A Small Mind At The Theatre

Panto season is now in full fling and for the latest show, it was Destination MK and Milton Keynes Theatre and Crossroads Pantomimes' new version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarf s. The question is, was the journey to a fairytale land filled with television personalities worth it? Well, in a way, yes, as it provided an evening of entertainment in a way only a chaotic pantomime could provide. However, the complete package was saddled down sadly by a collection of often weak scenes and far too much bigging up the stars of the show. In fact, you could nearly be forgiven for almost missing the story of Snow White itself, such as it was playing second fiddle to a collection of sketches written for the performers. Top billing on the show was Lesley Joseph, hot on the heels of her appearance at MK in Sister Act , as Queen Dragonella. Joseph gave a very sprightly performance in her role but like much of the problem with this show, far too much was about Lesley Joseph rather than Queen Dr...

Panto season is back, and much as it often pains a scared reviewer, it is my duty to venture into the screaming pit of children, bad puns, water fights and blokes dressed as women, and give you the lowdown on what pantos you should see and oh what you shouldn't. I haven't seen a big professional theatre panto since 2019, due to "events", and my return saw also my first encounter here with whom I understand are panto greats, Evolution Productions, and their new version of Jack and the Beanstalk . My previous panto world at Royal & Derngate had consisted of Qdos Entertainment pantos, and for the best part, well, they were a little bit poor. So, can these big guns provide better? My routine quick answer is an absolute yes. This is a cracking show and a wonderful evening (or afternoon) of entertainment. Written by Paul Hendy, it is a sharp, modern reworking of the classic tale, complete with an up-to-date angle on the baddie at the top of the beanstalk and the nefari...