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It’s a good show and any of the parts that don’t work so well are rebalanced by a solid cast of actors.
The show is built around a patchy script; it starts in a school room but this framing device never comes back to serves any purpose. This section could have easily been cut or the exposition explained by the main characters. This, coupled with a tepid opening song, starts the show on the wrong foot, but things quickly improves when Blair Atholl (David Rankine) arrives, his arrival nicely sets up what to expect from the better parts of the show.
As with most pantos the strongest performer and the actor that seems to be having the most amount of fun in the dame, in this show played by Barrie Hunter. His delivery of the jokes were spot on; sadly this can't be said by the entire cast. They are all strong performers but, from a comedic stand point, some seem to lack the confidence in the material that is needed to deliver it effectively. There is one scene in particular where the physical comedy does not work, and the inclusion of the slapstick actually confuses the exposition that is being explained.
Deadly Nightshade (Amanda Beveridge) is a solid villain and has plenty of good scenes. She usually shares her stage time with Poison Ivy (Angela Darcy) who at times steals the show. It's a shame that Deadly Nightshade and Blair Atholl don't have more stage time together, as they seem to have a genuine spark that could be utilised more frequently.
Lynne Bustard's choreography is also a mixed blessing. She clearly has an eye for what works but, at times, it veers into 7 Club Seven territory which lends it an am-dram vibe. The musical numbers are mostly based around current pop songs, most of them I've never heard and hopefully never will again. Since they are performed by a live house-band they have adapted the tunes for the show effectively.
It’s a good show and any of the parts that don’t work so well are rebalanced by a solid cast of actors.
