Upon closer inspection, this concert looked intriguing. A puny title would see much love for Poland and the Czech Republic, in a dizzying programme. I know little of Grażyna Bacewicz, a female composer from Poland, her Overture from 1943 came the most turbulent time for the continent in the last century. A pressing snare and various actions are heard in the orchestra, less a sense of jubilance and more of the uncertainty of the time.
Bohuslav Martinů fled to America during the same conflict and continued to write alarming music of acclaim. With soloist Josef Špaček, his Violin Concerto is interesting for a few reasons. The sense of urgency in his work is lesser held here, the slow middle being less effective. Evocations of his native Czech homeland are frequently produced. The violin of Špaček is resounding, his model looks, firm musicianship and audience pleasing tendencies are what make him a star. He shone in the outer fast movements with finesse. An encore of Dvořák’s Humoresques is typical for the themes, if one piece I simply cannot stand. Yet with this fine violinist, I was easily won over by it.
My Polish plus one recalls Witold Lutosławski living over the road in Warsaw. With an extensive career, one of his last commissions saw one from the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 1993. His 4th Symphony is sparse and compelling work has room to inhale, as the strange orchestration leads with jolting dynamics and timbres. Ever an original voice, there might have been an influence of John Cage upon this brief symphonic work. It commanded the hall and Edward Gardner as conductor had a total grip over all. Myself and my plus one agreed it was the most interesting piece of the night.
A wrap up with Janáček’s Taras Bulba, based on the Gogal’s Cossack novella. Ever the Russian culture vulture, the Czech composer is a true one off. This odd piece has highlights for pipe organ and tubular bells, the strings and percussion also remain strong. Perplexing jumping rhythms aside traditional folk songs and absurdly dramatic attacks are Janáček’s forte. I personally don’t think this is his best work, yet it is a gateway to his brilliance. This inspired concert saw a variety of tones, colours and textures and paid off successfully.
Jukebox musicals are always a bit hit and miss for me, in all honesty. Obviously, the songs are the best part; we all know them, we can tap our feet along to songs we already know and love. However, the plot can suffer at the expense of forcing the existing back catalogue to fit a storyline. I must admit, I am exactly the right target audience for this show, having grown up loving Steps and their music. I am happy to report that my worries about jukeboxes were allayed with Here and Now, which found its way into my heart with a great deal of ‘leg shufflin, big grinnin’’ and ‘body spinnin’’ across the Donald Gordon stage.
This is the perfect dose of fun for millennials who grew up with the undeniably catchy songs from Steps. They’re all featured here alongside high-octane dance numbers which feature the whole ensemble and I was unable to stop the grin on my face or the tapping of my feet. The hugely talented ensemble really carries the energetic, exciting dance numbers which utilise the world of the Better Best Bargains supermarket of the tale to great effect; pirouetting shopping trolleys, acrobatic feats from checkouts and a great sequence featuring the supermarket back alley and its wheelie bin. With such upbeat, high tempo songs, the members of the ensemble are the lifeblood of Here and Now and they all really shine.
The plot, in a book penned by Shaun Kitchener, really works here and does give every lead cast member time to shine, with some great moments for the secondary characters too. The friendship group of four, made up of Caz, Vel, Neeta and Robbie all have their moments in the spotlight and are well rounded, believable characters because of it. The script is topical and has genuine moments of heart and hilarity. There is a definite balancing act between the inevitable humour and cheese of a Steps musical but with human moments which are presented with sensitivity and heart. The songs are tied in cleverly with the plot and work well within the confines of the story; they do not feel shoe-horned in at any point, which is the downfall of some jukebox musicals I’ve seen!
