Review
Ely pantomime 'a great show for young and old'
Mike Rouse
18 Dec 2020 - 3 Jan 2021 for Wizard of Oz at Ely Maltings. Book online www.kdtheatre.co.uk or call the box office 01353 725 026 - Credit: Mike Rouse
For 90 minutes in Ely’s festive Maltings, thanks to KD Productions and the talented and energetic cast, we can enjoy live theatre again and have some panto fun.
The Wizard of Oz is a show with a lot of brain and a great heart, please have the courage to go and see it.
As we have come to expect from a Daniel Bell show, it is ingenious, colourful and fast-moving fun, weaving together a well-known story with traditional pantomime routines and traditions.
The Wizard of Oz is a show with a lot of brain and a great heart, please have the courage to go and see it. - Credit: Mike Rouse
Lucy Bell is a spirited and sweet Dorothy, while Katherine Hickmott (the K of KD) making her Ely panto debut is a glamourous Glinda and then a splendidly villainous Wicked Witch of the West, a nice twist of pantomime transformation.
Not only do we feel in safe hands thanks to the Maltings Staff and the production company’s care, ensuring we are socially distanced, but we can relax in the safe hands of the experienced cast.
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It’s always a pleasure to welcome Terry Burns back to Ely and he is as dependable as ever as the Tin Man, while the ebullient Terry Gauchi is a lovely scatty scarecrow and source of much of the slapstick fun.
The loss of KD’s pantomime at Northwich is Ely’s gain as a local favourite Oliver Scott is able to return as a recognisable Postman Pat and an unrecognisable Lucitha, (all that drama training being put to good use!) while it is easy to see why Rob Stevens is such a popular Dame at the Grange Theatre as a splendid Aunt Em and a wonderful Cowardly Lion.
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This is a scaled down show, but thanks to the energy of the cast and the support from the KD Academy it seems so much bigger with splendid lighting and special effects. It is difficult to recreate the atmosphere of a full theatre when restricted to only sixty seats, but go and see it if you can – it’s a great show for young and old and live theatre needs all our support.
As we have come to expect from a Daniel Bell show, it is ingenious, colourful and fast-moving fun - Credit: Mike Rouse
(Thank you, Daniel Bell, for allowing to take some performance photographs from my socially distanced seat)
'THE WIZARD OF OZ'!
KD says: A big thankyou to our loyal audiences who have grabbed tickets to support us! (Not many left, and limited capacity to allow for social distancing)
18 Dec 2020 - 3 Jan 2021
Book online www.kdtheatre.co.uk
Call the Box Office 01353 725 026
