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Cinderella – Richmond Theatre, London

Writer: Eric Potts Director: Christopher Dunham Reviewer: Diane Higgins The Public Reviews Rating: ★★★★★ The Panto at Richmond Theatre has always been a lavish affair, full of fun and frolicks and this year is no different – opening with a flash and a loud bang  heralds the entrance of Fairy Godmother (Jenny Eclair in her first ever role in [...]

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Peter Pan – The Mayflower, Southampton

Book and Lyrics: Roger S Moss Music: Robert Scott Director: David Morgan Reviewer: Marina Spark The Public Reviews Rating: ★★★★☆ A boy who never wants to grow up, a villain with a hook as a hand and a giant, man eating crocodile; do these things sound familiar? At The Mayflower, Southampton we were treated to an evening of musical [...]

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Peter Pan – The Hawth, Crawley

Writer: Jonathan Kiley Director: Alan Cohen Reviewer: Stephanie Walls The Public Reviews Rating: ★★★☆☆ Let’s get a couple of things off my chest. Firstly I have seen many pantomimes in my time and I adore them as a form of theatre. Secondly I am well aware that pantomime isn’t designed ‘for me’ it’s for small children to wave multi-coloured [...]

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Cinderella – Kings Theatre Southsea, Portsmouth

Director:Simon Barry Reviewer: Ann Bawtree The Public Reviews Rating: ★★★½☆ Well it is that time of year isn’t it! This time the Kings’ Theatre Southsea, Portsmouth has chosen Cinderella for their pantomime. All the usual characters are there, many of the performers best known to the audience from their television appearances. Coronation Street’s Tracy Shaw is the air-headed Fairy [...]

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Aladdin – Venue Cymru, Llandudno

Writer: Jonathan Kiley Director: Simon Delaney Reviewer: John Roberts The Public Reviews Rating: ★★★½☆ Pantomimes by their very nature seem to be one of the oddest of all our theatrical traditions, where else do you see fairytales twisted and contorted in various ways by celebrities donning elaborately bright costumes? Singing the back catalogue of chart topping hits with re-written [...]

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Mother Goose – Oxford Playhouse

Writer/ Director: Peter Duncan Reviewer: David Aldridge The Public Reviews Rating: ★★★★☆ If this review says much more about the first half of Mother Goose, it is not only because I wish to avoid spoilers, but also because the limited endurance of my young companion and expert reviewer, in both body and bladder, meant that I did not see [...]

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INTERVIEW: Cast of Cinderella – Richmond Theatre

What makes a good pantomime? As panto dames dust off their skirts and audiences everywhere practice their best ‘he’s behind you’s, Catherine Love catches up with pantomime stars Gary Wilmot and Kellie Shirley to talk tradition, magic and the Kate and Wills effect. “Don’t mess with perfection.” These are the wise words of pantomime veteran [...]

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Mister Merlin: A Pure Magic Panto – Tron Theatre, Glasgow

Writer: Alex Norton Director: Andy Arnold Reviewer: Edie R The Public Reviews Rating: ★★★½☆ The Tron Panto is under threat this year after its corporate sponsor withdrew its funding. But there was certainly no atmosphere of gloom in the auditorium at the premiere of “Mister Merlin”, and hardly a free seat. All the more reason to book quickly, and [...]

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