The cast is another asset to the show. Our four leads, especially, deserve a mention. Rosie Singha is Neeta and is an absolute tonic in her awkwardness and inability to talk to her crush, Ben. This humour is matched by a beautiful voice with some lovely belts. Dean Rickards was our understudy, Robbie. His vocals were fantastic; soaring during those deceptively difficult Steps power ballads. We began the night with Jacqui Dubois as Vel, loveable and hilarious in equal turns. Sadly, she was indisposed at the interval, which meant we ended the show with Rosemary Anabella Nkrumah, who stepped into Vel’s shoes with ease, matching the energy brought by Dubois with her own distinct take on the character and some lovely vocals throughout the act. Special mention to River Medway, whose spectacular rendition of Chain Reaction in a ethereal world of light up washing machines really brought down the house. The whole cast understand the brief, huge energy, great comic chops and incredible vocals.
Leading the show as Caz, Lara Denning is exceptional. She has some of the most difficult, belted numbers of the show and she delivers in absolute spades. She brings moments of silence to the otherwise loud, excitable audience; my particular favourite was her beautiful rendition of One for Sorrow. She is the ‘mother’ of the group and is instantly believable in this role, her relationship with each character in the friendship group is well defined and heartfelt.
Here and Now has been described as the new Mamma Mia, but does it deserve that accolade, comparing it to a show that has really stood the test of time and has also inspired two films? It’s a resounding yes from me! I grew up with Steps and I was always going to love the music, but this production is far from a Tragedy! Here and Now is a delightfully camp, heartfelt show, with plenty to inspire any jukebox musicals waiting in the wings. From the most established Steps fan, to someone who might know one or two to hum along to, this is a fabulous show which will have you ‘Foot kickin’, finger clickin’, leather slapping’ and even ‘hand clappin’ through every single number.
I’ll handle this review with care. In the first review of the year. A London stop off would see a highly stimulating crossover of cultures at the Barbican. The Theatre of Kiribati and the Britten Sinfonia defied borders and cultural barriers to present Sea Beanth the Skin/Song of the Earth.
The damnation of climate change has deeply impacted Kiribati, the island country profoundly. Polynesia has been under threat for years and recent political upheaval can only increase further tentions. This hefty cry is mirrored rather bizarrely with Mahler’s The Song of the Earth. The stage is tranfixed into a Samoan dwelling, through the aid of lighting, two pillars and other auras. We would hear this German language song cycle spread out over the near two hours, as chants and dances are interspersed.
Jarring would be one word to use here. Yet to see the spiritual offerings from countries so far away from our own was touching. Bone chilling moments came with shrieks, proclamations, fluttering gesticulation and lucid foot work. We wouldn’t be seeing these remarkable moments were it not for this collaboration, yet this is broadly two seperate events stitched together. The theme of nature never evaded Mahler (the words are settings of Chinese verse), this final masterpiece is often heavy as a standalone.
The songs feel very idle in this context, as if a Euorpean ignorance of the bigger picture. There is a wink to the late Robert Wilson, harsh lighting, slow lingering bodies and such. Lemi Ponifasio as director has chosen depth and atmosphere as the most telling markers and this is effective. The Britten Sinfonia appear muted behind the screen, at the back of the stage in their own lone isle. Conductor Nuno Coelho is strong with the reduced ensemble for these songs. Tenor Sean Panikkar get the drunk and lively numbers, with vocal delivery often sharp and ringing. Mezzo Fleur Barron has the bulk of the narrative songs, her delivery often perfumed and touching, with a command of stage presence. The final Farewell song is one of Mahler’s best moments. Rich in horn, winds, harp, celesta and tam-tam phases, it remains extremely impactful. Barron got the stage alone for herself for most of its demands, she caught the wistful acceptance of it all wonderfully.
Curious how this would end (it also was 30 minutes longer than billed), the circle was closed as The Theatre of Kiribati returned with final spiritual honouring’s with more dance, as the stagey sand poured on the floor earlier began to be spread around due to busy feet. Whale song and dreamy sleep would be the finale, as we gently blacked out and wrapped up.
Whilst flawed in principle, this fascinating show sees our small world can come together and perform, play and prove we are all alike.
It’s hard to categorise this show, but it’s essentially a piece of stand up combined with a lot of clowning. The clowning animates an hour-long monologue that circles the issues raised by an obsession, in this case getting married before your twenty-seventh birthday.
