SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS

One from the Heart at the Civic Theatre Chelmsford

02.12.2017

A portentous start, with Richard Strauss, a star cloth and a flying mirror, but One from the Heart soon get into their panto stride in a show, directed by Kerris Peeling, that’s packed with comedy routines and high octane musical numbers.

The USP this year is The Man in the Mirror – not Michael Jackson, but Louie Westwood’s silver-suited camp dynamo, combining the role of narrator and Good Fairy – with the pyrotechnics to prove it. A very engaging performance, his That’s The Way I Like It catch phrase (courtesy of KC and the Sunshine Band) quickly getting the young audience on side. He proves a decent song and dance man, too, in his opening number, Live in Living Color from Catch Me If You Can.

He’s backed by four lithe chorus boys, students from Laine Theatre Arts and Bird College. An ensemble of eight in all, including three local dance students, who pop up to contribute some excellent steps – choreography by Chris Whittaker – behind practically every number: Someone in the Crowd from La La Land, Wake Me Up, Cut to the Feeling from Ballerina, Nothing Holding Me Back, and another triumph for the Man in the Mirror, now sporting a rainbow hat, Sweet Charity’s If My Friends Could See Me Now. Though musical theatre buffs will point out that although “food” might make more sense than “chow”, it doesn’t actually rhyme …

Some choices seem more relevant to the plot than others: Holding Out for a Hero works well in context, with a cheeky nod to Les Miz at the end.

Useful to have these extra bodies to fill the wide Civic stage, not to mention the “seven fun-sized helpers”, the synonymous dwarfs excellently done by the Green Team of local boys and girls on Press Night. “Ho Hi, we cry,” they sing, in an impudent gesture to Disney. Because there are only six actors to cover the characters; no king, no attendant for the hunky Prince Henry (Dominic Sibanda, another fine dancer).

Abigail Carter Simpson is a lively Snow White in her “classic black bob” and puff sleeves, Dickie Wood an energetic comedian as a streetwise Muddles, silly son to Andrew Fettes’ Nurse Nellie. A rather shouty dame, perhaps – the decibel level high on both sides of the footlights, but brilliant in the demanding comedy routines. The wicked Queen Grizelda is done with a touch of the Valkyries by Jenny-Ann Topham.

Simon Aylin’s script is patchy – a few desultory topical gags, and a puzzling reference to Dukes, which as Chelmsford clubbers will know, has been closed for five years. But he does include some lovely panto favourites. The man-scoffing skeletons from the ghost routine let loose in the auditorium, a super tongue-twister based on the Prince’s homeland of Asfaria, the echoing wishing well, the classic quick-fire Three Houses nonsense, and two novelty numbers, The Music Man, with gestures, before the wedding, and an energetic Twelve Days, giving the crew time to set the cottage, and finishing with another favourite, the wicked super-soaker water cannon to drench the punters.

James Doughty’s pit band gives superb support to all those punchy numbers – even Agadoo, once voted the worst song of all time …

The big finish has fresh frocks for all, five treads for the walk-down, and a smashing megamix finale for the whole company. Leaving the audience happily exhausted by another enjoyable Civic panto.

ALADDIN

ALADDIN

One From The Heart at the Civic Theatre Chelmsford

05.12.2015

for The Reviews Hub

Simon Aylin's snappy Aladdin begins with a prologue set in the Stygian super-villain's lair – the dastardly Abanazar appearing on his throne in a puff of smoke, supported by a team of black-clad avian minions from the excellent juvenile chorus.

After that it's a more or less faithful romp through the familiar plot, with many pantomime traditions honoured: the mangle gag, and Wishee shrunk in the wash. And because every panto needs an animal, an adorable elephant for Fake Your Way To The Top. More laughs, more mess, and more awful puns, would not have come amiss, with maybe a little less music.

A powerful soundtrack from MD Tom Curran and his three-piece band, with a gloriously varied musical mix. Olly Murs, The Addams Family, Jekyll and Hyde, Dreamgirls (twice), Hairspray, Memphis and Lady Gaga among the contributors. A lovely Mambo, The Macarena for the Ghost Routine, the ubiquitous Uptown Funk – featuring this year at Hammersmith and Hackney amongst dozens of others – and a well-received revival of that Gang Show staple If I Were Not Upon The Stage; shame that four performers had to cope with seven choruses, though.

Fizzing dance routines (Damian Czarnecki) from the principals and the ensemble – students at Laine Theatre Arts – Build Me Up Buttercup, for instance, or the Born This Way pre-nuptial entertainment.

And great performances from Millie O'Connell as the lithe, effervescent Slave of the Ring, and Shaun Chambers as a nerdy, beardy Abanazar. The widowed washerwoman is given a saucy persona by Tim McArthur, with his full frocks and neatly buttoned boots. Carried on horizontal at his first entrance, which makes a change. David Tarkenter gives a fine actor-laddie Emperor, and Neal Wright, back by popular demand, is a lovely cuddly Genie of the Lamp. No principal boy here, but a somewhat laddish Aladdin (Liam Ross-Mills, channelling Essex boy Jamie Oliver), not perhaps sufficiently distinct from his brother Wishee Washee, enthusiastically played by Samuel Parker. His princess is a striking Gabriela Gregorian.

