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THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT
One-Off Pantomine Society
Kinson Community Centre
Kinson, Bournemouth
January 2005

IT’S the little touches that count – and boy, did this hugely enjoyable panto have plenty of those. Interactive voting slips so that we could choose our favourite turkey (to perform the wedding ceremony, of course), witches toasting marshmallows, real footprints on the Isle Where the Bong Tree Grows, fish and bubbles on the sea journey, cleverly moving rowing boats. And, naturally, the little ones in the chorus who added that essential ‘aah’ factor.
In fact this production, written, directed and choreographed with real flair by Sara Thornton, was just the sort of show to make everyone feel glad they’d made the effort to see it. Great sets, costumes and songs, imaginative scene changing by dancers and penguins and confident performances from both young and not so young. In particular, Meg Selby, as the child wanting to know the story’s background, showed masses of promise.
Alphonse the Owl (Stephen Ballantine) and Priscilla the Pussycat (Alison Dale) were just delicious, as were witches Wicked Winkle (Annette Petrie), Tricky Tilly (Sally Thornton) and Evil Agnes (Karen Kennan). And among the other performances, all first-rate, Rose Lambert (Genie of the Cauldron) and Derek Smith (Patty Pan the Palace Cook) really stood out.

Linda Kirkman
Courtesy of the Bournemouth Daily Echo


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