There are a number of sketches – narrative moments which take us to a ball, a lunatic asylum and the house of an aged aunt. Jane Austen is invoked along the way, of course, but so is Fleabag, the intention being to show the continuity of the central issue over two hundred years. Love Island is not referenced, probably due to copyright issues. Depth and range are added to the stories by the use of black and white film clips shown on the backdrop which are punctuated by ironic remarks. There are a lot of asides and a lot of audience participation, with one hapless individual being invited on stage to play a prospective suitor. (He told a good joke.)
The monologuer, comedian Rosaline Minnitt, is energetic and friendly. She has an appropriate repertoire of facial expressions, and she flips her tones of voice easily. She can sing and project and imitate accents. She is confident of her material, throwing everything bar the kitchen sink at her subject. There is no let-up, but she wins over her audience completely. I was pleased that in all the verbal torrent there is only one expletive which could have been deleted.
Personally, I was interested and amused rather than blown away. Still, credit where credit is due. Most members of a Saturday night audience at Theatr Clwyd are the ‘wrong’ side of 40 and you might have expected them to be staid and unresponsive but Minnitt got on the right side of them/us straightaway. Everyone sang a bit and we waved little electric lights in the air on cue One of the high points of the evening was an audience member’s rendition of a screech owl’s call.
Not being either overwhelmed or partisan, I was well placed to appreciate how much effort had been put into the show by ensuring the incomprehensible storylines stayed on a crazy track. The technical back up was efficient. Lighting and sound effects happened – apparently – on time and the film clips ran smoothly (things like that have a habit of going wrong on the night).
In the end, the stage was left in a mess, with Clementine’s dolly figures of her parents and 67 sisters mixed up with the scores of love/hate letters that fluttered down at one point, but despite everything she had been doing for an hour, Minnitt still looked fresh and up for her next performance. I’d be curious to see what she and Liebenspiel do get up to next. It would be nice to see her working with or off another performer or two and -tackling a subject a tiny bit more – demanding? Just a suggestion.
It’s a statement that makes sense once you stop asking it to behave. It’s also an excellent way into Meet Fred — a show that invites us to loosen our grip on certainty, definition and systems that insist on being right. Walking into the space to a David Bowie track immediately helps me feel settled. It’s a small act of care that signals this is a room where arrival matters, where bodies and minds are allowed to take their time.
https://youtu.be/J3mPIO-KD_k?si=corN-602V7JqY2-5
Meet Fred is a quietly assured piece of theatre that reflects Hijinx Theatre’s long-standing commitment to reimagining how learning disability is understood, represented, and lived with on stage.
Rather than negotiating with the disability models, the production rejects that school of thought entirely, exposing how institutional frameworks repeatedly fail the very people they claim to support.
At its heart, the show is about identity — how we find out who we are, and how others decide who we should be. Fred reminds us that we can be more than one thing simultaneously.
He is a puppet, (who f*****g loathes the Muppets and don’t get him started about children) He is also sensitive and kind (his attempts to compliment are legendary), foul-mouthed and funny, fearful of change and incandescent with anger at systems that do not work for him. His fury, particularly when directed at the DWP — reimagined as the Department of Work and Puppets — lands with sharp humour while pointing clearly to institutional failure rather than individual deficit.
Structure becomes a form of care. The board outlining each plot point serves as a reminder of what is to come — reassuring, steady, and revealing how much comfort there can be in knowing what happens next. Routine here is not mocked or overcome; it is respected. Access is not added on but fully integrated. The interpreter is woven into the show, moving through the space and responding to the cast in real time.
Responding to subtitles is strange at first — a productive strangeness — reminding us that genuine integration requires adjustment from everyone, to feel at home having 3 languages available simultaneously, not just those most often asked to adapt.
The use of music carry cases is remarkably simple and yet transformative. As they move, the space reshapes itself, demonstrating how environments are continually constructed — and how small shifts can radically change experience.
Each performer is given moments of focus, paying homage to the collective labour and care that animates the piece. I found myself noticing how white the room and the stage were.
