RAPUNZEL. To 12 January.
Chipping Norton.
RAPUNZEL
by Simon Brett music by Peter Pontzen.
Chipping Norton Theatre To 12 January 2008.
Tue-Sun various dates 10am, 1.30pm, 4pm, 5pm, 7.30pm.
no performance 18,25 Dec, 1 Jan.
24, 31 Dec 1.30pm & 5pm.
Audio-described 3 Jan 7.30pm.
BSL Signed 4 Jan 7.30pm.
Runs 2hr 5min One interval.
TICKETS: 01608 642350.
www.chippingnortontheatre.com
Review: Timothy Ramsden 6 December.
A pleasant, positive pantomime.
Chipping Norton’s Theatre has undergone its own transformation between last year’s panto and this. It started with a leaking roof. The opportunity’s been taken to convert the theatre’s exhibition area into a space with natural light channels and possible blackout, with a new soundproofed Youth Theatre room built over it.
All this was carried out, from initial architect’s ideas, through planning permission and fundraising of a six-figure sum, with building completed for Rapunzel to open on time this November. After overseeing that, no wonder theatre director Caroline Sharman turns her hand easily to this tale of witches and spells.
Chipping Norton pantos are light, bright, friendly and literate, though Simon Brett’s script contains one limp sexual reference, and a poll-tax pun that died with an audience unborn during the Thatcher premiership, but which apparently goes down a bomb with adult audiences.
Yet it’s distinguished, while blessedly getting on with a story it adapts wildly but takes seriously, by the quality of Brett’s language, something especially apparent in rhyming dialogue and lyrics. These employ wide-ranging, often two or three-syllable rhymes, while there’s a run of puns on herbal names in one of the songs.
Brett picks up too on environmental concern. Wicked witch Malignia keeps the rapunzel plant in her garden, but this is only the start of her eco-predations. As the story proceeds it seems the earth dries up outside her personal terrain. And at the end when, with the skill he’s clearly developed as a crime-writer, Brett has all the elements fall into place, Malignia remains reluctant to be converted to goodness.
Given the severe black garb, pointed-hat and serious cosmetics of Julia Hobbs’ character, it would be strange if the person beneath it all succumbed with Scrooge-like wholeheartedness, and young audiences will doubtless recognise the ambiguity of her conversion.
Otherwise, it’s fun all the way, including Dereck Walker’s good-fairy Dame-substitute learning to overcome indolence and learn the entire alphabet of spells, a lovely heroine from Helen Hurd and a couple of comic dolts, their good and evil characters delightfully combating each other, from Rowan Talbot and Simon McCoy.
Benevola: Dereck Walker.
Gorman: Stuart Slavicky.
Rapunzel Fairy/Woodie the Woodlouse: Catrin Livsey.
Malignia: Julie Hobbs.
Rapunzel: Helen Hurd.
Drumbo/Grumbo: Rowan Talbot.
Dimm/Grimm: Simon McCoy.
Florimond: Lewis Cook.
Blue Pippins: Thomas Burman, Nathaniel Kay, Jessica Rogers, Ilona Weir, Ruby Young, Will Young.
Red Pippins: Jennine Cousins, Laurence Kilsby, Eve Norman, Kitty Parker, Elliot Saunders, Freddie Turner.
Director: Caroline Sharman.
Designer: Simon Higlett.
Lighting: Amy Southeard.
Musical Director: Peter Pontzen.
Choreographer: Tim Claydon.
Costume: Angela Dodson.
Puppets: Alice Bray, Joseph Fairweather Hole.
Sponsor: Chancellors.
2007-12-11 00:42:59