Reviews

Potted Panto

21 December 2011

Panto has experienced a grand resurgence in the last few years (oh yes
it has!). The traditional, and the not-so-traditional, stories are
being infused with modern topicality and satire but retain the
much-loved elements that make it the warm and side-splitting genre it
has always been.

Potted Panto, returning for its second West End season, is the perfect introduction to the
form, either for the little ones on their first theatre outing, or the
tourist, wondering what the heck this British “panto” thing is. Daniel
Clarkson and Jefferson Turner canter through eight panto storylines with
a minimum of costume changes and some fabulously cringe-inducing jokes,
child-delighting references to poo and vomit and enough audience
participation to make everyone feel part of the action.

All the major pantos are included, plus not-so-traditional Goldilocks
and the Three Bears and A Christmas Carol. Clarkson and Turner manage
the difficult balance of entertaining the kids while including
material for the adults through some mild innuendo and political satire,
including a bitingly accurate impression of Boris Johnson (aka Dick
Whittington).

Prince Charming – played by Clarkson with gusto in an
homage to Blackadder’s Lord Flashheart – appears in several of the
stories as the generic male lead, while the “beautiful princess” role is
taken by Turner after he insists on playing all the title roles. So he
can’t escape playing Cinderella or being snogged by Prince Charming,
though the Prince would rather dance with the male audience member he’s
drawn into the story.

There’s also a gentle sideswipe at the current trend for 3D effects. The production, directed and co-written by Richard Hurst with
Clarkson and Turner, includes “3D” spiders, sweets and water that have
everyone screaming in glee. It’s all suitably anarchic, silly fun. The
kids loved it, the adults loved it.

Although the pace dips a bit at the
beginning of the second act with a repeated rehash of the first half,
the minimal set (by Simon Scullion) and costumes (Helen Stewart), oodles
of slapstick and terrible jokes make a fabulous intro to panto. Or just
an excuse for a naughty giggle. Take the kids, let out your inner
child, and you’ll have a ball! Oh yes you will!

– Carole Gordon