Reviews

The company has just completed its run of the pantomime Treasure Island at the Pavilion Theatre Gorleston.

 

 

Treasure Island – Gorleston Pavilion

With timbers suitably shivered Gorleston Theatre Company swashbuckled their way through a show which saw them sailing to new heights. Treasure Island might be unchartered pantomime waters but director Marilyn Durrant and assistant David Emmerson steered them on a course of performing excellence.

Coming later in January GTC wisely select something different. Treasure Island provided a great story which linked traditional panto elements with pirates, buried treasure and Robinson Crusoe. Although no biographical detail was given in the programme I salute writers Toby Bradford and Tina Webster whoever you are for one of the brightest scripts I’ve heard – with added references from the company which saw even celebrity chef Anthony Worrall Thompson’s recent misdemeanor at Tesco getting a hot off the press mention. Full marks for topicality!

The entire show was packed with originality, a visual feast in both the costume and scenery departments with the added bonus of a clever ultra violet sequence, played to the theme of Pirates of the Caribbean. The choreography from Charlotte Woolton and Jayne King was lively, especially with the two numbers from the juniors. Their tap-dancing hornpipe – all teeth and smiles – was a particular highlight. Full marks too for a sword fight which actually looked realistic.

And what a hand-picked cast of principals! There were so many characters and thus so much interest.

Adam Walsh and David Cooper were the duo of comedy pirates who immediately had Saturday afternoon’s full house on side; Victoria Skoyles and Katy Waterfield provided the love interest and a lovely blend of voices; Chris Darnell was in his element as a comic baddie Long John Silver, never better than when he ad-libbed his way out of forgotten lines or heckling from the audience.

Clinton Wright is a great dame. He played it for clean laughs as a bloke in an increasingly outlandish series of frocks. So good to have him back. And – whatevvah – I loved the Essex girl Good Fairy of Julie Darnell with her mobile;and the human parrot which was Angie Smith on a swing in a colourful costume and nice line in biting sarcasm as she got her claws into everyone.  She and Fairy Julie’s voices also worked well in the duet ,Loathing.

Then there was the Robinson Crusoe of Matthew Canwell, swopping animal skins and becoming a Terry-Thomas roué in a blazer. He’d long since settled on Treasure Island with a bevies of beauties and opened a nightclub (as if you couldn’t have guessed !) This not only provided plenty of humour but also gave the perfect excuse to lead into a Copacabana finale at his club complete with leggy showgirls and sparkling feathered costumes.  It was a spectacular finale to a show which was accompanied with live music directed by Nick Ball.

Having been reviewing GTC on and off for the Yarmouth Mercury since January 1969 I can honestly say this was outstanding entertainment and the group can be justifiably proud. If only they could get the sound right – having mikes making guest appearances for songs yet making us strain to hear dialogue makes no sense at all. Please CTG,sort this out once and for all and make us our happiness complete.

Tony Mallion
January 2012