The sets look a little old-fashioned, but there is an impressive magical carpet, and a beautifully animated digital front cloth.

A loud, lively panto, which delighted the Brentwood Beavers and the rest of the packed audience when we saw it, and provided a few embarrassing moments for Dean and Steve, mercilessly targeted by Twankey and Wishee.

PETER PAN

PETER PAN

One From The Heart at the Civic Theatre Chelmsford

07.12.2014

The Third Writtle Brownies loved every minute; I've rarely heard such a unanimously noisy audience as the one which greeted this Peter Pan, directed for One From The Heart by Nik Ashton.

Not really a panto – no cross-dressing [even Peter is a boy these days] and no wedding for the walkdown. But a cracking Christmas show nonetheless, with the most successful moments those that were most traditional: the three gorillas in the ghost routine, the Twelve Days nonsense song, the polystyrene rocks that put an end to the evil Hook.

Raucously lively performances from a hardworking cast: Jonathan Stewart as Hook and [briefly] Mr Darling, Katie Brennan doubling as Mrs Darling and a remarkably sassy Tinkerbell, Samuel Parker as a boyband Peter Pan. Competing for the audience's favours were Kerris Peeling's Eliza, aka Tiger Lily and the Cabin Boy, and Neal Wright's larger-than-life Smee, the erstwhile Lost Boy who longs to be a pop star …

There's excellent work from the chorus [students at Laine Theatre Arts] – Hook's cissy crew, and his saucy lovelies – with neat choreography to a string of chart hits. And from the children, Lost Boys, John and Michael – two teams of local talent.

And of course flying through the nursery window, and the dying Tink saved by the power of faith …

and for The Public Reviews

Another Christmas family show from One From The Heart for Chelmsford's Civic. This time writer Simon Aylin turns to Barrie's timeless Peter Pan, popular on stage since 1904.

His lively new version, dumbed down a little for us “TOWIE rabble”, still has most of the familiar elements: flying, the Lost Boys, Nana the canine nursemaid.

The scene curtain has impressive projections of pirate ship and storm, and the designs are colourful: the nursery looks like something out of a toy catalogue; pop-up storybooks are referenced too. The rooftop gauze for the flight to Neverland is especially effective.

There's no Dame here, of course, but no fewer than three characters compete for the audience's noisy affections: Eliza [Kerris Peeling] acts as narrator, and also tags along with the action as parlourmaid, Tiger Lily and a cabin boy. Tinker Bell, played by Katie Brennan as a very feisty, thoroughly modern young woman. And cuddly Smee [Neal Wright], definitely favourite with the kids, with his naughty words and his X-Factor moment.

Samuel Parker makes a dashing Peter, with his shock of red hair, fancy footwork and stylish swordplay; Eve Crawford plays his Wendy, spitefully dismissed as “frumpy” by Tink.

Jonathan Stewart is Mr Darling and Hook, both slightly under-played, given the frenetic tone of Nik Ashton's production.

There's a small chorus, all students from Laine Theatre Arts, and two teams of local children, who give good value in the Lost Boys number, and also play John and Michael.

The musical numbers, slickly staged but not always relevant or clearly sung, are pop hits in the main, a notable exception being Dream A Little Dream, beautifully styled by Mrs Darling [Brennan again] as a lullaby to her children in the nursery [MD is Tom Curran].

There's a good deal of padding in the two hour show, including crew training with mops, and an unexplained football sequence. The parts that work best are those which are firmly within the panto tradition: the crazy Twelve Days of Christmas [“Five Toilet Rolls”] with water pistols but alas no sweets tossed into the stalls, the birthday shout-out and the gorilla chase around the auditorium.

The capacity crowd were vocal in their appreciation of this fast and furious bit of seasonal fun, from the “Hello Chelmsford” warm-up to the party mix curtain call.

CINDERELLA

CINDERELLA

One From The Heart at the Civic Theatre Chelmsford

07.12.13

for The Public Reviews

This fast and furious family panto is focused on giving everyone a good night out, and especially on drawing the kids in the audience into the action.

So Simon Aylin's offering this year has Kerris Peeling as a no-nonsense Fairy Godmother – Go-Mo to her fairy-friendly chums – who enlists our aid in getting Cinders to the Ball and ensuring a happy-ever-after ending for everyone.

Suzie Chard comes on like a size twenty Sharon O, hurling ever more inventive insults at the audience in return for boos and hisses. And Lewis Barnshaw, as a delightfully bashful Buttons, plays for sympathy as well as laughs, and leads the youngsters in a familiar singalong – The Music Man, an excellent choice not often heard in panto nowadays.

The strikingly ill-matched Ugly Sisters are Neal Wright's Gusty Gail [dumpy and aggressive] and Richard Foster-King's Windy Wendy [seven foot nothing without the heels and the ostrich feathers] – constant bickering and frequent flatulence, plus some really impressive frocks and the flair to wear them well.

Sophie Camble is a svelte, demure Cinders; a strong singer and pleasingly assertive in adversity.

