This 2-hour Ellenbrook Theatre Company’s spectacle can be seen at the Ellenbrook Performing Arts Centre, 100 Main Street, Ellenbrook on Sunday, 18^th December at 2.30 pm and 7.30 pm, as well as Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 7.30 pm.

All credit to the City of Swan for sponsoring this – one of only two  – Perth Christmas pantomimes.

The sets are stunning. The flats are book style, being hinged in the middle this allows them to be turned over for a set change. The artwork on the 5 massive flats is exceptional. The village green, the kitchen, Palace Garden, the woodland glade, and the ballroom, each truly a work of art in its own right. Bright attractive colours, perfect perspective and crammed with detail. Set painting by Stacy Gardoll. Her company, The Painted Room do murals and art designs for the home.

Many unusual props, such as truncheons and glass slippers were sourced by Ian Howard, Brian Harris, Bryony Oliver, Jordan Lenihan and Suzanne Perry. The complex show was smoothly stage managed by Guy Jackson.

The sound and lighting design was by Mark Turnbull. It was exciting and most professional.

The makeup was clever and bright thanks to Jan Oliver, Sylvia Guest and Jasmin Lenihan.

The numerous colourful and unusual costumes were designed by Jan Oliver (of Masquerade costumes) and very well made with the help of Bryony Oliver and Nicky Stewart.

The whole production was supervised by Jan Oliver – a massive amount of work.

       In a forest, we meet a Fairy Godmother (Sabrina Davies) and her young assistant (Ruby Oliver). They explain in rhyme, and with heavenly singing, what is happening at the Palace. As they finish, a local thief, Burglar Bill (Damion Brown) is pursued through the wood by the town’s incompetent police force – PC99 (Alex Griffin) and Sergeant Letsby-Avenue (Lyndsey Turner).

       We see a young girl in tatty clothes, she is Cinderella (Emily Schinkel) helping an old lady pick up sticks for her fire. What Cinderella doesn’t know is, that the old woman is the Fairy Godmother in disguise. The fairy gives Cinders a magic token, a star.

       Walking through the woods comes Prince Charming (Jordan Lenihan) and his reliable servant, Dandini (Lloyd Matias). The Prince falls in love with the peasant girl and so gives her a ticket to the Royal Ball. However, Cinderella’s cruel stepmother, the Baroness (Meredith Corr), has forced this daughter of her new husband, the Baron (Peter Boylen) to do all the housework. So, poor Cinderella’s only friend is Buttons (Bryony Oliver); her two ugly, loud and hideous stepsisters, Gwyneth (Giordarna Rigoli) and Gwendolyn (Rebecca McRae) are desperate for a husband, but have no quality and absolutely no chance of success.

       Following the Fairy Godmother’s advice, Buttons helps Cinderella collect a pumpkin, a pair of lizards (Angela Gethin, Chardonnay Mitchell), a big rat (Lisa Reith) and a pair of mice (Isabel Davies, Lexi Brindley – delightful). Soon the fairy’s magic is worked and with a pair of horses (John Paul Botha, Max Hughes) the gold carriage arrives.

       What will happen next?

I often feel that the word ‘Chorus’ can suggest that the remaining characters in a pantomime were just hangers-on. Far from it, here every dancer, even the tiniest had tremendous stage presence, and carried out the dance routines – Gangnam, tap, several very different styles – with smiling confidence. They were Jasmin Pradhan, Kaitlin Pradhan, Kasey Burgess, Breannah Rigoli, Letisha O’Neill, Charli Crouch, Ebony Crouch, Hollie Burgess, Jordan Reith and Madison Reith.

The print artwork, the poster and programme (Sean Breadsell of Immaculate Photography) were of the highest quality.

Director Chris McRae has gathered a wonderful, keen and talented cast. Many of the young cast members could have a real future on the stage. Chris has given us a sing-a-long, great music and just a delightful fun show. The choreographer – and colourful sunflower – Shirelle Burgess, with the aid of the dance captains, Max Hughes and that terrific dancing Christmas tree, Renae O’Neill, has trained the youths (aged from 8 to 17) to an incredible standard.

Ugly sisters – boo hiss – were terrific. They communicated with the audience wonderfully. In fact I am fixed up with one for later in the week.

