If you’re looking for a psychedelic trip without the drugs… Edinburgh Panto is for you. This fun filled jaunt into catchy songs, colour, strobe lighting (perhaps too much), and a prop department worth more than your entire worldly possessions combined; is guaranteed fun for all ages.
This years’ annual Edinburgh panto is loosely based on the well known tale of Peter Pan. If you’re familiar with the yearly show you’ll recognise the three main characters May McSmee, Smee and Captain Hook; who cause havoc from the start and enjoy an immense deviation from the plot.
The stalls, let alone the front row are not a place for introverts, with a physical camera beaming your face to the audience, but if you crave the spotlight go right ahead.
The talented cast provided ample ammo for the knee slappers in the room. Many an outfit change kept the audience laughing from the ‘Lidl’ Mermaid to a tutu wearing crocodile.
Adaptations of well known songs, from Harry Styles to the Proclaimers, accompanied adept and obviously well rehearsed dance numbers. The dance troupe ‘Flawless’ as Hook’s Pirate crew displayed impeccable timing with their hip-hop breakouts, despite being totally irrelevant to the plot.
The use of sound as a vehicle for comedic effect was used impeccably, and greatly received by all in the audience, namely the children (and dads) who never grew out of a good old fart joke. A projector screen also served as an additional comedic ‘sauce’, lathering the audience with a best of Scottish delicacies compilation, from deep fried mars bars to haggis, chips and gravy.
It’s worth noting however, if you’re not an Edinburgh local some of the humour may be lost on you with frequent references to rival football clubs Hearts and Hibs, Nicola Sturgeon jokes and location based gags. That being said, there were enough current jokes from pop culture to politics to keep even the English laughing (special mention to the David Cameron jokes).
On the whole, this panto serves exactly what a panto should: light-hearted relief and escapism with no end to the laughs or nervous looks at your mate as you struggle to decipher what is actually going on, but enjoy the whimsicality anyway.
Image ‘Peter Pan Pantomime’ by Douglas Robertson is provided via Capital Theatres Press Release.