Garrick panto will delight all ages - Sinbad The Sailor review (From Northwich Guardian)

Garrick panto will delight all ages - Sinbad The Sailor review

10:10am Tuesday 20th December 2011 in Theatre & arts By Rick Bowen

PANTOMIME isn’t my favourite form of theatre but I have to give credit where credit’s due and Altrincham Garrick’s seasonal offering, Sinbad The Sailor, is funny, perfectly paced and just the right length to prevent an outbreak of fidgeting among the little ones.

It’s a difficult task to single out individual performances as there aren’t any bad ones and this production is the perfect advertisement for the Garrick’s youth theatre. The youngest members of the cast looked impressively self-assured, without that air of precociousness that gets up my nose.

Whenever I hear Peter England is involved in a show I always sit up and take notice as he has this gift of getting the best out of a cast vocally and this production is no exception. Thanks to his skills as musical director, the company sounds magnificent, delivering every song with enthusiasm and panache.

If I have a criticism it’s that some of the jokes are milked far too much, but everything else is flawless.

Mike Shaw (The Great Mysterioso) really reminded me of the villainous Professor Snape from the Harry Potter movies, Grace Garside is a likeable Princess Sharizar and Adam Gonet, born to be in panto, had the children in the audience hanging on his every word as the lovable Ali Bonkers. Natalie Hinchcliffe is a charismatic Sinbad and Sean Gonet and Dave Jones are perfect as the daft as a brush duo, Hubble and Bubble.

* Until January 2. The box office is on 0161 928 1677. Star rating - ****