REVIEW: Mother Goose on the Hackney Empire

The great Hackney Empire has simply completed celebrating its one hundred and twentieth yr (although it has existed as a TV studio and Bingo corridor for a few of that point) with Mother Goose, a title first staged there by the nice Dame Dan Leno in May 1902. It stars and is directed by the irreprehensible Clive Rowe returning to the venue for his fifteenth pantomime of the final 23 years of Hackney pantomimes. It’s a magical venue with its spectacular gold and pink ethereal auditorium and uninterrupted views of the stage (because of Matcham’s cantilevered balconies) and an ideal setting for introducing younger native audiences to the enjoyment of dwell theatre.

Though Will Brenton’s script doesn’t innovate a lot of the Pantomime enterprise, he and Clive Rowe do incorporate all of the important parts which have delighted audiences for years. The involvement of a younger man from the viewers, a slosh scene and a ghost bench scene, shoutouts, a metamorphosis scene, a songsheet and a stroll down. It is a crash course in important conventional pantomime through which Clive Rowe is the grasp of ceremonies and all that goes on. There is nice enterprise and songs across the impression of social media on younger lives and the movie references to HackneyWooden might have been developed extra into a very good subplot. The central message of appears doesn’t matter it is about having a very good coronary heart strongly underpins the story.

When they shoehorn in a tribute to the History of the Hackney Empire with references to Marie Lloyd, Harry Houdini, Julie Andrews and Louis Armstrong in addition to a passing reference to the fabulous Barbara Windsor (who graced so many Pantomime levels). It’s an pleasing self-indulgence however it’s Clive Rowe who takes centre stage with the 1976 hit “Disco Inferno” with its basic line “Burn baby burn”. It has nothing to do with the pantomime plot however was a becoming tribute to the venue.

Mother Goose is a much less ceaselessly carried out title though it has all the same old pantomime plot traces of fine vs evil, a larger-than-life dame, a love story, and a pores and skin character however the story is skinny with out the standout moments of extra standard titles. In Hackney, the transformation into the gorgeous Mother Goose is solely staged with out a lot phantasm and the flying sequence relatively clearly reveals the scissor elevate beneath, however a venue like this will’t put money into the manufacturing just like the Palladium or ATG’s Mother Goose and so depends on the power and youthful zest of the solid to hold it off. 

Rebecca Parker is an impressively leggy Demon Queen revelling within the distress she inflicts whereas Gemma Wardle is a fascinating Fairy Fame in dungarees. Holly Mallett is a drum-playing Jill, the heroine defending Mother Goose towards her father (Tony Marshall) whereas falling for Jack (Ope Sowande). Kat B is the opposite son Billy stuffed with power and silliness who builds a very good rapport with the viewers together with his “keep it real” shout-out, whereas Ruth Lynch is an impressive Priscilla the Goose bringing pathos and humour to the non-speaking half!

But it’s Clive Rowe’s present. He is a pure comedian performer with an enormous stage presence, a very good voice and an interesting character. He lifts the present when he’s on, and the viewers naturally delightfully responds to him. He is creating his expertise as a Director, and I’ve little question that Hackney Empire will proceed to develop and evolve its pantomime underneath his management over the approaching years. They know enchantment to their native demographic, and it’s a good present however in time they’ll develop new twists to the style (like Stratford East have executed this yr with Cinderella) and construct a extra satisfying and coherent entire. In the meantime, it is a venue that deserves all of the help that you would be able to give it and seeing the Pantomime is probably the best and most pleasing approach to get behind them and help their Creative Future. Oh Yes, it’s!

Review by Nick Wayne 

Rating: ★★★

Seat: Circle, Row C | Price of Ticket: £30