In panto, the most sublime moments are often unplanned and the opening night of Red Riding Hood at Stratford East served up a couple of beauties. These included one child calling out “He’s got a small one” at a romantic climax and the Dame sashaying around the stage for an unassuming audience member named George. And, like in all good panto, both the cast and the audience revelled in the moments off-piste.
Not to say there is insufficient fodder in the show itself. Writers Trish Cooke and Robert Hyman, who penned the theatre’s Olivier Award-nominated Cinderella in 2007 as well as Aladdin last year, have filled the show with imaginative twists and sing-a-long lyrics.
A scene set in the wolf’s stomach featuring a Kanye West lookalike named Bile is pure genius and the usual celebrity name-checking, spoof songs, puns and double entendres seem fresh and novel.
The confident and energetic cast are led by the magnificent Derek Elroy who (literally) shines as Grannie. Michael Bertenshaw manages the double act of being the villain Lupinus Wolf with aplomb - he is both comic and creepy in equal measure. Special mention must also go to Gemma Salter, Darren Hart and Stephen Lloyd for rousing the audience from the get-go as the Three Pigs.
Charlie Lucas’ lighting ably sets the mood for each scene and also acts as the special effects when the wolf starts huffing and puffing and the sets and costumes are suitably cheerful. Sound levels could be managed better, but some dodgy microphones are not much to fault in this twinkling new show.
Production information can change over the run of the show.
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