Review – Beccles and Bungay Journal – 1985
Panto full of promise
Visitors to this year’s Loddon pantomime are whisked away to the land of eastern promise complete with a sultans palace, spooky islands and harem dancers.
Sinbad the Sailor which opened at the Hobart High School yesterday, manages to provide a laugh for everyone in the audience.
There are sing-alongs, ditties, silly props and plenty of special jokes about village life.
Best of all is the clever blending of near genuine Norfolk dialects with characters from the Far East.
One of the highlights is the costumes – dazzling and bejewelled – with the harem girls and princesses looking like a veritable helping of Turkish delight.
The Loddon Pantomime Players newest Dame, and thoroughly enjoyable she is too, is Robin Cushing, who looks as if he might steal the show until other characters are given their fair share of jokes.
Maureen Larkin is super as the man crazy Miss Diane, with Joan Evans, Margaret Bunting and Stuart Gisborne adding to the fun.
There is even an appearance by Crossroads Benny – played by Melvyn Frankland.
Joan Gisborne’s choreography is the icing on the cake and includes a particularly shivery skeleton sequence.
The cast will probably be keeping their fingers crossed that initial problems, including sound equipment and an unfortunate lack of confidence, will soon be cleared up
There are performances tonight as well as tomorrow afternoon and evening.