It didn’t undo the care or intelligence of the work, but it did linger — a reminder that access and representation are not the same thing, and that some stories are still easier to tell than others. Those moments on stage hold humour, tenderness, and fury — particularly the anger that comes when a support system is removed or withdrawn. This rage is not softened or made palatable; it is held as a justified response to systemic neglect. Silence is one of the production’s most powerful tools. Here, silence feels safe, not abandoning. It slows time, holds the space, and allows us to root for Fred without explanation. Even as a faceless bunraku-style puppet, he feels profoundly human — shaped by attention, care and collective effort.
For those familiar with Housemates, Meet Fred feels like a continuation of Hijinx Theatre’s essential work. It does not ask for a better world — it demonstrates one, and trusts the audience to recognise it.
Meet Fred left me thinking about how often we celebrate access without interrogating who that access is currently working for.
The production models care, patience and integration with clarity and confidence, yet the lingering whiteness of the space suggests that inclusion is never a finished task — even within work that resists dominant systems. This doesn’t diminish the power of the piece. If anything, it sharpens its relevance.
By rejecting institutional logic around disability, Meet Fred opens the door to further questions about race, visibility and whose bodies are most often permitted to take up space — gently, slowly, and without having to explain themselves. Like the show itself, this reflection isn’t a demand. It’s an invitation: to notice, to stay with the discomfort, and to imagine how care might expand if we keep asking who is still missing.
You can find our more about the production and book tickets for the current tour at the link here
Rebecca Reid’s adaptation of the 1992 film of the same name ramps up the tension and psychological thrills as Single White Female takes to the Donald Gordon stage at the WMC. The 34-year-old classic film is brought bang up to date with Reid’s references to social media, Mounjaro, Vinted and Matcha Lattes! It ensures that the story remains timeless and relevant to a modern-day audience.
The set is exceptionally designed; detailed enough to mean we totally believe that we are inside a small city flat shared by mother and daughter, and claustrophobic enough to mean that the tension is ramped up exponentially once the action starts proper. The sound effects of the temperamental building also add to the drama, as both actors and audience react to the sudden moans and groans of the old city block. Light and darkness are used to great effect too, with the stage plunging into darkness for the passage of time with lights streaming around the proscenium arch, showing us both the passage of time and increasing the feeling of unease throughout the audience.
In a small but mighty cast, each actor delivers here, in absolute spades. Lisa Faulkner is completely believable as divorcee Allie; doggedly working to set up her business and make a better life for herself and daughter, Bella. She captures the growing uncertainty around roommate Hedy perfectly, adding complete believability to the final climactic action of the show. Allie’s friend, Graham, is brought perfectly to life by Andro, who ably adds a slice of well needed comedy to the piece. He is a great balance to Faulkner’s Allie.
Jonny McGarrity as Sam and Amy Snudden as Bella complete the cast. Their exchanges as slightly absent father and daughter are delivered very well; their interactions completely believable and realistic. McGarrity walks the line between deadbeat ex and trying father very well, it is very hard to dislike his charming swagger. Snudden captures the physicality of teenage girl with ease, in turns sassy and awkward, clashing with Allie at one moment and craving her mother’s affection in the next.
Kym Marsh portrays Hedy perfectly here, building the unease with expertise. She begins as an incredibly likeable new lodger and the descent into unbalance is cleverly woven into her performance. Her presence is commanding and instantly makes you want to see exactly what the nefarious Hedy is getting up to in this scene!
This could feel like a dated piece with the inspirational material now being over 33 years old, but this is a clever adaptation that is easily accessible whether you’ve seen the source material or not. It’s a great evening of theatre; one that’ll have you gasping and on the edge of your seat throughout.
Based on the hit television series sharing the same name, This production is a well crafted reimagining of ITV’s long-running Inspector Morse, hailed by Radio Times as ‘The greatest British crime series of all time’.
