Still Entertaining! (From Swindon Advertiser)

Still Entertaining!

12:04pm Thursday 28th January 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
•  

THE Tiverton Players were one of the first panto groups I ever performed with and Dick Whittington is the first pantomime I ever wrote. I know the story inside out and upside down, the traditional one that is.

Mention of the rats, in Fitzwarren’s kitchen, was made only once throughout this production, apart from an excellent number by the Tanwood Dancers and King Rat, played by Dale Greenwood, who appeared often but didn’t look evil enough for me. Mollie Tanner, of Tanwood, started the whole Tiv thing off in 1947 and this year her granddaughter Franky Wicks helped out with choreography due to both Mollie and her husband being ill before the production. Well done Franky.

A great deal of hard work goes into any production like this and there is no doubt that in this case some of the elements of a good panto were there, especially when the two comedy policemen, played admirably by Daniel Laurie and James Mahon, arrived on stage.

Kyle Foote, as Jack, did a good job and so did Paul Greenwood as the Dame, while Jessica Knotts had the right look for Dick Whittington.

Megan Leigh is quite adorable, but her costume as Jess the cat rather lost the magic. Face paint would have done the job and a hood with ears.

Once again we had singing to backing tracks with singer’s voices on them. There are some passable voices in this company but the songs are just too difficult.

Tiverton Players are still entertaining and producing pantos after 63 years - that must be some kind of record.

- ROS HOLLANDS