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THE Attic Panto is back on form at the Aberdeen Arts Centre, with a
splendid production of Sleeping Beauty.
A
packed house was brought to the brink of near hysteria by a talented
cast bent on extracting every last decibel from the eager kids.
Meanwhile mums and dads were swept along by the mayhem and an
excellent time was had by all.
Producer Frank Campbell has obviously worked hard on this panto,
shaping a largely inexperienced chorus into a team of crack
performers, topped up with a powerful lineup of first class
principals.
All
the usual panto ingredients have been poured into Sleeping Beauty,
with a few added surprises for maximum impact.
Stunning sets and over-the-top costumes, a genuine pantomime horse
and a mischievous cat combined with brain splitting special effects
lifted this panto way above recent years' productions.
Definitely the most sensational moment of the panto (apart from Dora
the cook's striptease hilariously delivered bu David Fearns) was the
destruction of the wicked fairy's castle.
Achieving an effect of this magnitude on the Arts Centre stage
really was a feat of tremendous daring. And, boy, did it workk
with a vengeance!
The
sight of the wicked fairy, brilliantly played by Muriel McDougall,
hoisted into the air amid smoke and lightning must have sent the
Arts Centre running for insurance cover.
Attic
regulars, like the outrageous David Fearns, the gifted Gavin
Davidson and the talented Carol Duncan, kept the kids on the edge of
their seats. While Dabbie Boyd made an extremely attractive
thigh-slapping Prince Splendid.
But
this is a panto full of stars, young and old, and believe me you
will be seeing stars by the end of it.
If
you are lucky enough to have a ticket for Sleeping Beauty be
prepared for a great night out.
Roddy Philips
Friday 6 December 1991 |