The super Baroness had a wonderful air of grandeur and dominance, putting fear into the audience (well slightly – there was nothing truly frightening).

The Fairy Godmother, Sabrina Davies is a professional star and has happily given her time to this wonderful cause.

Ellenbrook is one of the few community theatres that can produce a professional looking show every time. Another solid success – but are there any tickets left?

Presented by the Wanneroo Repertory Inc., this two and a quarter hour, fast moving, hilarious show can be seen at the Limelight Theatre, Civic Drive in Wanneroo each Thursday, Friday and Saturday night at 8.00 until Saturday 13^th August.

The action takes place about 1988, in two venues, a maisonette in Wimbledon and another flat in Streatham. Two adjoining suburbs in south London.

The stage is divided in half, one side a plush, well-furnished apartment – Streatham; the other side of the stage is a cottage-style flat in Wimbledon, with exposed brickwork and large patterned graphic wallpaper. Great design by Robert Vincent and Carol Keppler. The set was built by the cast and techs – Wally Fry, Zach Ozolins, Grace and Kim Elford.

The settees and furnishings, however, belong to both flats so at times the same sofa could have a person from each flat, speaking to each other by ‘phone – a tricky setup, but it worked beautifully.

Some great props gathered by Colleen Hopkins, Andrew Govey and The Vincents.

As well as being judged on the immediately visible set, a quality design like this, has that extra touch. When the kitchen door opened, there was a light on – not just a black void – and the kitchen dresser, with crockery was visible through the doorway.

        The curtains open to the tune of ‘Love and Marriage’, revealing two women still in their night attire, looking anxiously out of their lounge windows. Then, in unison they telephone the police. One woman Mary Smith (Christine Smith) calls the Wimbledon Police Station, the other Barbara Smith (Susannah Bell), Streatham, both with the same story, their husband, John Smith is missing.

        With thick bandaging on his head and slight concussion, London cabbie owner, John Smith (Gordon Park) is helped into his Wimbledon home by a detective, D S Troughton (R. J. Smolders). John’s wife, Mary is so relieved to have her husband back, especially on hearing he was the hero of a mugging attack. As the group is chatting, into the flat wanders John’s best friend, Stanley Gardner (Andrew Govey), a yob with a thick mullet haircut who lives in the upstairs flat. Before leaving, the detective asks if he could clear up a puzzle, the hospital had two addresses for John – why was that?

        Later, whilst Mary is making a cup of tea, John confides in Stanley that he is a bigamist, with two flats and two wives. He is sharing his time between them, and at present, according to his precisely planned diary, he is actually in the wrong home. He should be in Streatham and not Wimbledon.

        As John is leaving for his other home, a newspaper reporter (Tom Melanko) arrives. If John’s photo should hit the press, his duplicity will be exposed. Panic stricken, John arrives at his other home, only to find that his second wife, Barbara, is describing him to her local detective, D S Porterhouse (Peter Boylen). Barbara’s new, overtly gay, upstairs neighbour, Bobby (Chris McCafferty) calls to introduce himself.

       Even with the help of Stanley, how much longer can John fool his two wives, and those around him?

Susan Vincent is an accomplished actress, as well as an experienced and admired director, with every theatre skill possible acquired over her lifetime in the theatre. She has also had experience in broadcasting. Here she directs the perfect troupe in a brilliant farce.

The cast is divided into three groups, the panicking John and Stanley who look like star fish as their arms and legs flail around. Then there are the two confused and emotionally upset wives and the two detectives who are the straight men – Bobby is definitely not a straight man.

Gordon, who never does eye contact when he is acting, uses it to his advantage when he blankly looks around, with fear in his eyes, as he thinks up the next mad excuse. Andrew has wonderful chemistry with Gordon as they try to fool the police and the two wives. The girls were delightful, scantily clad (costumes Joyce Gilbert) so sexy without being tasteless. Susannah was the hard, angry wife and poor Christine as the heartbroken, screaming spouse, devastated by the situation. The timing was absolutely perfect, the delivery of every double-entendre went without a hitch. The cast nailed it.

Limelight is accustomed to full houses, but this show was a sell-out almost instantly.

One of the best farces that I have seen.