Inspector Morse- House of Ghosts written by Alma Cullen based on the characters by Colin Dexter offers a new generation of Morse fans to take a look behind the scenes of a production of Macbeth and view the unraveling web of lies and deception in real time. Director Anthony Banks plays well with the balance of comedic devices and well placed quips alongside the harsh themes of Suicide, Marital affairs, Deceit and Murder. This adaptation is the first of its kind and is an impressive reimagining from the screen to the stage, staying true to the original tone of the well loved television classic.
The manipulation of perspective allows the cast to shift the audience and place them exactly where they are needed, with limited set this directional choice was fundamental in creating various locations and moments in the piece so that we too are moving with the performers through the story as it unravels.
The titular character of Inspector Morse is played by the notable Actor Tom Chambers who is dedicated in his performance of this beloved character. His physicality was instrumental in capturing the essence of the inspector, blending the inspectors stolid professional life with his desire to peruse a romantic relationship with Ellen. Another performer of note was the delightful Jason Done responsible for the role of the antagonistic Director Lawrence and the contrasting saintly Father Paul. The juxtaposition between these roles allowed us to see the extensive range of the performer, from the notable change in vocal mannerisms to the way in which each character held themselves we were engrossed with Jason’s performance from the moment he entered the auditorium.
Screenshot
Inspector Morse- House of Ghosts at the New Theatre Cardiff is a delightful evening for Morse enthusiasts and fans of detective fiction and mystery alike. The production hides nothing from the exposed wings to the secrets laced within the delicious writing, the lighting and set design much like the writing plays with the light and dark elements of the production. A great evening of entertainment that leaves you wanting more.
It was never going to be easy. The task of staging the celebrated 1982 Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption and the 1994 film version starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman, would be marked by the setting of a very high bar indeed. With this production, writers Owen O’Neill and Dave Johns have met the challenge with aplomb.
The story centres around the miscarriage of justice meted out to Andy Dufresne, who is now serving a double life sentence for murdering his wife and daughter, at the Shawshank Maximum Security Penitentiary (“The Shank”). Narrated via Andy’s friend Red, we learn the fate of the protagonist told over two decades of incarceration, creating a vivid depiction of corruption, bullying and violent abuse.
Joe McFadden (Holby City; winner, Strictly Come Dancing), shines in the role of Andy. Capturing his obvious intelligence and skill in accounting, desire to do anything he can to make the lives of (most of) his fellow inmates a little more tolerable, while at the same time delivering a steely character and a fastidiousness many on the outside would fail to achieve, McFadden manages to inject a boyish charm into the role, difficult to achieve when portraying an alleged double murderer.
The role of Ellis “Red” Redding is played by Ben Onwakwe (London’s Burning; Professor T). Drawing the audience in to the narrative with his witty, sardonic storytelling, Onwakwe is a fitting contrast to McFadden, portraying Red as a world-weary prison fixer who has seen it all. Shout-outs must also go to Kenneth Jay as poor old Brooksie, terrified of gaining parole as he feared lack of purpose on leaving his role as prison librarian, and Bill Ward as Warden Stammas, a frightening figure open to corruption and intimidation with a vicious cruel streak thrown in.
The prison setting worked extremely well in being versatile enough to depict the prisoners’ cells, the courtyard, the refectory and the library with a few deft adjustments. A one-colour greyness enveloped the stage, which is only augmented by the blue denim of the inmates and their drab shirts. With a few more switches of furniture, we are transported to the parole office, all carried out seamlessly and with conviction.
And what a joyous scene to end the play, with Red leaving the prison then a clever switch of scene (kudos here to the lighting team) to a full backdrop of Andy on his long-dreamt-of Mexican beach at sunset in Hawaiian shirt, shorts and sandals. Reminiscent of a Martin Parr colour-saturated photograph, the contrast with, and relief following, the dreary prison interior, was palpable amongst the audience members around me, and a fitting ending to a glorious production.
