After an undistinguished first act, Hull New Theatre’s pantomime does splutter into life, but then only sporadically.
Vicki Michelle’s performance as Queen Lucretia is disappointing, but the disappointment is down to how her part is written and how she is directed. Michelle has the glamour, skill, legs and everything else, indeed she has, to create the definitive panto wicked Queen. It is high time she was allowed the opportunity.
Laughter comes from Grumbleweeds Graham Walker and Robin Colvill. Their impressions are entertaining enough, but they do not excite the audience as much as star panto performers should. Only quite late in the show is there a feeling of the audience being involved and children and parents being encouraged to stretch their vocal chords.
The Seven Dwarfs are cheered at every entrance and deservedly so. They move with studied charm and their comedy is very effective.
The spot lighting of principal performers, especially during that first act, is poor. Perhaps after four or five performances, audiences will feel excitement in the playing and attention will have been paid to that lighting.
There is much potential in this pantomime - the Grumbleweeds’ final sketch, involving a typist’s chair that refuses to stay raised, is sublime comedy.
Production information can change over the run of the show.
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