Ellenbrook Theatre Company Inc. is presenting this world favourite, musical pantomime at the Ellenbrook Performing Arts Centre, 100 Main Street, Ellenbrook. This 130-minute, colourful and most professional show can be seen at 7.30 nightly until Tuesday 22nd December. There are afternoon performances at 2.30 on Saturday the 19th and Sunday the 20th December. Please be aware that due to the theatre regulations, latecomers cannot be admitted into the auditorium until the interval.

Pantomimes should be filled with vibrancy, colour and an excess of zany props (Richard Hadler, Tony Perry). Immediately you could see that this company was on the right track. The big stage had several large flats, depicting various scenes, including a cave, desert and street scene, all skilfully painted.

         The avaricious and cruel Abanazar (Richard Hadler) boo hiss, tells us of his search for the cave of jewels and treasures. In frustration, he rubs his ruby ring and a beautiful Genie (Amber Moore) appears. He asks her to find the jewels but she explains only one person, Aladdin (Giordarna Rigoli), can enter the cave. Abanazar then sets out to find Aladdin.
        Aladdin’s mother, Widow Twanky (Peter Boylen) is talking to her laundry boy, Wishee Washee (Gerran Turner) and his intelligent pet monkey, Nobby (Aryan Menon – superb) when the palace guards deliver the washing to the widow’s laundry. The loyal, but brainless police, Ping and Pong (Jack Hammon, Tim Ward) announce that the Emperor of China (Nick Stamos) will be arriving soon in his sedan chair, carried by his servants (Damion Brown, Dominic Masterson). They must ensure that no one is around before the Emperor allows his beautiful daughter, Princess Jasmine (Bryony Oliver) to leave the Royal Palace.
        Aladdin and Jasmine manage to meet, and instantly fall in love. When the Emperor discovers this he orders the executioner (Sarah White) to cut off Aladdin’s head. However, Aladdin rubs an old lamp that he found and the bright blue, Genie of the Lamp (Jack Williams) appeared.
       Princess Blossom (Ruby Oliver) and Chelsey Ward danced and sang beautifully, as the mishap and mayhem took place. Will Aladdin die? What will happen to poor Widow Twanky?

The director of this delightful pantomime was Suzanne Perry. Suzanne has completely captured the atmosphere of pantomime’s pure magic. The sets were outstanding; and the very high quality costumes (Jan Oliver, Bryony Oliver, Nicky Stewart) included the Princess’s stunning and opulent clothing, the sublime dancers’ outfits, to the wonderfully horrendous, over-the-top getups of the Dame and Abanazar.
The vivacious cast were word perfect, and moved around the stage adeptly. The delivery of the corny jokes and puns were made with aplomb. Abanazar had wonderful audience rapport, extracting the hiss like a trouper; on the other hand, Widow Twanky, dressed like a Christmas tree, and brought peace, love and humour.
The styles of choreography (Emma Poolman) was varied – from tap to ribbon dancing. The athletic dancers carried out the splits and ‘no-hands’ cartwheels, whilst smiling throughout. The dancers were Holly Burgess, Shirelle Burgess, Jessica Greene, Tylah Maher, Jasmin Pradhan, Kaitlin Pradhan, Summer Roscoe, Lynda Morey-Ludlow, Breannah Rigoli, Bethany Robinson, Samantha Stein, Jade Stewart and Ebony Ward.
There were a group of Cave Sprites (Isaac Angage, Kurtis Angage, Kasey Burgess, Phoebe Marcinkowski, Tsz Kwan Pradhan, Bertie Turrell Knight, Alex Westbrook) – the oh, cute factor – who even though they were around only 5 or 6 carried, out their routine fearlessly and in perfect sync.
The face makeup (Berti Mosso, Sylvia Guest, and Jan Oliver) of the dancers was ornate and perfectly applied.
The lighting was clever with some wonderful effects. The two follow-spots were handled with skill. The high quality soundscape (Suzanne Perry, Mark Turnbull, Tony Perry) had some magnificent sound effects and was one of the best I have heard at a pantomime. The tech operators were Yasmin Perry and Isobel Clare.
On a large show like this, with a massive cast, good stage management is essential well done Tony Perry, Erin Smylie and Megan Jackson.
This show had warmth, fun, colour and most of all magic. A first class pantomime from a dedicated team of performers. Not surprisingly, very few tickets left.