Lakeside Little Theatre’s first pantomime “Sinderella,” officially described as an adult musical comedy, is a novel experience for most members of the audience unfamiliar with this intrinsically British Christmas family entertainment.
Directed by Paul Kloegman, visiting from Canada, this version of Cinderella was created by LLT First Vice-President Dave McIntosh, who also helped to direct the show and assisted Musical Director Ann Swiston and Choreographer Heather Hunter too.
Pianist, former CREM student and current Viva scholarship winner Rodrigo Leal opens the show in traditional style and skillfully provides the musical accompaniment for singers and dancers throughout.
Guided in etiquette by Buttons (Kloegman), the audience quickly grasps that the “fourth wall” (the invisible barrier between the actors and the audience) and audience decorum do not exist in “panto,” enthusiastically hissing and booing cruel Baroness Hard-Up (Patricia Guy) whenever she appears. At one point, to everyone’s delight, provoking her to respond, “Oh, hiss off!” As patrons report, “It is so neat to be able to join in and answer back!”
Conventionally, the major roles are usually cross-cast with women playing the leading male roles, while male actors play the “pantomime dame” and other comedic female characters.
Departing from this tradition, LLT’s “Ugly Sisters” Loosy (Ann Loebach) and Goosy (Wendy Peterson) are played by women, while men are cast as Prince Charming (Gabriel Casillas) and Dandini (Greg Clarke).
This is rather disconcerting for anyone raised on Christmas pantomimes who is more accustomed to leading “men” wearing fishnet tights and stilettos. Their lovely singing, however, more than compensates for this decision.
The cross-casting exception is Rob Stupple – the ultimate pantomime dame! His interpretation of fairy Gossamer is priceless, especially his age-adjusted version of Arthur Le Clerq’s “Nobody Loves a Fairy When She’s Forty.”
Amaranta Santos’ performance as Sinderella is outstanding, not least because she’s still battling a persistent bronchial infection. She valiantly sings her demanding role, while her beautiful voice is still recovering.
The panto’s inherently cheeky humor has the audience roaring with laughter throughout, with such groan-worthy gags as Buttons’ “Our doctor said, ‘Cialis,’ but Alice doesn’t live here any more.” Or Loosy and Goosy’s “Sheepdog bra”: “Which rounds ‘em up and points ‘em in the right direction.”
Meanwhile the mental image of Santos gleefully wielding a pair of garden shears as she goes off to “help the ugly sisters with their depilation,” is unforgettable!
All the essential elements are included. A pumpkin cleverly becomes a golden coach and the Ugly Sisters’ zany attempts to fit into the abandoned glass slipper and win the Prince are very funny. There are also surprises, one of which involves a remarkable goblin’s alter ego.
Although the storyline loosely follows the usual path, it does get rather bewildering at times. The incongruous addition of dancing and singing goblins (Allyson de Jong, Catherine Huff, Heather Hunter and Abril Iñiguez) is confusing. Equally inexplicably, “Neil Diamond” (Dana Douin) turns up at the ball, singing “Sweet Caroline.” Yes, he certainly does sing well, but what on earth’s his character doing there?
The well-dressed cast includes Baron Hard-Up (Fred Koesling), King and Queen Charming (Peter Luciano and Catherine Gonzales), the Hard-Ups’ servants (Connie Davis, Jutta McAdam, Margaret Presutti) and royal servants (Judy McKinnon, Graham Miller, Garry Peerless).
The latter group accompanies Prince Charming and Dandini into the intriguingly portable, three-tree forest, taking charge of the pairs’ donkey-headed hobbyhorses and delivering coconut-shell sound effects of hooves, as required.
Led by the Ugly Sisters, the whole company’s version of “I Love to Boogie” is fun, well synchronized and replays in your head all the way home.
An unusual production, it includes far more music and dance than convention demands and everyone has obviously worked very hard. Unusually for LLT, it lacks the necessary polish and it shows, especially during the whole company numbers and dance elements, apparently due to drastically reduced rehearsal schedules due to October holidays, combined with first night nerves. Nevertheless, LLT’s “Sinderella” certainly provides its audiences with a comprehensive and very enjoyable introduction to the quintessential British pantomime experience.
Stage Manager: Win McIntosh. Assistant Stage Manager: Sandy Jakubek. Set Design: Dana Douin; Set Construction: Richard Bansbach, Niels Petersen, Rick Bleier, Jon Kollin, Bryan Selesky, Joel Smith, Terry Soden, Richard Thompson, Nick Van Dinter, Ian White; Decor: Dana Douin, Roberta Hilleman, Susan Smith, Sonia Mocnik, Elizabeth Reinheimer. Props: Barb Duffus. Speciality Stage Props: David Hutchinson, Lynn Phelan. Wardrobe: Sherolyn Gregory, Paulette Coburn. Wigs & Hair: Kathleen Morris, Maureen Renz. Dressers: Deb Kloegman & her team. Sound: David Hutchinson. Lighting: Richard Roche, Garry Peerless, Alan Bowers, Debra Bowers. Makeup: Maryanne Gibbard, Sandy Topazio and the team.