Review: Goldilocks and the Three Bears at The Customs House, South Shields
This one is juuuuust right. Rob Lawson reports back from a packed audience at Mill Dam
Oh, what a circus!
This year’s Customs House pantomime unfolds beneath the Big Top, using its circus setting to give the familiar and beloved festive formula a colourful twist.
The story centres on Dame Bella, who faces the prospect of losing her beloved circus to the scheming Oli Garch (played with evident enjoyment by Steven Hamilton). When Goldilocks and the Three Bears escape from Garch’s rival circus, they join forces with Bella and her well-meaning but foolish nephew Dennis, setting the scene for a lively contest between good and bad.
Zoe Allan is superb as Goldilocks. She gives a confident, vibrant performance – delivering her lines perfectly and Zoe also has a wonderful singing voice, providing my musical highlight with a stunning version of Demon Hunter’s hit Golden in a duet with Jess Brady (Mammy Bear).
Jess is also brilliant and has the best singing voice I’ve heard on The Customs House stage. Her range and power are quite staggering.
Her stage husband Jonathan Deakin shows his own musical talents by playing several different instruments, while their stage child Nancy Dowling (Baby Bear) steals the hearts of the audience with a performance full of charm and talent.
Steven Hamilton’s voice is as strong and as clear as ever while his timing and delivery could not be better. I love to boo him as the baddie, but in all honesty all he deserves is applause.
His sidekick Elon (Alexander McCoy) wins some laughs with a physical, energetic performance, while magician Colin (Jonathon Iceton), Goldilocks’ love interest, wows with his conjuror’s tricks.
Loveable, cheeky Dennis (Glen Richard Townsend) provides plenty of laughs and giggles, particularly in the slop scene with Elon and Dame Bella and in a great scene with Goldilocks and Colin where the love rivals do battle – of sorts.
As has been the case for decades now, however, the beating heart of the panto is Ray Spencer MBE. The theatre and the audience light up when he is on stage and the warmth with which he is greeted is genuine and has been earned through years of superlative performances.
He doesn’t disappoint this year, with his customary cheeky ad libs, quick retorts and impeccable comic timing. More stage time for Ray and more comedy rifs with Den would have been welcome, but Ray’s hilarious Bad Romance duet with Oli Garch, with whom he had an affair, clicks the whole show into top gear.
Alfie Joey has excelled himself with the set while the costumes are just gorgeous. This is the best-looking Customs House panto for many a year.
The dancers directed by choreographer Jack Pallister shine and bring extra colour and movement to the show, especially in the big set numbers which are a real highlight. A nod to Jen Stevens, musical director for the show.
The super script from Ray and fellow writer Graeme Thompson MBE is directed with gusto by Natasha Haws. It is a show of character, delight, music and magic.
There could be more audience interaction, but the community song section works especially well.
Shaving a couple of songs from the first half wouldn’t go amiss and it takes a tadge too long to set the narrative away in the opening scenes, but a glorious, pacy second half full of laughs, colour and music sent the audience away more than happy.
Roll up, roll on for next year…
Goldilocks and the Three Bears is at The Customs House until January 3. Tickets from the website.