The Stage

Mother Goose

Published Monday 12 December 2011 at 17:51 by Andrew Blades

Among the perennial Aladdins, Cinderellas and Peter Pans, only a few Mother Geese seem to be flying at British theatres this Christmas. The story isn’t as familiar as some, and Oxford Playhouse’s production, written and directed by panto veteran Peter Duncan, seems to dispense with most of the plot altogether. The golden eggs remain, but audiences are in for a rather disjointed ride.

Mother Goose Oxford Playhouse 2011 Zabrina Norry (Good Fairy) and Chris Larner (Mother Goose) in Mother Goose at Oxford Playhouse (previous picture shows Paul Charlton as Billy) Photo: Nick Holmes

As with all the best pantomimes, the action is hectic and madcap, but many of the jokes get lost this year. As usual, there’s some topical satire for the teachers and parents - some barbed references to David Cameron’s Big Society, and puns on quantitative easing and free schools - but this pantomime is shorter on knockabout slapstick than in previous years. Paul Charlton puts in a valiant attempt as Silly Billy, though only a panto this far south of Newcastle could get away with peddling such Geordie stereotypes. The singing and dancing is sparkling in places (including an impressive duet between the good and bad fairies and their henchmen), but there’s less to sing along to than usual, and the younger members of the audience may not know all the words.

Mother Goose has its moments, then, but short of those infamous eggs, it isn’t really panto gold.