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My love of pantomime will never go away, but if I have to make a choice between a third rate panto and a first class Broadway and West End show then there is no competition. To my mind panto is all too often a debased art form these days so the arrival of Spamalot as Theatre Royal Brighton’s Christmas offering fills my heart with cheer, and it’s easy to explain why. From the moment the curtain rises to the final bow I roared with laughter. The pure, unbridled silliness of the Monty Python sense of fun is alive and kicking in Eric Idle’s superb musical version of their Holy Grail epic. It’s all there from the silly Frenchmen to the knights who say ‘nt’. But what Idle achieves where so many translations to musical fail, is a score that you will leave the theatre humming. The songs are not only hilarious, they are contagiously memorable.

So on to the company, a merry band of professionals who can sing, dance and deliver the comedy, there’s not a weak member in the company and most of them play several roles. The stars are equally compelling. Marcus Brigstocke’s King Arthur is a lovable upper class duffer and since first playing the role two years back he has gained a confidence in his singing capability that underpins his ability to deliver the laughs in the script. Todd Carty has it all, brilliant characterization, a decent voice but above all, comic timing. His portrayal of side-kick Patsy is a comic tour-de-force – and the audience love his affable gurning and bewildered innocence. Jodie Prenger once again shows that she can deliver a song with power and conviction but in Spamalot she is given the scope to use her comedic talent too and this she does throughout.

I hope I do see great panto at the Theatre Royal again but this starry piece of musical comedy has enough of the panto about it to eclipse any second rate Cinderella. Three cheers and five very glittery stars for a first class Christmas show. Simply unmissable seasonal fun.

Theatre Royal Brighton, December 16 2011
Rating:
Andrew Kay

This production did exactly what a pantomime should do. The cliché’s were laid on thick and fast, the dancers were at times exotic, the audience booed and cheered and there was some nice original music too. Darren Day filled the villain’s shoes with gusto and worked the audience well. The whole cast worked as a tight, well rehearsed unit on a lavish set. A special mention for Sean Rollason who played Smee; considering he was in nearly every scene, his energy remained high throughout and he had brilliant interaction with the audience especially the children. A great seasonal treat.

Pavilion Theatre, Worthing, 16 December 2011
Rating:
Lee Stevens

This year’s fun-filled family pantomime was a delight – Robin Hood (West End’s Tracey Penn) and his band of Merry Men begin their journey to save Nottingham and rescue Maid Marian from the evil Sheriff (EastEnders bad boy John Altman).

Keeping with traditional themes of lively music, colourful costumes, a Widow Twankey personality and plenty of boo’s and cheers; original elements were added from current affair jokes to modern pop music with street dance choreography.

Some audience participation, slapstick humour and adult overtones, approved it suitable for all age groups and a festive way to celebrate the magic of Christmas.

Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne 17 December 2011
Rating:
David Tabor

Melding the eccentricities of Robert Wyatt, the mournfulness of Antony Hegarty and the play-out track from their dad, George Unthank, proved a cinch for the Northumberland sisters, Rachel and Becky. This, the final date of the tour, saw the three-quarters full Dome in surprisingly accommodating mood – this after all less than 24 hours since ‘Mad Friday’. The beautiful, husky diction of the covers (Hegarty part 1/Wyatt part 2), and their upbeat banter (betraying not a trace of an Alka Seltzer) was underscored elegantly by piano, brass and strings. Having seen them blow away this summer’s End of the Road: no surprise here, once again.

Concert Hall, Brighton Dome, 17 December 2011
Rating:
Jan Goodey