‘Let’s go to the panto,’ some of the crazier of the Frost Magazine team said. So off they went, tum tum tumpetty tump, and why not when their Drama Critic, Paul Vates was causing mayhem as one of the two Ugly Sisters at the Elgiva Theatre’s production of Cinderella in Chesham Oh no, he wasn’t, oh yes he was.
Oh what a riot, what a joy… There we were sitting in the 2nd row, with our Christmas jumpers on throughout, laughing, booing, trying to catch the toilet rolls (tell you later) shouting he’s behind you – good grief how could they not see the gorilla??! Sometimes we wondered if we should have borrowed a child to fit in a bit better, but why not be a kid again? As our Medical Correspondent, Dr Kathleen Thompson, said to our editor, ‘You behave like a child most of the time, so why change the habits of a lifetime.’ ‘Well, I’m most certainly do not,’ our editor retorted, sticking out her tongue, to which our Medical Correspondent stuck her thumbs in her ears, waggled her fingers, and then she, yes she did, she stuck out her tongue until Dick who tends to keep them in line, told them both to stop talking – NOW or there would be no ice creams. So on with the show…
Let’s kick off with the lovely Fairy Godmother who did what Fairy Godmothers do – make all things better. Nicki French, ladies and gents, is superb: a lovely voice, such a twinkle, and who wouldn’t remember her Total Eclipse of the Heart which topped the charts around the world. Oh how lucky we were to see her in Chesham.
Prince Charming, aka Adam Pritchard made a great panto debut. What a voice – our editor who cries when moved, almost did… Around the team the children listened, transfixed. Of course, Adam is trained in musical theatre performance so we should not be surprised.
Dandini, the aide de camp, played by Callum Stephenson, says he is thrilled to be entertaining you all this Christmas, and let me tell you, he does this most ably.
Chris Edgerley whose blue eyes played havoc with the Frost Magazine team played Buttons and was so funny, and of course, loyal to Cinders. Good grief, he was even pleased for Cinders when she found her Prince though he probably wanted to kick the Prince’s shins. His performance was probably not far distant to presenting his hit children’s TV Show Hi-5 which aired on CiTV/ITV4/Cartoonito/and Boomerang Channels for many years. Chris loves Panto and we LOVE him, so very there.
Cinders was played by the glorious Laura Bazely with the 100 watt smile, swishing and twirling in her rags (wonderful costumes ElgivaTheatre, simply fantastic) and how we longed for her Prince to come, and the Uglies to get their comeuppance. Boo, boo. Laura sings like an angel too, no wonder she previously won a “Best Principle Girl” award as Princess Beauty. And now onto the rascals of the production: Boo Hiss.
The Baroness was played to perfection by Gemma Brodrick who owned the panto stage, frankly, when she was being the worst she could be. But having come fresh from the 2023 UK tour of Blood Brothers (Margaret cried at that too) we weren’t surprised.
On to the Ugly Sisters, Tess and Claudia, played by Paul Vates and Alexander Smith absolutely blasted it. Paul was as extravagantly and appallingly attired as Alexander and these two kept up the pace of the show until the final curtain, and had us roaring with laughter as they coaxed all the right responses from us, not necessarily in the right order! Absolutely fantastic, I’m laughing as I write this.
Paul Vates has, over the years, done an awful lot of theatre, television, voiceovers and comedy. As a playwright, his last work – Voltemand and Cornelius are Joyfully Returned – won the prestigious People’s Play Award at the People’s Theatre in Newcastle. Dr Kathleen Thompson and Margaret were at the launch, and were so proud. He is currently working on a new project. It all sounds very serious, but heavens, he can mince and pinch bums with the best, and throws toilet rolls like a man possessed.
Alexander who ran away to theatre as a child(!? ) Really? is thrilled to be returning to panto this year, having had a most wicked time as Abanazar in Aladdin last year at the Princess Theatre, Torquay. Was it there he learned to flounce and stamp about in the required most awfully over the top manner? Thanks heavens for it.
Then the gorilla… Oh my… such a classic panto moment, quintessentially British and ridiculous as the gorilla comes along behind the line up, the audience screams ‘He’s behind you,’ again and again, and no-one in the line up sees the gorilla, until it is too late. How hoarse we all became.
Ah yes, the toilet rolls. A version of the Twelve days of Christmas, ‘my true love gave to me’. On the 5th day it is toilet rolls, which end up winging out across the audience, only to land, to be thrown back, unrolling as they go, and again, and again. The Andrex dog would have loved every minute, but not as much as the audience at the Elgiva.
Did the Frost Team enjoy it? Oh, that’s not quite the word: you see, we realised we truly had never grown up, and neither had any of the adults in the audience. What a triumph, what fun, what pace and what on earth has happened to our voices – they are almost gone after so much joining in, so many boos, so many warning shouts, so much hysteria. But what else should we expect at a pantomime, but are frequently disappointed. Not this time though!
We loved it, and the dancers, led by Molly Mae, were the icing on the top. All such a cornucopia of delights…Book now, it’s on until the end of December. https://elgiva.com/book-a-show/theatre/ Images courtesy of Caroline Taylor.