Press Review

Mother Goose

"Production floundered in morass".

A rocket launch lifted David McGuiness off in Phantasmagoria when he played the title role in the Majestic Theatre Group's recent production of Mother Goose.

It was a pity some other ingenious theatrical device was not on hand to lift the whole production which at times, floundered int eh morass of Whattodonextland.

"Mother Goose" had all the winning ingredients of previous years hit pantomimes - David McGuiness is a first rate dame, Stephen Clayton was brilliant as ever in the fool's part of part of Silly Billy; Denise Holian and Angela McIntyre provided the romantic element, and the comic duo of Chris Donnelly and Diane Booth, as Mangle Wurzle and Hayseed, were capital clowns. Chorus costume and choreography were all up to the usual high standard, but somewhere, the production fell flat.

To be fair, we did attend on the first night when any show may experience teething troubles - missing props and backcloths that will not lift - and "Mother Goose" was not without some outstanding moments as when tutuclad male dancers led by David McGuiness performed a Swan Lake sendup when Chris Donnelly and Diane Booth delivered a pompous prologue to the accompaniment of the Battle Hymn of the Republic.

On the whole, however, the productions seemed indecisive and lackin in direction, with weak jokes and an even weaker story line.

Other parts were ably played by Andrew Maliphant as Sir Jasper Moneybags; Len Lee as the Duke of Wildboarclough and Deirdre Rogers as his duchess; Peter Mannion as Clodhopper, the blacksmith; Karen Biggar as Priscilla, the magic goose; Sheila Gaskell as the Fairy of Happiness; Paul Shortt as teh Demon of Discontent and Sheila Davis as the Queen of Gooseland.

Mention must also be made of some enchanting interludes provided by the children of the cast. The producer was Jean Patterson, choreography was by Gillian Hulme and the musical director was Kath Ibbotson.

The Majestic Theatre Group's next production is in October when they will stage the Musical "South Pacific".

 

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"Kiss Me Kate"
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1st to 6th October 2012