It’s almost Christmas time and besides the constant stream of tinsel and Christmas trees, this time of year also means that the Pantomine is back in town! This year’s fairy tale is none other than Peter Pan and it’s now showing at the Jo’Burg Theatre!
For those of you who have never been to a pantomime it’s a very tongue-in-cheek telling of the beloved tale but with a very local twist. This includes some local slang and product placements for days which will leave you laughing out loud. Also, it’s packed with popular songs which will have everyone singing along – even when they are sung randomly, adding no value to the storyline!
Sure, this show is for kids and crowd interaction is used heavily for their enjoyment but I loved how there were many crude jokes that only the adults would understand – making it fun for the whole family. Michael Riff Themba, who played Peter Pan, did an okay job and all in all the cast chosen for this play was fantastic. My favourite character was Weslee Lauder who played Dame Clementina Coconut. What a fantastic actor. He literally lit up the stage with his presence.
Also, Bongi Mthombeni played a fantastic Smee and his voice is just pure magic! The characters of Captian Hook and Tinkerbell were great as well. It was in true South African flavour that we had an oversized Tinkerbell and man, did it work! The Darling children, however, were so freaking boring that it actually got a bit much by the end of the show. Also, the guy who played Michael sounded as if he was mimicking a mentally challenged person rather than someone with a lisp and I actually found that a bit offensive.
That being said, there were a few surprises this time around. First of all there was an awesome scratch-and-sniff element to the show this year which made it interactive and fun. Sure, the smells were horrible but it was really a great way to change things up a bit. Also, instead of a sing-a-long at the end we had a dance-a-long this tine around.
The panto, this time around, was the best I have ever seen and I am glad that the show is going from strength to strength. The show runs until the end of December so get your tickets today and don’t miss out!
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