A Midsummer Night's Pantomime

On what seemed destined to be a show-free week for me I was somewhat delighted when Lloyd called me to ask me to the RVT for a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Naturally it was so sweet that somebody was actually asking me to a play and it was even more of a lovely surprise when it turned out that Jonotron, Howard and Griff were there too. Midsummer was a time for revels that seems to have been lost for many years and I thought it a marvelous opportunity for the team in Vauxhall to reclaim the festival and make it their own. And what better way than with this play! Upon arrival I studied the cast list with glee as it seems I had already reviewed each member and they all held a particular affection as promising stars in an increasingly eclectic cabaret firmament.

I can never quite fully take off my reviewer’s hat however and whilst I thoroughly enjoyed the evening’s entertainment I couldn’t help but wonder whether or not this had been a missed opportunity. Nathan Evans, who was responsible for the adaptation and also performed really hit the nail on the head giving relatively large audience just the sort of silly, camp entertainment they wanted. His cast were by and large impeccable. Each one, so used to handling a lively audience and ready and willing with a sly ad lib or an hilarious put-down – sadly ignored by a chattering bunch of late-arrivals right at the front! Rather like Shakespeare’s play this production was a broad, colourful pantomime interspersed with a few musical numbers, rhyming couplets, sauce, filth and audience participation.

Where was the opportunity that had been missed, I hear you ask? Rehearsal. Rehearsal. Rehearsal. The performances just – ONLY JUST - saved this show from looking thrown together the evening before. Nathan Evans – if you are listening – we deserve better than that so look to the future. You need to prepare this in plenty of time for next year. Fine tune the script, get the cast to commit, get access to more funding. Start a tradition. I want to be one of the people who in 10 years time whines on about how I was there when it all began. Make the RVT Midsummer Panto THE thing to do on Midsummer’s Night.
And if you ignore this? Well I may just have to put you over my knee, young man!!!!!