PANTO REVIEWS FEATURE
EDINBURGH THE SLEEPING BEAUTY
Royal Lyceum Theatre. until Sat 4 Jan. Frustrated Princess Margarita longs for adventure outside the palace gates. away from her over-protective father‘s watchful eye. Escape comes in the form of new-found friend ‘Boy‘. the hapless sidekick of evil Talassa. Queen of Darkness. But danger is never far away in Stuart Paterson‘s charming and humorous re-working ofthe classic fairytale made famous by the Grimm Brothers.
magic and adventure C5) slapstick and knockabout I?) cheesy groaners — smut and innuendo — vile villains @
(only one. but she‘s a nasty piece of work) men in frocks _ celeb count — top tunes (3 (no singing. but some lovely live music) sloppy smooches singalongs — sweetie showers — glitz. glamour and pzazz C5)
Dazzling sets. fun costumes and a genuinely funny. touching and unpatronising script keeps both adults and kids spellbound throughout. Not too many join-ins but. when they do happen. the atmosphere‘s electric. (KM)
STIRLING GINDERELLA
Macflobert Arts Centre, until Sat 28 Dec.
Stuart Paterson’s adaptation of the ultimate seasonal good versus evil yarn sees an admirable Cinders go against the grain as she casts aside the riches of a pop-tart prince in favour of true love. A hearty dose of saccharine indeed, but the poor lass is hardly spoilt for choice in the charm stakes.
magic and adventure ‘93 slapstick and knockabout a) cheesy groaners LI) smut and innuendo (D
‘A bit too hectic’: Cinderella at the Macnobert Arts Centre
vile villians 4‘ men in frocks - celeb count .1, (if you’re a High Road fan) top tunes tr
sloppy smooches 3» singalongs - (just hissing the baddie) sweetie showers - glitz, glamour and pzazz 3.
Lacking oomph and a bit too hectic to keep the kids engaged, though the stepfamlly from hell noised
GLASGOW/EDINBURGH THE NUTDRAGKER
Theatre Royal. (mill 2/ Dec: I't'fl‘lll'tl/ Theatre. 23 Dec—8 JUN.
Peter Darrell‘s I973 take on the seasonal fave has Scottish Ballet hustling and bustling round a Victorian house on Christmas Eve. Little girl Clara gets a nutcracker for a present and is understandably wowed when it magics into a dishy prince (Campbell McKenzie). who whisks her off on a round-trip of fantastical lands made of ice and sweets.
magic and adventure “3‘, slapstick and knockabout ’3 cheesy groaners — smut and innuendo — vile villains — men in frocks — celeb count Just pin-up
Campbell McKenzie top tunes 5
SEAN HUDSON
‘Cenulnely funny, touching and unpatronising’: The Sleeping Beauty at the Royal Lyceum
SI{.\.\' “I'DSUN
sloppy smooches 4‘ singalongs — sweetie show (none in the audience. but Bonbons-a- go-go on stage) glitz. glamour and pzazz. 4‘
Clara‘s dreamy encounter with polar bears scores with tots. while balletic pyrotechnics and sparkly 7()s sets
please all. ()n its last legs (this is the farewell tout) but still sweet as a nut.
(EC)
CINDERELLA
King's Theatre, until Sat 18 Jan. Enough celebs to populate Glendarroch and a pair of gold Doc Martens to die tor ensure that Bob Black’s beautifully paced Cinders is as funny and as traditional as you could want. Cinders gets her man, the ugly sisters are as loud as their frocks and Gerard Kelly (Buttons) steals the show.
magic and adventure 1'4) slapstick and knockabout (5‘- (ugly sisters to Abbot and Costello) cheesy groaners .5‘ smut and innuendo vile villains :4‘
men in frocks - (not a hairy limb in sight) celeb count
top tunes (’3) sloppy smooches (.1) singalongs vi) sweetie showers glitz, glamour and pzazz is
Enough boos, hisses and ‘behind you’s’ to last a lifetime. Even the naff hits (like kissing and dancing) were good . . . well, almost! (JM)
‘As funny and as traditional as y
ou could want’: Barbara Rafferty, Gerard Kelly
and Elaine C.Smlth in Cinderella at the King’s, Glasgow
GINDERELLA
Pavilion Theatre, until Sat 25 Jan.
You know the sketch: Cinders meets the Prince with the aid of her slippers and the hindrance of her deeply unpleasant and deeply camp sisters. The cast includes The Krankies, about half of the High Road cast and the soundtrack comes from Gina G, for pity’s sake.
magic and adventure 3? slapstick and knockabout =4: cheesy groaners smut and innuendo 3 vile villains 3 men in frocks 4; celeb count :4) top tunes ’1) sloppy smooches singalongs (a. sweetie showers glitz, glamour and pzazz v.2;
Fairly pedestrian though fairly humorous, and a must for any four- year-old student of popular culture, with references to The Big Issue, (lane and Chlldline. (BD)
EDINBURGH
DICK WHITTINGTDN
SI Bride '3‘ ('cnire. until Sn! 2/ Dec. Dick and his pet pussy hit The Smoke in streets-paved-with-gold scenario. Fame and fortune in the rag trade are nipped in the bud as Dick is falsely accused ol'dipping his lingers in the till. Never fear. though. for people‘s choice Bammy Sammy and chums are always nearby to save the day.
magic and adventure 3 slapstick and knockabout 2, cheesy groaners 1‘9 smut and innuendo
vile villains 2, men in frocks 1" celeb count — top tunes 2;- sloopy smooches — singalongs (42 sweetie showers - glitz. glamour and pzazz
Ron Coburn and co serve up some shakin delivered golden oldies. but what the heck -—judging by the reaction. it appears to bejust what kids want on a
cold and frosty morning. (NC)
The List l3 Dec l996-9 Jan 199715