FLO WHITE Tron Theatre, Glasgow, until Sat 8 Jan ●●●●●
Last year’s Tron Theatre panto Ya Beauty and the Beast was an anarchic Weegie-style rehash of a popular fairytale that proved about as mindful of a coherent plot as Cinderella is of her shoes. If a formula ain’t broken, why fix it? In Flo White, the traditional story of
the pretty maiden with the jealously vengeful stepmother is blasted into space aboard the SS Pantoprise, for a deliciously madcap 130-minute muddle of mixed sci-fi movie references and cheeky pops at other Glasgow venues’ pantos, particularly The Pavilion’s (Soshy is ‘borrowed’ from their matinee of Aladdin). Darren Brownlie is delightful as the mincing robot who just wants a hug, even if his cuddly routine with a toy bear is pitched in an oddly cutesy tone somewhere below the show’s recommended 5+ age threshold. The highpoint is the song and dance by hot boyband The Seven Sausage Suppers, thawed out after being cryogenically frozen so, as we’re frequently reminded, ‘they’ll remain young forever – like Take That.’ (Malcolm Jack)
Theatre
JACK AND THE BEANSTALK King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, until Sun 23 Jan ●●●●●
Following a stint in Glasgow, Andy Gray’s reunion with the King’s resident pantomime dame Allan Stewart and recurring baddie Grant Stott is one of the most anticipated events of the capital’s Christmas season. And when he appears on stage as King Crumble, riding on a motorised toilet, he effortlessly falls back into place to restore this well-loved festive trio.
Jack and the Beanstalk is as colourful and exuberant as audiences have come to expect from the Kings’ annual Christmas outing. Captivating sets and aerial stunts set jaws dropping, while lively performances of pop chart hits get children dancing in their seats. There’s one too many jokes about The X Factor and Glee, but the improvised patter between Gray, Stott and the fantastic Stewart produces some of the funniest moments. Together with charming performances from the supporting cast, it culminates in a witty show that oozes Christmas cheer: the perfect antidote to the bitter winter. (Yasmin Sulaiman)
N O T S N H O J N H O J
100 THE LIST 16 Dec 2010 – 6 Jan 2011
N A W N E K - A G Y M M O T
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, until Fri 31 Dec ●●●●●
Beauty and the Beast is, as they say, a tale as old as time (and therein lies the last Angela Lansbury joke. Promise.) Refreshingly, Alan McHugh and Guy Hollands’ distinctly Scottish stage adaptation of the classic story retains the most important plot points, while giving it a uniquely homegrown twist.
Gemma McElhinney has a gift for the silky high note as the honest but at times saccharine Beauty, while Josephine Warren’s witch Cora delivers the feistier numbers with conviction true to her range. Comic relief comes in the form of Beauty’s father, Gregor, as played by Mark McDonnell, resembling a ginger Elton John during his Mozart Wig era. In general, this show eschews the typical squeaky clean, ‘look behind you’ nature of the Christmas production. The ending, twisted into a more realistic resolution, fits with designer Philip Witcomb’s gothic imagery, bringing out the light and shade of the story itself. (Lauren Mayberry)
PINOCCHIO The Arches, Glasgow, until Sun 2 Jan ●●●●●
The intimate nature of this seasonal production makes for a wholesome take on Carlo Collodi’s boy puppet tale. Seemingly one for the Santa-believing contingent of
the population (I am very rarely the tallest person in any room, but was definitely top ten on this occasion), the show is driven by the enthusiasm and range of its performers. Set in the Arches’ studio theatre, the five actors take on multiple roles and adapt the scenery themselves. A true collaborative effort, the team involves the crowd and play up to any high-pitched heckler. Percussion is added to illustrate actions onstage, from guiros to maracas and castanets. All of the sparse singalong numbers feel folk-tinged, due to having a ukulele as their solo accompaniment.
With kiddie-friendly physical comedy in abundance and the odd bit of clever word play for the adults, Pinocchio is an excellent alternative to the mainstream panto season. (Lauren Mayberry)