Jan
06
The idea of travelling from the rugged West to the Big Smoke always unleashed a sporadic burst of headaches and nausea before the journey even started. But the new motorway (M6) linking the first city in the Republic directly to the Capital in just a two hour journey suddenly seemed enticing. And so The Kelly Family packed the bags, grabbed the fruit pastilles and hit the newly opened road to our first ever Dublin Panto!
Panto Review: Jack and the Beanstalk
As the short journey took place I reminisced about my days going to our own Galway (Renmore) Pantomime. Indeed these flashbacks were not filled with happy memories but more in having the living crap scared out of me by the green-faced Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz. But this time I was ready.
Wow, two hours later and we were driving outside Heuston Station. A bit of afternoon traffic but overall we were happy with the speed of our journey. Just another few minutes and we’ll be at our hotel on Camden Street.
Now, not to bore you with what happened over the next 90mins but let’s just say we got completely lost, and ended up travelling through every major and backward road in Dublin City, getting beeped and flashed at, arriving on pedestrianised streets, avoiding one way streets and ending up on tram lines –let’s just say it took a while before we found our hotel –by complete fluke. At this point I would like to commend the 10 different Taxi Drivers that kept giving us directions.
Anyways we were still on good time and a whole bunch of us fled just off Grafton Street to the magical Gaiety Theatre to see Jack & The Beanstalk. Already the interior décor and buzzing atmosphere as the crowds bustled in was promising something special for this afternoon matinee.
We grabbed our seats after a bit of negotiating with those who failed to read the difference between Row A and Row B, but we took our front row balcony seats just as the music started bellowing from the Orchestra tucked in under the stage. And so moments later the stage lit up and a feast of colourful smiling energetic actors and dancers bounced out onto the boards and entertained us for the next two hours.
The last time I was at a big theatre show was The Sound Of Music at The London Palladium, and I’m proud to now say the Irish can do just as good a job. The set design was charismatic, colourful and had that ‘Once Upon A Time…’ feel to it. The music was all the latest hits from The Black Eyed Peas to a sing-a-long version of Miley Cyrus’ Hoe Down. Of course another artist who’s hugely popular with youngsters now is Michael Jackson and so some of his greatest hits were also mixed in with the show.
Jack & Jill were our main characters. Jack was played by George McMahon aka Mondo of Fair City and star of Custer’s Last Stand-Up. I must admit that during the show I found a great respect for McMahon and the art of Panto following his consist, strong, and charming performance. For an adult stuck in a room full of kids screaming ‘He’s behind YOU!’ it’s great to see the cast spark with enthusiasm and love of what they are doing.
Jill was played by the beautiful Leanne Moore. Winner of You’re A Star a few moons ago. This woman has such a stunning voice. Her acting skills fitted in perfectly with the style of panto and didn’t slip over-the-top nor did she stray to try and impress us as the next Meryl Streep. Although the on-stage chemistry between Jack & Jill didn’t explode off the stage, that did gave the younger gentlemen in the audience a little satisfaction with an air of hope in maybe one day eloping with the young star. The remaining gentlemen kept leaning forward in their seats with cheeky grins as Fifi The Fairy (played by Louise Lenihan) kept arriving on stage with a bang in a short short skirt, and tight tight corset. Although I was the only one in the group who felt she lacked the power in rousing an audience, she was still an asset to the production.
The only negative analysis of the show created a civil war amongst the family, which was whether The Dame (Garry Mountaine) was great or terribly poor. I feel I’ve seen better, but maybe it’s hard to create enough personality on stage if the script doesn’t allow it. Richie Hayes who has his own drama school in Waterford played Slow Seán and was one of the real gems. Although I thought the script went into overkill on him not being the tallest person in the production. Michael Grennell played The Baddie aka Felix Fleshcreep and he was excellent and thankfully not too scary. I didn’t hear or see one tear shed by a child, instead he did what every Panto Baddie should do –create the boos but bring some laughs. His thirty years experience as an actor shun on the stage. And Michael Joseph who played Garavan Gobdaw also added something special to the show and indeed had the gift of pulling off some great comical facial expressions. Unfortunately some of the dancers were out of synch and there was one fella who was a disaster of a dance partner in not being able to lift his petite lady off the ground like the others and letting her fall-over at one stage, but it’s Panto not West End and overall it was thoroughly enjoyable.
Afterwards I realised how important and special it was for the whole family having travelled, although on a bit of a round-about journey, to the Panto together. As the show finished, we were all beaming with smiles on our faces. Most local productions only last a couple of weeks, where this one runs from the end of November till the end of January allowing plenty of time to schedule in a date for everyone. The music, the design, the choregraphy, the acting, the singing, was all fantastic. I would recommend everyone who wants to mark a special memory in their cycle of life with their loved ones by booking a family day out and heading off to a panto that is done extremely well and this one is. Well done to all involved.
By the way, for next year’s show, Aladdin, I’ve promised myself I’ll be arriving with my Sat Nav!
Jack and The Beanstalk (The Gaiety Theatre) 29 November 2009 - 31 January 2010
Article by Garry Kelly.
Check Out www.thegkshow.com.
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