RuPaul’s Drag Race UK finalist Divina De Campo as evil Queen Morgiana steals the show in this year’s panto at Leicester’s De Montfort Hall. And never mind the poisoned apple, her heels are lethal.
Imagine Theatre and De Montfort Hall have got a great team going behind the annual panto production, with several of the cast and creatives involved for several years now.
Writer Eric Potts keeps the pun count high, along with an acceptable level of rhyming couplets and plenty of Leicestershire-themed references to keep the locals happy. Smut is also kept at safe enough levels, but there’s a good smattering of topical news gags for grown-ups to appreciate.
Queen Morgiana is the epitome of a panto villain, feeding on our boos and hisses, and De Campo embraces the role with skill and relish. Her comic timing, audience interactions and general ‘owning it’ attitude is a joy to behold, and what a voice. Her duet of “Enough is Enough” with Leicester’s own X Factor winner Sam Bailey as the Spirit of the Mirror is a powerhouse of a performance. Bailey is a real audience favourite and delivers a good line in wisecracks to counter De Campo’s withering put-downs.
Comedian Jarred Christmas returns to the De Montfort Hall stage, this time as Muddles, working a good double act with his mum, Nurse Nora (Jack Ballard—I lost count of Nurse Nora’s costume changes, each ensemble more outrageous than the last). The pair of them keep the audience involved with lots of slapstick and silliness, and this year’s interpretation of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” is a cracker.
Choreographer Stuart Rogers does a fine job stepping into Prince Laurence’s breeches and knee-high boots following Gyasi Sheppy’s withdrawal, and his replacement Antony Costa not performing until 17 December. Rogers and Tash Bacarese-Hamilton as Snow White don’t get a huge amount to do in the way of jokes or interaction, but they are sweet together and Snow White comes into her own at the end with her showdown with Queen Morgiana.
The seven dwarves are represented in puppet form by the ensemble, which works well, although their appearance appears to have affected a few tearful younger members of the audience.
Janice Dunn also returns to the De Montfort Hall panto fold as director and makes sure the most is made of the magic of panto, although the pace lagged in act I at times, and a check of the uncomfortable sound level in the musical number as Queen Morgiana’s transforms into the Old Lady is recommended.
Overall, though, this is an entertaining and well-executed panto, with much to join in with and enjoy. My nearly-nine-years-old companion declared it “really fun” and I won’t argue with that.
Reviewer: Sally Jack