Fe Fi Fo Fum, this is the year that Christmas won’t come... Read more …
Stirling Stella is at crisis point. Fairy Mary Christmas has has her wand stolen by the evil Giant Sleigh-Stacks, robbing the entire pantosphere of their Christmas Spirit. Only one band of merry revellers from Skinto-Row can save them, Dame Dot Von Trott and her two daughters, the beautiful (but rather dim) Jilly and everyone’s favourite tom-boy, Jackie. However, this double-dipper recession means that none of them can afford the airfare to get to the Giants Castle and save the day. Will they have to sell their beloved cow Daisy Moo-Moo to soar skyward? Will Dame Dot ever pay her rent money in time to the dashing Count Monty Bisto? Will Jackie ever find her one true love? Will the spirit of Christmas ever return to the pantosphere?
Find out in this years’ macrobert pantomime, critically acclaimed as one of the best pantomimes in Scotland, and hilarious Christmas fun for young and old at the same time! Starring an all-star cast of Scotland’s finest acting and production talent and a terrific cast of young performers this is a great Christmas treat not to be missed!
The cheeky patter, witty nods to current pop culture – and a wee salute to the late Gerard Kelly – satisfied the old watchdog that this was a panto with its finger on today’s pulse, the beans themselves being pure magic … in a can.
If anyone still thinks panto is a throwback to a misogynist past, they need to take a look at the MacRobert's glorious giant-slaying romp.
The only downside to the imaginative and wildly variant plot is a preponderance of development in Act I. But once McKnight gets back to the jokes and the songs, this is an entertaining, intelligent celebration and deconstruction of the traditional Scottish pantomime.
It’s loud, it’s colourful, it’s fun, and it carries huge, important elements of the panto tradition; but in the end, it needs a stronger script, more story, and – pace the little lads in the audience – a bit more heart.
Johnny McKnight's panto manages to entertain while challenging traditional gender roles.
macrobert, Stirling from Wednesday November 23, 2011, until Saturday January 7, 2012. More info: www.macrobert.org
RSS feed of Theatre reviews