Last Years Utopia Youth Award winners have once again come up with a thoroughly entertaining pantomime from script writer Alan Frayn, being expertly directed and produced by Pauline Grieve and Andrea Thacker. With all their usual flare and enthusiasm to involve as many children on stage as possible and include their audience in as much activity as possible this Company displays all the community values which make them worthy of their Youth Award.
Caitlin Lauder, the delightful ‘Coral’ (Spirit of the Sea) opened well and sparred with Steve Sadler as ‘Davy Jones’ to set the scene. Opening into the colourful Port of Rio the company would have made Ricky Martin proud with “Livin’ La Vida Loca”. Rachel Boyes as leading girl ‘Juanita’ shone in her role, captivating both audience and ‘Robinson Crusoe’ who was excellently portrayed by Hannah Richie.
It was wonderful to see two young people acting so naturally together in character and both singing their duets “Just the Way You Are” and “Marry You” equally well. Mak Wilson played a very mature role this year as ‘Captain Seasalt’. His clear diction and comedy timing never faltered and his hilarious interaction with this year’s outrageous and superb Dame ‘Margarita’, played by Campbell McNeil worked really well. A special mention for Maureen Gillie as ‘Nutty Nick’ once again characterising the role beautifully with an excellent west country accent and magical stage presence…no one could get near Nick’s nuts to steel them!
With swashbuckling pirate fights, under the sea scenes, tragedy and a bubbly, effervescent Mardi Gras it was non stop entertainment with lots of challenging dancing. ‘Skull Duggery'(Brooke Heary), ‘Cross Bones’ (May Jappy), ‘Cut Throat’ (Grant Maltman) ‘Hocus Pocus’ (Rory Fairburn) and ‘Mumbo Jumbo’ (Katie Dyson) all made a great contribution to the show. ‘Poll’ the parrot, Elle Drummond and ‘Friday’, George Kay completed a superb cast. Well Done Everyone and Good Luck for Beauty and the Beast in March 2012.