The productions runs till the 17th Jan. You can find out more and purchase tickets here
We all know the rags-to-riches fairy-tale Cinderella: a beautiful, kind-hearted young woman, stuck scrubbing floors while her stepsister’s parade around in all their wickedness. However, with a little help from her Fairy Godmother, Cinderella is whisked off to the Royal Ball, where she promptly falls in love with the Prince. There’s just one catch- the magic expires at midnight. Cue a frantic exit, one abandoned shoe (sorry, slipper), and a Prince determined to search the entire kingdom for the foot that fits. Spoiler alert: he finds Cinderella and, of course, they live happily ever after. Throw in her bestie, Buttons, a Fairy Godmother with a wardrobe fit for a queen (I’ll let you decide which type of queen!) and a blend of fantastical sets, props and dancing villagers and you’ve got yourself a recipe for a standout Venue Cymru production!
A brilliantly written script, this panto does not disappoint in its nod to tradition with plenty of hilarious one liners, often alluding to well-known North Wales locations, lots of ‘oh no, you didn’ts’ etc., a frenzied 12 Days of Christmas complete with custard pies and, a highlight, Buttons and the Fairy Godmother discussing ‘Billy from Bala’s Bullocks’…you can imagine where this sketch has the potential to go…! The chemistry between John Evans (Buttons) and Simon Nehan (Fairy Godmother/Dame Dolly Penrhyn) is unmistakable- both consummate professionals and no stranger to Venue Cymru’s stage (in fact, Dame Dolly mentions how confusing her feelings are for Buttons as she played his mother last year!) Evans is the master of improvisation and clearly extremely comfortable in this role and Nehan excels as the Dame, with wonderful comic timing and just enough bawdy behaviour!
Another duo with a clear connection is 2025 Britain’s Got Talent finalists Hannah Roberts and Fran Cottington as wicked stepsisters Whitney and Britney Bardashian (see what they did there?!). Both local, Han & Fran are literally ‘living the dream,’ riding on the wave of their talent show success. However, these two are not to be underestimated. They have already proved they can sing and that they’re comfortable in front of the cameras and now this powerhouse pair are conquering the professional theatre world. Both seem very ‘at home’ here and bounce off each other perfectly, neither one stealing the limelight from the other. Performing a laugh-out-loud rewrite of ABBA’s Fernando (an ode to popular restaurant chain Nando’s!) along with other ABBA classics and more, continue like this and Team Han & Fran will no doubt go a long way!
Another local performer is Corrine Cherish who simply shines as Cinderella. Despite being the title character, this role can often be forgettable. However, Cherish truly puts her own stamp on the story’s heroine, and not only does she make a stunning lead, her vocals also stun- no more so than at the end of Act One- as Cinderella makes her way to the ball in her newly transformed coach, Cherish’s soaring vocals, combined with a beautifully magical piece of stagecraft (which I won’t spoil here), create a surprisingly emotional and memorable end to the first half.
This year’s ‘celebrity’ panto stars are Strictly Come Dancing’s AJ Pritchard and his brother, also a professional dancer, best known for Dancing with the Stars, Ireland, and his appearance on Love Island. Unfortunately, both give disappointing performances, often stumbling over lines, and displaying acting talent about as wooden as Cinderella’s broom! I’m not sure I’ve ever attended a production of Cinderella in which the Prince (AJ Pritchard) doesn’t sing at all and, although Curtis Pritchard as Dandini is given a few musical moments, he mimes every time which is very off-putting! I can’t help but think the production would have benefited from some more local talent rather than being reliant on ‘names’ to put bums on seats!
The cast is mostly strong, with a lively and dynamic ensemble who keep the energy up and whimsical, cartoon-like sets, clever lighting design and fabulous costumes all add to the magic. The musical numbers strike a fun balance between timeless classics and modern hits- though, like Cinderella’s night at the ball, some feel a tad rushed. All songs, however, are played live by the company’s fantastic band, led by Musical Director Shaun Critten, who even pops up for his own mini moments in the show, adding an extra sprinkle of charm!
Overall, Venue Cymru’s Cinderella is a true spectacle which could have been propelled to a five-star production with a handful of minor alterations. It was wonderful to see the theatre full on a Sunday afternoon and a pleasure to hear families thoroughly enjoying themselves in the lead up to Christmas. For a feel-good, festive experience with lots of laughs and local talent, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend a visit to Venue Cymru this panto-season!
