Moondance Theatre, Theatr Clwyd. Yr Wyddgrug – until Sunday 19th January 2025
Reviewed by Julie Noller
5*****
Here we are again, it’s Panto Season and the excitement is high not only for the fun and high jinx to come but for the fact we are back in the main theatre, it’s looking slick with new carpets and plush new seats. If they do an air freshener for new cars then I think I want new theatre scented candles. Newly named for the occasion as Moondance, theatre gives my head festival vibes. Panto is always a cracking night or matinee if the afternoon suits you more. I’ve come to view the cast of regulars as firm favourites, in fact perhaps next year my panto buddy and myself will take a panto bingo sheet along as we discussed beforehand would we hear old familiar lines (looking lush, love) perhaps dated to some but nevertheless worth every chuckle. This years offering has been written by Christian Patterson and I wonder how relaxed he feels when things go wrong (personally I love this it especially when you watch performers lose all composure, forget lines even if it is on purpose and just have an absolute blast on stage) is he relaxed with ad-libbing?
Adrian Gee is set and costume designer, the colours are bright and cheery, cartoonesque with more than a touch of pink and green Wicked hues. Panto design must be amazing to see the finished articles but such such hard work along the way, we the audience often overlook the backstage team. Last year I enjoyed the different setting we were given with the Big Top, performers were given a much bigger setting as a playground and our eyes were able to feast on so much more. I had forgotten how restrictive and hard work a stage can be. But on a positive it was good to be back and I thought the fact we saw the characters mingling amongst the audience as we were making our way to our seats a nice touch, a way of shaking memories and relaxing us ready for the boos, hisses and squeals not to mention the singing which is unique to the Rock’n’ Roll Panto. Mother Goose is often referred to as the Dames Panto, yes this means even more of Phylip Harries as Gwladys Goose; will it be another record breaking , award winning year?
Absolutely it should be!!! If ever there was a school for Pantomime Dames then Phylip should be Headmaster. It’s great to watch and be involved with a cast who just enjoy the whole performance and have bonded so well together. Steve Simmonds (Lord Larry Parry) deserves his huge cheer for adding a little ditty within his solo to the butterfly or was it a moth who decided it wanted it’s own time in the spotlight such is the widespread love of this panto team it’s obviously the stage to be. Wow; but the rest of the cast are just incredible also from Celia Cruwys-Finnigan (Mari Goose) and Ryan Owen (Glennie Goose) Imad Eldeen (Hari Parry) raising the roof with amazing singing which was moving at times especially the cover if I just lie here.
Alice McKenna (Billie Eyelash) as fairy with such a great accent full of warmth I just wasn’t sure if its Yorkshire or Lancashire that if I choose wrongly I might just wake up sleeping giants and restart the wars of the roses. Joe Butcher (Freddie the Fox) a henchman with compassion a true hero deep down. But Georgina White (Suella De Rhyl) a voice dripping with irony. She was absolutely born to play a villain, it must be so much fun to be the baddie just as long as you don’t mind those boos.
Pantomime that great British tradition where audience both old (100 being eldest) and young alike can come together and share seasons cheer and greetings. Go celebrate an old favourite refurbished that’s both the theatre and Mother Goose, can anybody be truly disappointed with Panto? ‘oh no your not’