ROBIN HOOD
Little
Waltham Drama Group at the Memorial Hall
21.01.14
Men
in tights, archery, weird sisters and Richard
Lionheart – all for our delight in this colourful panto, Little
Waltham's 42nd,
following
their
proud tradition of village entertainment.
The
large cast includes a healthy sprinkling of young talent, and one
newcomer, Ryan Chapman as Prince John.
Verity
Southwell makes an imposing thigh-slapper as Robin, Martin Final a
benignly evil Sheriff,
and there's a nice double act from Glyn Jones and Bill Murphy as
Friar Tuck and his camp friend Little John.
Darrel
Drake handles his audience confidently as [Nothing] Much the Miller's
Son, Hannah
Walker [last year's Alice] is an amusingly feisty Marian, and Mike
Lee gives us a superb Nurse Madonna Kebab – a terrific horned
headdress, great gags and a winning way with the songs, including the
priceless “I'm Wishing” with Walker.
On
opening night there's a band of merry men [and women] sporting
feathered red Nottingham hats near the front of the audience. They're
here to heckle Ken Little's Twiddle [another double act, with Karen
Wray's Twoddle]. And he does not disappoint, pointing the innuendo,
ad-libbing and keeping us all in stitches. Another comedy classic
from Brian Corrie as Sergei of Lisbon, building relentlessly to the
naughty
Act One punchline.
Ian
Hornby's patchy script needs a linking narrative [sung with panache
by Vicky Weavers' Alana A Dale]; Little Waltham give it a gutsy,
lively performance, with excellent musical accompaniment from Dave
Perry at the upright, [Billy Mayerl ousted by the Drifters this year
for the sweetie run] and lovely backdrops by Liz Jones [the
proscenium
paintings this year striking silhouettes
of Robin and the castle].
