Homo Alone (The Other Palace, London)
Verdict: Camp as Christmas
Bobby Delaney and Jodie Prenger have given a camp makeover to one of the most popular Christmas movies, and it’s full of laughs.
Kate (Allie Dart) is oblivious to the fact that her husband Peter (Jack North) is screamingly gay, while their teenage son Buzz (Steph Asamoah) bullies eight-year-old Kevin (Elliott Evans, suitably boyish), who is himself about to come out – just as the family are leaving for Christmas in Paris.
The actors double up in roles in a delightfully silly story involving songs and some terrific choreography by Dale White; the singing is top notch, even if the songs aren’t memorable.
One can’t fault the ambition of the writers and director Alex Jackson in trying to recreate some of the film’s cartoonish violence as the left-behind Kevin thwarts two burglars, but it doesn’t work on the studio’s tiny stage — although Louie Whitemore’s set is a delight.
But overall this is a hoot, much helped by a cast who throw themselves into it with gusto.
Until January 5 (theotherpalace.co.uk)
Bobby Delaney and Jodie Prenger have given a camp makeover to one of the most popular Christmas movies, and it’s full of laughs
Beauty And The Beast (Richmond Theatre, London)
Verdict: Two shows in one
Beauty And The Beast isn’t really a pantomime plot, but writer Alan McHugh and director Paul Robinson have used it for the basis of their new show — with mixed results.
Maureen Lipman has temporarily left Coronation Street’s cobbles to become Mrs Potty, housekeeper to the Beast (Luke McCall), doomed to live in Richmond Castle until he learns how to love.
Along with Belle (Hope Dawe), they’re the only characters you might recognise from the original story, as the creators take some liberties, shoe-horning characters in to make the panto work. Sometimes the two elements meld, at others it feels like we’re watching two separate shows.
Mr McHugh’s script is gag-filled, and comedy is the show’s strong point, with Ms Lipman showing she has great timing, while magician Pete Firman as her son Silly Billy does tricks and impressive audience work.
It looks lovely and sparkly and, while there may not be an obvious villain for youngsters to boo and hiss, it’s still pretty fun.
Until January 5 (atgtickets.com)
Maureen Lipman has temporarily left Coronation Street’s cobbles to become Mrs Potty, housekeeper to the Beast
Pinocchio (Theatre Royal, Stratford East, London)
Verdict: Wooden
Pinocchio is not a folk tale usually associated with pantomime — and perhaps for good reason, if this goodhearted but wooden production (book and lyrics by Trish Cooke, music and lyrics by Robert Hyman) is anything to go by.
The creatives (and director Omar F. Okai) have simplified the original text, as we see the lonely carpenter Geppetto (Tok Morakinyo) create Pinocchio (the splendid Dylan Collymore), and then how the little wooden boy is tempted by the Sly Fox (Rushand Chambers) and Miss Kat (Jhanaica Van Mook).
But the script is short on laughs, and the show — which I saw at its final preview — has longueurs; even the jaunty music struggles to lift the mood at times.
The Blue Rinse Fairy (Michael Bertenshaw) feels like a Dame role that has been crowbarred into the story and really jars.
Maybe Pinocchio is too complicated a story to work in an artform like panto. It’s essentially a morality tale that, in this iteration, just sounds preachy.
Until January 4 (stratfordeast.com)
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