'Boeing, Boeing, Gone!' Review
Jane McGowan enjoys a traditional retelling of festive fave...
Our verdict
Offering a more old-school take on panto than its near neighbours in Woking, the Yvonne Arnaud version of a seasonal staple certainly brought a dash of warmth on a frosty night in Guildford.
After a delayed start owing to some missing Brownies (the Girl Guide variety, not the cake), the show began with a prologue from Claudia Kariuki, star of the hit musical Six. From there, we were introduced to poor old Cinderella (Clair Gleave), forced to skivvy for her two ‘Ugly’ sisters who were played by local ‘legends’ Matt Pinches (he of Guildford Shakespeare Company fame) and Peter Gordon - former BBC Radio Surrey DJ and panto stalwart; bumbling Buttons (CBeebies star James Merry) and the Wicked Stepmother played by EastEnders’ Lucy Benjamin.
The next 60 minutes or so saw the usual shenanigans unfold until Cinderella was cruelly banished to the woods to collect firewood for her penny-pinching family. Once there, she encounters (and falls instantly in love with) Prince Harold (Stanton Wright), who has managed to give his minders Dan & Dini the slip.
There is a lot to pack into the first half, and sadly, it did feel a little long and a little laboured.
An audience made up mostly of big groups of children (quite right too, it is panto) with only a few adults meant that most of the jokes and double entendre fell achingly flat.
The half, however, was saved by a truly terrific transformation scene as Cinderella finally got to ditch her dungarees in exchange for a dazzling dress as she headed to the ball.
Act Two began with said ball before a large swathe of audience participation, which really ramped up the tempo and the atmosphere.
Lucy Benjamin was super ‘bad’ as the shady, dodgy-dealing Baroness Hardup, who by the end was eliciting loud boos from every angle.
At the same time, Peter and Matt (aka Thelma and Louise) and Buttons gave a rousing rendition of the 12 Days of Christmas (complete with chocolates, custard pies and water pistols), which was definitely the highlight of the evening.
The ensemble worked incredibly hard, and there were plenty of enthusiastic dance numbers, although I would have to say the choice of songs was a little bit questionable. There was a definite lack of really catchy numbers, and sadly, most of the tunes seemed, on the whole, to be in the wrong key for the vocalists.
The costumes were a mass of sparkles and sequins, while the uncomplicated but effective sets changed seamlessly and provided the perfect backdrop for the action.
Pantos do tend to get better as they bed in, as the pace of the delivery, not to mention the camaraderie between cast members, adds to the Christmas cheer. But if you are looking for some family-friendly fun, then this show could definitely be the one.