Cinderella. Venue Cymru, Llandudno Friday December 12th, 2025- Saturday January 3rd, 2026 Cinderella | Venue Cymru
CAST AJ Pritchard Curtis Pritchard John Evans Hannah Roberts Fran Cottington Simon Nehan Corrine Cherish Ella Goody Connor Pearson Sadie Wagstaff Sam Woods
CREATIVE TEAM Associate Producer Laura Taylor Second Associate Producer Jo Longworth Writer Tam Ryan Director Alli Coyne Choreographer Eddie Slattery Musical Arranger Steve Clark Musical Director Shaun Critten Lighting Designer Ben Payne Sound Designer Matt Karmios
BAND Md/Keys Shaun Critten Drums Michael ‘Ozzie’ Osborn Bass Dominic Palmer
FOR CINDERELLA Production Manager Andy Pye Company Manager Matthew Ollerhead Deputy Stage Manager Heather Milne Assistant Stage Manager Mali Barratt Wardrobe Supervisor Paula Cain Wardrobe Assistant Imogen Duke Dresser Alaw Broster Production Carpenter Simon Somerset Holmes Lighting Programmer Sophie Schmidt Production Sound Matt Gibson Sound No 1 Jason Jones Dance Captain Ella Goodie
The Riverfront in Newport presents its 20th year of pantomime and invites the audience to ‘let their hair down’ with the classic tale of Rapunzel! This is a great, bang up to date, version of the fairytale, with some fantastic song choices, hugely energetic dance routines and a super talented cast and ensemble.
I loved the use of the full stage area, including the side balconies to introduce Rapunzel’s parents, the king and the queen, and for our first view of Rapunzel herself. The set is impressive; the transitions between scenes are also particularly slick. I loved the village with its bright colours, the bottom of the tower and the internal of Rapunzel’s tower. There are some lovely touches, including a swing made of plaits for Rapunzel to sing ‘Unwritten’ on and at one point the evil Ceridwen bounds onto the stage from a trap door.
I really enjoyed the traditional mixed with the modern. There were so many 2025 trends in this pantomime, I could barely keep up! Of course, the ‘6, 7’ obsession makes an appearance, we have ‘Golden’ sung by Ceridwen and Gruff, Jet 2 Holidays gets an outing of its jingle and many more. There’s plenty of the traditional too, which are performed with precision and expertise. There was a great ‘ghost’ scene, but featuring a bear, and the songsheet also utilised the ‘bear’ theme and was led with aplomb by Muddles (Richard Ellis).
The cast are full of vigour and the joy of Christmas as they each hold the audience in the palm of their hands. I especially enjoyed Gareth Tempest as Dame Winnie Wiggins, though I must say, my favourite part was the rather unscripted section where his wig fell off! He is an hilarious dame though, exactly understanding the brief. Delivering inuendo that goes straight over little ones’ heads one minute, and bringing delightful family humour the next. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard as I did during the quick costume change for ‘Pink Pony Club’ which was a moment of pure panto magic.
The cast is brilliant all round, each bringing their own unique spin to the characters. I also thought the ensemble were excellent, including the children. The dancing was high quality and delivered with such passion and sheer enjoyment that it was a joy to behold. The children’s ensemble also held their own and it was nice to see them have a good deal of involvement with the plot.
In its 20th year of producing pantomime, it’s safe to say that The Riverfront continues to deliver pantomimes that are punchy, energetic, incredibly humorous, traditional yet with a distinct modern flavour. There’s definitely something for the whole family here, which means that everyone, no matter how young or old will have a fabulous time at the Newport pantomime!
Creating opportunities for a diverse range of people to experience and respond to sport, arts, culture and live events. / Lleisiau amrywiol o Gymru yn ymateb i'r celfyddydau a digwyddiadau byw
(4 / 5)
(3 / 5)
(3.5 / 5)
