is about ‘we’, a shared experience of time and place, with in jokes, knowing looks and gestures from the stage, and the fourth wall well and truly broken. What makes the whole thing work so very well is the outstanding comic timing and very special chemistry of the main stars, which fills the entire theatre and is truly a delight to be part of.
If you think you don’t like panto, think again – and get a ticket, now!