Has panto had its day? Oh no it hasn't

It’s panto season again in the theatres around the country – here’s a rundown of some of the perennial family favourites playing on Irish stages over the holidays

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Cork Opera House

From the gilded proscenium arches to blizzards of glitter, this Opera House production is a resounding testament to Bryan Flynn’s mastery of spectacle. He’s not the only virtuoso; wig, hair and make-up designer Jennie Readman’s exaggerated work is rivalled by that of lighting designer Mick Hurley, by the gorgeous costumes of Helga Wood, and by set co-ordinator Joe Stockdale and stage manager Aisling Fitzgerald; this group have to control changes of wigs, costumes and backdrops, the clothes changing so rapidly that at one point a character can be seen trying to emerge from one garment while dashing into the wings for another.

The dance routines, and all the changes they demand, are skilful and sophisticated. Led by Dance Captain Sam Hales, they display David O’Connor’s choreography at its glamorous best, even allowing for the somewhat uneven introduction of the junior teams. The individual voices are pitched without mercy at shriek level so that, with the exception of a Ben Morris solo, all tone and finesse is lost, but the choral work is brightly aligned to conductor Ronan Houlihan.

Colour and movement cascade ceaselessly across the stage and there is a strong engagement with the younger audience, some still wearing bibs, and with their parents and guardians, although some of these might wonder why prodigious farts are part of the action and why it is acceptable in a pantomime to describe some characters as “crapping themselves”. Any doubts however are suppressed by the appearence of George Hook, first as the genie in the mirror and then, less convincingly, as himself. Maeve Curry does her appealing best as Snow White and Ben Morris tries to make the woodsman-turned-prince someway probable, but they are denied by an unwieldy script (Flynn and Killian Donnelly) in which the jokes are laboured at best and crude at worst.

Inevitably, it's the wicked queen who does best in this imbroglio, with George Hanover showering flames from every fingertip and crowning her commanding presence by flying off on her broomstick. The mixture of pop- culture references from Gleeto The X Factor,strident sound effects and the competent use of all the technical resources of the Opera House make this pantomime enormously entertaining, largely because it is ultimately overwhelmed by Flynn's irresistible fascination with the spectacular.

– Mary Leland

Runs until January 16th

Jack and the Beanstalk

Helix Theatre, Dublin

It is one of the more curious quirks of the pantomime that the villain always steals the show. The pantomime exists in the simple world of fairy tales, where happy-ever-afters are guaranteed. If that makes the baddies less threatening, it also makes them more likeable, and in Karl Harpur's version of Jack and the Beanstalkfor TheatreworX at the Helix, Lord Flatulant (the last 't' is silent) is the unequivocal star. Eoin Cannon's Flatulant, Baron of Ballybrutal, is evil, yes, but he is also dapper and charming and the cheers drown out the boos as he joins the virtuous Jack (George McMahon) and Jill (Emma Warren) to take his bow.

Indeed, Harpur's reworked version of Jack and the Beanstalkalmost relegates the traditional details of the fairy tale to the background. It is not until the end of the first half that the infamous magic beans are even mentioned, while the Giant makes only a brief appearance. Thankfully. While this Giant is not actually that frightening — all he wants is his hen back, not to dine on any Irishmen – the cinematic techniques in Claire Tighe's direction are so effective that he might be a bit much for the under-fives to take.

However, younger and older children alike will have fun shouting catchphrases back at Unbelievable Man and the Baron’s simpleton sidekicks Anto and Deco. And grown-ups will laugh along at the topical tidbits: Governmental insults and political digs. The traditional audience dance comes a little late in the action – it is a coda rather than an integrated part of the action – but on the Sunday of my visit even the grown-ups were happy to get groovy to the soundtrack which, for more than two hours, kept the whole family entertained.

Sara Keating

Runs until January 15th

Aladdin

Gaiety Theatre, Dublin

Even with the threat of blizzards and complete financial meltdown, there was almost a full house for the opening night of Dublin’s longest-running traditional pantomime.

