Review - Little Panto on the Prairie: Entertaining and fun-packed production

Little Panto on the Prairie is full of diverse and comedic characters. Photo / Steve Driver

Review

What: Little Panto on the Prairie
Where: Little Theatre, McGrath St, Napier
When: April 27 to May 1
Book at eventfinda.co.nz

Reviewer: Keith Russell

One of the most important words in any child's vocabulary must surely be "holiday", followed closely by "there's a pantomime on".

It is therefore only fitting for a theatre company such as Napier Frivolity Minstrels, with a proud tradition of presenting quality entertainment, to give us their take on this genre, with Richard Lock's untraditional show Little Panto on the Prairie.

Set in the old west, full of diverse and comedic characters, it is a wonderful blend of surprises and predictability using puns, risqué comments, corny jokes and audience sing-alongs to add to our enjoyment of this wonderful art form.

Director Steve Driver moves this performance at a relentless pace squeezing every laugh possible, along with much mayhem, never stopping to keep the surprises and twists from becoming too predictable

Opening the story was Gray Ruffell as the narrator, with good delivery he introduced Daniel Bowman as our dame Madame Moonshine.

Bowman was over the top as all good dames must be, his enjoyment of his role shone through as he delivered some very funny jokes.

The villain always gets some of the best lines and John Beck as the evil sheriff worked his audience like a professional, not many people can make snarling as enjoyable as he did.

Villains need henchmen and Beck was provided with two bumbling Mexicans played by Frank Hosegood and Jack Garvey, their hard-to-hear accents added to their charm.

The story heroine played by Amy McCarthy displayed a pleasant singing voice, as did her hero and love interest Andre Cole.

Both worked hard and energetically to win our affections along with Roy Mills as Silent Bob who, while he had few lines to learn, showed how hard it is to be convincing as he mimed his part.

Terrence Bull as an Indian chief was on stage for only a short time, but his performance of a well-known song was really good and Juliet Watt as his brave son added to the story.

James Macintosh as the bumbling hero Tumbleweed delivered a charismatic performance along with good comic timing that was nearly matched by Deborah Beck-Boyd as our good fairy.

In more-limited roles, Amanda Hanan, Jennifer Howe, Katie Barnby, Maddie Wardle and Min Hollands bought energy and verve to their time on stage.

Suitable lighting and background artwork by Jake Macintosh set an impressive scene, although I felt the backing music was set a notch too high.

It is a long time since I have seen a pantomime with an adult cast and it will be important they take into consideration the demographics of their audience and "pitch" accordingly.

Fittingly, when the sun set in the west I was left with no doubt the company had delivered an entertaining and fun-packed production that children and adults of all ages will enjoy.