Mother Goose – The Customs House
27th November 2024
Invited | Review by Stephen Stokoe
Photo Credit: Benjamin Michael Smith
Pantomime season is upon us – oh yes it is! And the little panto with the big heart is back this year bigger and better with Mother Goose at The Customs House who traditionally are first to kick off the festive family favourite in the region. As something of a connoisseur of this particular festive theatrical form I was delighted to be invited to see this version penned by Ray Spencer and Graeme Thompson both of whom have been commended for their services over the years with MBEs. Mother Goose is not performed often these days but it is one of the oldest stories to have been the basis of pantomime dating way back to the turn of the 19th Century.
In this retelling of the story the audience is first introduced to the Welsh Fairy Twyleth (Emma-Katie Twylock) who introduces baby Priscilla the Goose to the delight of the assembled parents. South Tyneside Dance Workshop credit The Customs House pantomime as being one of the highlights of their calendar as they provide the youth ensemble and dancers for the show. This evening I watched the Red Group who were all wonderful in their various contributions to the production including the baby Priscilla. Congratulations to each and every one of them and I have no doubt that the green, pink and yellow teams are equally as enthusiastic.
Priscilla as an older goose is delightfully portrayed by Georgina Whale-Spencer. Her facial expressions and physicality is superb but she is also given a voice by the grace of our friendly fairy. The poor goose is homeless and friendless having escaped the evil clutches of the dastardly Demon Gander (Steven Lee Hamilton) who will not rest until he has recaptured the precious goose.
Priscilla finds a friend in Dame Bella Ballcock (Ray Spencer) and a family in the form of Cousin Dennis (Glen Richard Townsend), and his girlfriend Dolly (Lucy Davis) but the Demon Gander has other ideas.
Everyone plays their parts in true and traditional styles. All the elements are there with a good level of comedy, slapstick and fart gags and some bawdy risqué naughtiness to keep the adults entertained. Spencer’s dame has a delightful twinkle in her eye as she looks out to the audience knowingly when she lands her sometimes cringeworthy and groansome punchlines. Townsend, as the indefatigable Dennis delights the audience and the chemistry between him and Dolly is a joy to watch. The main baddie at whom everyone boos is Hamilton’s Demon Gander but we have a secondary tinker in the form of officious civil servant Waldorf (Tom Morris.) One does not go to pantomime for the scintillating nuance and cleverness of the text but I felt that there could have been a great deal more made of the duplicitous relationship between the two to develop their characters and add more essence to the story.
What shone out from the stage from all the principals and ensemble was the quality of the vocals. With some carefully chosen and beautifully arranged musical numbers from musical diector Dave Bintley and associate Musical Director Jen Stevens, there really is something for everyone in this pantomime which is perfect for all the family as we rapidly approach another Christmas season.
The set and special effects are great and I was particularly impressed by the Fountain of Youth. Very well done to the creative team including but not limited to Alfie Joey, John Raisforth, Jackson Beal and Jordan Embleton.
The Customs House do not mess about at Christmas time and have another production for younger children and their grown ups in the form of The Sorcerer’s Suitcase starring Andrew Dawson and Abigail Lawson which opens on 30th November until New Year’s Eve.
Mother Goose is going to be another resounding hit for the very talented team at The Customs House and it runs until 5th January 2025.