Irish Timeswriters review a selection of events.
The Pied Piper
Theatre On The Rock, Belfast
Jane Coyle
With limited financial resources and few frills, but with a whole heap of artistic creativity, Dubbeljoint has joined forces with poet Adrian Mitchell for a second year running to produce a top-quality pantomime which is also a lot of fun.
In the course of his long career, Mitchell - who during the 1960s was closely associated with the influential Liverpool Poets - has forged a distinctive brand of subversive humour with a contemporary beat.
In crafting his own version of Robert Browning's classic poem The Pied Piper of Hamelin, he takes on the political implications of a downtrodden society run by a greedy few and, in the hands of Dubbeljoint, itself no stranger to political activism and protest, he has found plenty of receptive partners.
A first-class professional cast includes Sorcha Meehan as the grasping Lady Saveloy, Vincent Higgins as her power-crazed husband the mayor of Hamelin, Terry O'Neill as their petulant son Egbert, Kieran Cunningham as an Elvis-styled King Rat, the excellent Seanin Brennan as Toffee Jenkins, the girl with a damaged leg who is the soul of the poem, and Tony Devlin as the Pied Piper, who is its heart.
Alongside, a huge gathering of young people play the street vendors, the town children and the stinking sewer rats who invade the cosy little world over which the appalling Saveloys hold sway.
Devlin establishes a tremendous and instant rapport with the audience, and in amongst Mitchell's witty dramatic verse are sidelong swipes at well-known places and politicians to keep the laughter going.
Blend all this with Jim Rainey's great music and Martin Meehan's live playing of the pipes and whistles and the result is a great, warm-hearted evening for the whole family.
Runs until January 6th.
Santa And His Magic Sleigh
The Mill Theatre, Dundrum
Sylvia Thompson
The bland Christmas music that set the scene for the arrival of Polly Greenjeans and her puppet friend Beakio was not a promising start.
Once we meet Polly (Samantha Heaney) busy decorating her home and wrapping presents on Christmas Eve, we can, however, begin to enter into the spirit of things.
From his upstairs window perch, Beakio (Barry Keenan) comments somewhat mockingly on Polly's preparations and even joins in a song or two.
Things get a bit problematic when Dickie Trickster (Oddie Braddell) comes and steals Polly's gifts from under the Christmas tree.
Presents returned, everyone settles down to sleep before Santa's arrival.
And arrive he does, but his sleigh has an unconvincing crash and Santa (Oddie Braddell again) needs a little help from Polly Greenjeans to get back to his all-important annual task.
Then we all sing a song or two and it's all over in an hour.
Sadly, the overall impression was that this touring production from Talisman Theatre Company is a show that has been round the block once too often.
The songs are karaoke-like and with high professional standards now the norm in children's theatre, the entire show simply doesn't meet the grade.
The children did enjoy the audience interactions and keenly sang and shouted back on command. But, unfortunately, the actors themselves didn't surprise us at any point.
Predictability might be a good thing for the three to six-year-old age group that this show is aimed at but, really, they deserve something better than this.
On Friday at 5.30pm; Saturday 2.30pm and 4.30pm