We can blame the weather for the show starting over half an hour late but director, Daryn Crosbie must bear some responsibility for the lack of pizzazz in the first half of the show. It is only when Widow O’Twankey (Garry Mountaine) joined Aladdin (Fra Fee with his charming soft Northern Irish accent), Garda Pong (Michael Grennell) and Wishee Washee (Richie Hayes) that the fun began. In fact, Garry Mountaine – in his extravagant costumes and hilarious headpieces – shone throughout the show.

Scriptwriter Paul Elliott kept pretty much to the traditional story and didn't give the adults many political jokes, while Brittany Woodrow was a beautiful energetic genie whose performance of Lady Gaga's Bad Romance– alongside some stylish aerial dancers and kaleidoscopic circles of light – was one of the high points of the night.

Declaring his love for Princess Jasmine (Una Pedreschi) early on in the show, Aladdin skipped his way through the performance – his flute playing was a novel and elegant reminder of the lively musicians, directed below the stage by Peter Beckett. Boyzone’s Mikey Graham worked hard as the evil Abanazar and the use of Louis Walsh’s voice as Master of the World resonated well. Garda Pong, however, was disappointing when we remember how he emanated pure evil in past performances as a panto baddie.

All in all, the Christmas pantomime at the Gaiety held its own as an essential part of Christmas and the second half of the show energised us all for the journey home through the snow.

- Sylvia Thompson

Runs until January 30th

Sinbad and the Sea Pirates

Everyman Theatre, Cork

Led by Director Catherine Mahon-Buckley, the creative team behind Sinbad and the Sea Piratesat the Everyman Palace stays so loyal to the pantomime formula that the result is a little like painting by numbers.

Watercolours, of course, with a mermaid heroine – and some of designer Davy Dummigan’s best scenes set on the ocean floor. The script by Martin Higgins allows a Riverdance sequence, which had the majority in the auditorium enthralled and a minority merely amused – but that’s exactly the balance which a panto, to be successfully true to its kind, has to keep.

On the crowded Everyman stage, there are some hectic moments of activity which only discipline and drilling can overcome. All this adds to the spectacle, but it also means that the rare finer points of the plot are completely lost on the youngsters.

Marcus Bale, Michael Sands and Paul Creighton bring their villainous characters to life with flair and relish, and even have a few witty lines. But subtlety has no place in pantomime; the broader but well-delivered comedy of Fionula Linehan is more to the juvenile taste, while romantic leads Bronwyn Andrews as the mermaid and Sean Carey as Sinbad give professional and unstinting performances which win all susceptible hearts. Equally winning are the junior singers and dancers whose combination of skill and enthusiasm sets up a delighted rapport with their audience.

In this CADA/ Everyman Palace Theatre presentation musical director Eamon Nash keeps his small band in time and in tune, but the fact that exaggerated accents become incomprehensible when further exaggerated by amplification proves a problem.

– Mary Leland

Runs until January 9th

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Grand Opera House, Belfast

The city-centre traffic is gridlocked, students are revolting, the continental market outside the City Hall is full to the gills and Dame May McFettridge has taken up residence in the Grand Opera House for several weeks. Welcome to Christmas in Belfast. Recession aside, revellers of all ages are only delighted to glam up for the night and step out in droves for what has become a staple element in the festive season. The formula may be predictable, the script may be thin, the dancing may be over-enthusiastic, the filler may be inches thick, but the punters just can’t get enough of it.

McFettridge’s bouncy-bosomed Nurse May, Lesley Joseph’s raunchy Queen Lucretia and Aidan O’Neill’s endearingly mixed up Muddles are the stars of the show. McFettridge is in especially sparky form, directing her acid humour at unfortunate audience members and taking cruel comic swipes at the English. But Joseph is more than a match for her, feigning confusion at the Northern accents and flying high into the auditorium in a spectacular special effect.

The children cast as the jolly dwarves have their body language off perfectly, and it is left to Fame the Musicalfinalist Sarah O'Connor as Snow White and swashbuckling Mark Adamson as Prince Danny to fall instantly in love, sing in tune and pose prettily in the usual blindingly glittering finale to bring the evening to a satisfactory close.

- Jane Coyle

Runs until January 22nd