ACT Reviews 2022-2023 Season

SANTA CLAUS & THE LAST CHRISTMAS by Tom Humphreys Director: Chris Holding Choreography: Cathie Davey Music supplied by backing tracks Lowton O.A.D.S

The ACT pantomime season has begun. This new season it is dominated with all your favourites from Cinderella to Dick Whittington. They are well loved stories but there are other titles with good scripts waiting to be produced. “Santa Claus and the Last Christmas” is one of them. It has ten characters plus ensemble and is a story about the Ice Queen who wants to cancel

Christmas. In the pantomime we meet a host of enjoyable characters and the script has everything you could ask for. Congratulations on sourcing such a script. This group has had to live a nomadic existence in recent times owing to their local civic theatre closing. Then there was Covid 19 and lockdown but this did not dampen spirits, the show will go on and LOADS made sure of that. The stage was set mainly in black with two Christmas arches stage left and right. This was enough for the story telling with a little help from props team. Lighting and sound added atmosphere and In house costumes gave status to the fairytale characters. Can I just mention that there is stage make-up for covering body art. This director knows what works in pantomime. The economy of words of the script left space for pantomime business which brought in the audience. Santa Claus’s Elves took on the roles of “be my friend” Elf, and comedy duo Elves. Winning ingredients that had the audience shouting out. All the numbers and the sing-a-long “Last Christmas” were well chosen. Choreography enhanced the musical content to the delight of the audience.