Photo: John JohnstonMister Merlin’s magic is mince if he doesn’t have his wand – a family heirloom handed down through many Merlin generations. The Great Bahooky’s magic has always been mince, so stealing Mister Merlin’s wand, helped (or is it hindered?) by his side-kick Bumble, is part of his cunning plan for wizard world domination. Read more …
What he didn’t bank on was Merlin having a guardian angel, in the guise of The Govan Fairy; or two plucky puppet pals Peter and Penny prepared to brave Clabber Castle’s haunted garden to get the wand back.
Last performed in 1989, Peter & Penny's Panto is given a modern day makeover by original creator Alex Norton.
Altogether now...allyballysugarallyeentyteentyhaligolum!
What's not to love, applaud and laugh at in a panto that's smart enough to act the innocent purveyor of old-fashioned fun while playing peek-a-boo mischief with naughty puns, wise-cracking rhymes and gallus Glesca' patter?
The Great Bahooky, played by Keith Fleming, is a comical highlight, coming off every bit as smug as Matt Berry’s smarmy boss in The IT Crowd. There’s plenty of sly puns, lots of audience interaction and songs. Oh, and a hairy, one-eyed monster with a big trunk.
All that glitters here is pure gold.
Mister Merlin suffers from a structural flaw, in that more than half of the action involves the comedy double-act of the villain and his sidekick, largely alone on stage.
Mister Merlin keeps one foot in the past without losing sight of modern humour.
Tron Theatre, Glasgow from Friday December 2, 2011, until Saturday December 31, 2011. More info: www.tron.co.uk
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