ON-CUE - Review - Upton's Mother Goose

MOTHER GOOSE
A Review of Upton Theatre Company's production
by Simon Thompson

Congratulations, The pantomime was a great success appealing to both children and adults alike, a full house would have been better but with vigorous Hissing and Booing at the correct points and a dazzling rendition of the communal song "There once was an ugly Gosling" we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
The show was well produced (Joan Burdon & Lynda Maclean), with an exciting, well designed set (Joan Burdon & Sam Abbott-Simons), spectacular lighting (Ian Clifton & Mark Richards) and with wonderfully vibrant costumes (Joan Burdon & Lynda Maclean). James Wyatt was the live musician and George was the long suffering stage builder and manager.
The children (Libby, Claire, Joe, Max, Laura, Chloe, Rachael and Sam) played their roles proficiently, with feeling and coped well with their many costume changes and of course a special mention has to go to Hannah for her part as the fairy and Clemancy who played the part of Prucilla very well. The opposing 'baddies':
the Demon, (Ralph Ruff) was very convincing in his part - my niece (aged 5) enjoyed booing him at every opportunity and called him that horrid man!
and The Squire (Jean de Garis) who played a fun part, well.
The comedy parts of Willy (Chris Bunn) and Nilly (Steve Butterworth) were hilariously portrayed, the slapstick scenes were well thought out and accurately performed - I especially enjoyed the banquet scene which involved a lot of running around, props and careful choreography.
The Dame, Mother Goose, played by Roy Llewelyn, gets a particular mention for the well performed part, played with enthusiasm, and involving the audience at every opportunity and again, her costumes were as extravagant as anyone could of anticipated.
The Principal boy, Colin and Mother Goose's daughter Jill, (Chris Maclean and Claire Jewell) were well played and excellently cast in their rolls, whilst Gordon and Lynda Maclean played the parts of Jack and Brownie to perfection with a crowning rendition of "Fine Romance" with an exaggerated lisp.
Bob Farn Was the Landlord the ghost and Queens guard. Naomi Saxby was the Queen of Gooseland.

The audience was well catered for with a raffle and refreshments served in the interval, and to get us into the mood as soon as we arrived, we were welcomed into the hall with a display of moving geese and other animals in the foyer.