REVIEW: The Pirates of Penzance, Pocket G&S, Hanger Farm, Totton (From Daily Echo)

REVIEW: The Pirates of Penzance, Pocket G&S, Hanger Farm, Totton

9:51am Thursday 26th July 2012 in Curtain Call

IT WAS a midsummer pantomime that featured all the usual suspects; a swaggering Pirate King, (complete with occasionally malfunctioning hook), energetically played by Adrian Hickford, a thigh-slapping principal boy (another excellent performance from teenage Katherine Evans as Frederic) and director David Tatnall as (predictably) a very funny model of a modern Major General.

The stand-out performances, though, came from Lisa Axworthy (wonderful love-struck facial expressions from a soprano of rare quality) as Mabel, Mark Ponsford (an hilariously camp Sergeant of Police) and Matt Sturgeon as Ruth.

Sturgeon wrung every drop out of the pantomime dame part (don’t sit near the front as I did!) and even led an audience sing-along!

Martin Paterson once again directed musical accompaniment from a talented trio and special mention also for Shaun Dodimead who combined his role as parrot puppet-master with lighting design. You don’t need to ask if these pirates are talented – because they just aaaare!