Tom Parsons' dishy Prince proves a fine vocalist, and his Dandini – Rhys Rice – is a great little mover in his spectacular dance routines. In fact almost everyone gets a good number to showcase their talents – as well as Adele [Someone Like You] and the inevitable but appropriate One Direction [We Danced All Night] we have a disco medley, something from The Wiz, that old chestnut Friendship and, for the brassy Baroness [and four chorus boys], Reciprocity from Chicago.

Richard Peakman's choreography is crisp and inventive, with the cast of eight boosted by energetic ensemble players from Laine Theatre Arts – It's Raining Men [for the Sisters] with oilskins and brollies for the boys. The transformation, done with stars and mirrors, is impressive, and what a treat to see real Shetland ponies pulling the coach …

Almost all the favourite panto features are in place – a ghost routine [with ghouls all around the auditorium], custard pies, water pistols, old jokes [“Nothing's that funny ...”] and a victim from the audience, Max on this occasion, who was unwise enough to sit in row B with his shorts and his woggle.

The Brentwood Beavers and the Writtle Rainbows loved every minute – possibly the loudest, most excited audience ever. They've probably bought their tickets for next year already, when the same team will be bringing Peter Pan to the Civic.

this piece first appeared on The Public Reviews

DICK WHITTINGTON

DICK WHITTINGTON

One from the Heart at the Civic Theatre Chelmsford

06.12.2012

for The Public Reviews

A pantomime is nothing without music. But where to turn for the numbers between the slapstick and the magic ? So far this season, it's been rock'n'roll classics, an original score, and now here in Chelmsford a raid on the more upbeat offerings from the charts.

Which works very well, with lively songs appropriately arranged for this young panto company, from the Pet Shop Boys' "Go West" [with semaphore flags] to One Direction's "What Makes You Beautiful".

Especially impressive vocally is the all-important cat – Tommy Jones [cue "It's Not Unusual"] – played by Waylon Jacobs.

There's a nonsense song too – vintage Gang Show – involving the inevitable custard pies, a number from Children of Eden ["Good to See the Sun Again"], a sing-off for the audience, and a noisy megamix encore finale.

Amongst the many energetic routines, most original was the three-way wooing ["Love is All Around"] atop the counter in Fitzwarren's shop. [Fitzwarren himself a victim of austerity cuts, I imagine.]

The stunningly glamorous opening sequence ["In Living Color"] – a flying moon bearing the Good Fairy against a star cloth – features four talented chorus boys, from the Laine School, who provide excellent back-up throughout, in a parade of ever-so-slightly camp costumes.

The show is beautifully designed, picture-book settings, a Shakespearean storm, an old-fashioned tableau for the prediction that ends Act One, and a walk-down against a heraldic staircase with everyone resplendent in gold frocks.

A strong cast, too, with Richard Earl back in Chelmsford as Sarah the Cook and Lewis Barnshaw working the audience as Simple Simon her son. The supernaturals are in the safe hands of Jenny-Ann Topham as the Good Fairy Bowbells [get it ?], and Kivan Dene relishing his role as King Rat, accompanied by his furry minions, variously remote-controlled, or glove puppets, or danced by the children's chorus.

No principal boy here, but the "perfectly proportioned features" of Craig Rhys Barlow, the boy-band handsome Whittington, who eventually wins the hand of Abigail Rosser's Alice.

Simon Aylin's very enjoyable version of Dick Whittington [the City of Chelmsford the starting point for his journey to Old London Town] is stuffed with quick-fire gags, including some very old favourites and a confectionery sketch that is delightfully delivered. And the ghost routine – "Wimoweh", no less – involves a kick-line of four gorillas and a chase through the stalls. Like the Crazy for You opening, you don't see that every day …

this piece first appeared on The Public Reviews

and for the Chelmsford Weekly News ...

You'll not see a more stylish opening than this in panto: forget dancing on the village green, here we have our Good Fairy flying in on a moon, with four young men in evening dress waiting below.

This is Bowbells, a very forceful East End fairy in Jenny-Ann Topham's performance, who'll tell Dick to turn again and become Lord Mayor.

One from the Heart have come up with another custom-built panto for the Civic, with bandbox-bright sets and a succession of jokes, routines, and numbers from the charts, all delivered with fizzing energy and slick style.

Pleased to see Richard Earl back again as Dame, Sarah the Cook this year, who models herself at least in part on Fanny Cradock, gets to wear some glorious creations and ends up hitched to Kivan Dene's gleefully spiteful King Rat. The other wedding, superbly set against a heraldic backdrop and costumed in gold, sees Craig Rhys Barlow's Dick tie the knot with the glamorous Alice [Abigail Rosser].

Preening and posturing, Waylon Jacobs makes a very watchable Tommy, and Lewis Barnshaw, as Simple Simon, achieves an instant rapport with the kids in the audience.

Custard pies, dancing gorillas, water pistols, pyrotechnics and a One Direction moment. And all done with professionalism, polish and pizazz. Dick Whittington finally hangs up his spotted hankie on January 6 – catch him if you can.