The Stage

Mother Goose

Published Monday 23 November 2009 at 11:50 by Andrew Liddle

Fine Time Fontayne, that most accomplished dame, takes up in Mother Goose where he left off last year in Aladdin. To say he is stunning in the title role would be an understatement, especially after a wonderful transformation scene when the Dame briefly morphs into something bordering on the glamorous. This is one of several innovative tweaks that writer Eric Potts has made without departing from tradition.

Fine Time Fontayne and Patrick Bridgman in Mother Goose at Oldham Coliseum Photo: Ian Tilton

Richard J Fletcher makes an irrepressibly bubbly, bouncy Billy Goose, at the heart of everything that is uproariously funny. Patrick Bridgman is well cast as Squire Squander, the dim-witted killjoy trying to put the dame out of house and home. The audience might affect to dislike him if he weren’t so easily duped. Instead, they have the superbly menacing Andonis Anthony to boo and hiss as the Demon of Discontent, as black in costume as he is of heart.

Nicole Evans is an archetypal Jill, as blonde and wholesome as a Disney heroine, and with a nice sweet voice to match. Not surprisingly, she catches the eye of Mother Goose’s other son, the sensible one, Colin, played by Amy Rhiannon Worth, with plucky aplomb. Fortunately, Priscilla is on hand to lay the golden eggs, thanks to Fairy Feathers’ magical powers. Linzi Matthews puts her stamp on both these roles.

With gorgeous costumes, a fine array of set pieces and lots of Boogie Nights-style music and dancing, augmented by the chorus of local youngsters, this is a traditional panto with universal appeal. Kevin Shaw continues to be the director for all seasons at this homely Lancashire theatre.