REVIEW:

Much Ado about Panto

Bishopstoke Players, Bishopstoke Memorial Hall

DEBUT Director Adrian Barrett's pantomime version of how 'Bill' Shakespeare (Rob Beadle, charming and appealing but without a hint of gravitas) travels to London to commence his theatrical career has many promising ingredients – Drew Craddock splendidly booable as villainous Lord Larceny, planning to rob the bard's first night takings, Louisa Asquith and Colin Carter making a good duo as actors and reformed villains Stage and Coach, a press gang formed of delightful junior Players and led sternly by officer Borders (Sasha Flitney), with no less than three Dames in Mark Woodcock as Bill's venal mother-in-law and Richard Bevis-Lacey and Dale Yarney as Larceny's conjoined twin daughters – but somehow, at least on its first night, the show doesn't take off quite as it should.

Some bounce and wit comes from Olivia Clarke and Alison Pugh and Julias Forster and Wheeler's costumes - 'Wally' Raleigh and Lizzie One especially memorable.

Ham Quentin