Christmas is always hectic down at The Playhouse as assorted performers prepare for our annual alternative panto for childish grown ups, presented under the auspices of Friends Theatre Company (or, as they are now known, Friends: The Next Generation, having last year reached their 21st production).
This year’s show takes Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland as its starting point but gives it a technological spin. In this version, Alice is drawn inside her laptop and encounters all sorts of computer-related entities such as The Mad Hacker, the Google Bird, CD Ron and Auntie Virus. At, the same time, the script takes a well-earned swipe at political correctness and health and safety legislation, so you don’t have to be a computer-whiz to understand all the jokes. And there’s plenty to keep your toes tapping with some catchy tunes and fabulous dance routines with the usual background of a fascinating set.
Speaking of the set, Mike Kingston and Phil Hopkins seem to be spending every waking hour in the workshop building it and designing a weird array of props and creatures including the previously seen flamingos (as used to play croquet, obviously), hedgehogs and several strange green flying creatures that are slightly reminiscent of Martians from an episode of the classic BBC series Quatermass.*
Rehearsals have been directed by Caroline Young who once again has worked her wonders with a great script courtesy of several Playhouse stalwarts. Time has just flown by and it now feels like we have a great show for those who venture out on these cold nights. We just need to keep the energy up, as it’s all pretty fast moving.
The show runs for six nights – Thursday, Friday and Saturday this week and next – and Thursday performances don’t start until 8.30 to coincide with Cheltenham late night shopping (you can never get parked until 8pm, even if you aren’t shopping). There are still tickets available for all performances, although we’re down to under a dozen for the last night and not many more for the second Friday. We really do urge people not to leave it to the last minute for this show.
This year’s show takes Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland as its starting point but gives it a technological spin. In this version, Alice is drawn inside her laptop and encounters all sorts of computer-related entities such as The Mad Hacker, the Google Bird, CD Ron and Auntie Virus. At, the same time, the script takes a well-earned swipe at political correctness and health and safety legislation, so you don’t have to be a computer-whiz to understand all the jokes. And there’s plenty to keep your toes tapping with some catchy tunes and fabulous dance routines with the usual background of a fascinating set.
Speaking of the set, Mike Kingston and Phil Hopkins seem to be spending every waking hour in the workshop building it and designing a weird array of props and creatures including the previously seen flamingos (as used to play croquet, obviously), hedgehogs and several strange green flying creatures that are slightly reminiscent of Martians from an episode of the classic BBC series Quatermass.*Rehearsals have been directed by Caroline Young who once again has worked her wonders with a great script courtesy of several Playhouse stalwarts. Time has just flown by and it now feels like we have a great show for those who venture out on these cold nights. We just need to keep the energy up, as it’s all pretty fast moving.
The show runs for six nights – Thursday, Friday and Saturday this week and next – and Thursday performances don’t start until 8.30 to coincide with Cheltenham late night shopping (you can never get parked until 8pm, even if you aren’t shopping). There are still tickets available for all performances, although we’re down to under a dozen for the last night and not many more for the second Friday. We really do urge people not to leave it to the last minute for this show.
* Theatre joke for those of a certain age: Why are musical directors often known as Quatermass? Because they are always found in The Pit
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