Worksop: Mother Goose was all in the best panto traditions

There is something about pantomime that only us British really understand.

A Canadian friend of mine who was over for Christmas a couple of years ago, went to see one and came out totally confused saying she didn’t get it at all and what were we doing?

And it can be confusing. The main female lead is played by a man and the main male lead is played by a girl and has to pretend she’s in love with another girl but it’s okay because she’s being a man.

No wonder foreigners think we’re mad.

But so what? We British love our pantomime and lashings of the sort of humour and traditions that have served us well for many a year were on offer when Worksop Light Operatic Society presented Mother Goose at The Acron Theatre.

The story of a poor mother and son who hit the jackpot when their goose suddenly starts laying golden eggs is a traditional one, originally from Aesop’s fable and was one that warned against greed in the face of good fortune.

However, this production was all about humour, song and dance, helped out by young members of Rebecca’s Dance Studios.

The songs were good too and the Eric Morecambe moment during Bring Me Sunshine was brilliant.

Joanne Lassmans and Zoe Nelson made a fine duo as Jack and Amy, while Graham Berridge (Lord Lott), Michelle Holland (Cedric Clanger) and Margaret Denham (Mayoress) were all good in their roles.

Jean Chambers who was a nice comic turn as Fairy Thistledown and Elaine Rix found boundless energy to dance in a large goose outfit.

But star of the show was Lloyd Haskins as the bumbling Mother Goose.

Good when he was on script, he was at his best when things frequently departed from what was written down with his asides, ad libs and comic interaction with the audience.

In other words, just what panto is all about.

‘That was a lot of fun’, said one audience member at the end. And it was.

John Smith

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