By Sam Allen
It may be a schlep through narrow country lanes, but the trip to Roadwater Village Hall was worth every hair-raising bend! Their Pinocchio, written by Tom Whalley was laugh-a-minute fun. It may have been Anna Daley’s directorial debut but it revealed an understanding of the genre and an eye for detail that would be the envy of many more experienced directors.
Our welcome could not have been warmer, complete with a cockle-warming cup of tea, as the hall filled up with eager villagers, enthusiastic to see another Roadwater panto. A full auditorium is always a sign of a good society! And, from their reaction, they were certainly not disappointed. And nor should they have been because this pantomime, although set in Italy, was good, traditional British pantomime fare performed by a confident troupe and supported by very able technical teams and back stage crews. Lighting, sound, costumes and beautifully painted backdrops all contributed to making this a great evening’s entertainment.
There was just the right amount of near-the-knuckle naughtiness, lovely local and topical references, and an hilarious slapstick scene with real dough and an exploding pizza oven! And some very funny pasta puns. There was some great singing and absolutely delightful choreography. And there was plenty of audience interaction, one of the hallmarks of a good pantomime.
It would be churlish not to mention the half-time free mince pie, a long-standing Roadwater tradition, or the fact that the running time was perfect so that we were back on those winding roads before 9:45pm, this time ignoring the bends because we were still laughing at the gags!
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