Goldilocks and the Three BearsLittle Theatre
11th December, 2025
Presented by Lee Brannigan Productions
Written by Philip Meeks and Lee Brannigan
Directed by Lee Brannigan
Musical Director John Hudson
Choreography Chantal McCartney
Well, here we are at panto time of year again! Oh yes we are! And doesn't it seem to come round faster and faster each year? Feels like we've barely had time to sweep up the fairy dust from last season before we're back again...bit less glamorous this year, we'll likely be mopping up elephant pee...(more of that later!)
This year's panto from Lee Brannigan Productions is Goldilocks and the Three Bears. I've never seen a Goldilocks panto before and I did wonder about the storyline - there's no handsome prince to sweep a girl off her feet in the story of Goldilocks and the three bears and the story I remember as a kid was pretty brief, Goldilocks was a bit of a naughty girl who never did as she was told, always getting into trouble, doing stuff she wasn't supposed to do - like wandering off into the woods and eating other people's porridge! So how would that translate into a good versus evil, good overcomes evil, fairy godmother saves the day kind of show? Well, it doesn't exactly but when has sticking to the plot ever been the most important thing in a panto?
So how do we get a girl with Golden curls and three bears into a panto plot? Easy - we all run away to a circus!
Dame Bella has inherited her husband's circus and his fortune. Unfortunately the once fabulously popular circus has fallen on hard times, audiences are sparse, and the takings are slim, but there is still money in the honeypot so things are not too grim just yet. But, (and isn't there always a but?) a rival circus comes to town, with an evil ringmaster who wants to be the only circus in town! He tries bribery and threats to convince Bella to sell up, but she's having none of his shenanigans! But (oh, there's another one!) with ticket sales non-existant and the honey pot of money stolen (I wonder how that happened?) Bella now needs to find a new act to save the circus. Enter stage left, three talented bears to save the day. They're a sensation and the Circus is saved! Hurrah for the circus! (I squeezed in a little Enid Blyton reference there, those of you of a certain age might have spotted it!) But no! Not hurrah! Because you all forgot about the evil rival ringmaster, didn't you? (oh yes, you did!) He plots a devious plan to kidnap baby bear, lure her parents away from Bella and force them to work in his own circus, which means, of course, that Bella and her crew have to plot a rescue mission so that evil is defeated and everyone can live happily ever after! ( You see, we got the gist of a panto plot in there after all!)
Obviously all this doesn't happen without some magic, some singing and dancing, some jokes (really, really bad jokes!) and a lot of silliness - a bit of shouting, a bit of screaming, and a lot of laughing and booing. Audience participation is key in a panto and I have to say, the cast had their work cut out on Thursday night. I think there were probably more adults than children in the house that night and it took some encouragement for the grown ups to find their inner child! You can't not join in at the Little Theatre Panto - it's too small, there's nowhere to hide, and Bella and the cast are very, very good at breaking the fourth wall and engaging the audience.
Which brings me nicely to the characters -
Ringmaster Schnizzlehouser (not easy to say, and even harder to type!) played by Chris McCreery is a fabulously evil bad guy. He oozes onto the stage, full of charm and smooth talk, and yet instantly recognisable as the baddy, eliciting a cacophony of boos and hisses from the audience! He gives a blinding performance - particularly in the opening number in act two which got him a rousing round of applause, despite the fact that he is the bad guy and we really should have been booing! Showing that not only can he do a fabulously awful evil accent, but he can also sing like an angel!
Fannie the Fortuneteller is the alternative good fairy/fairy godmother in the tale. She brings the magic, that doesn't always go as planned, down to earth, outspoken, Fannie is the glue that binds the Cannyville circus together. Melissa Cavanagh brings such a warmth to the role and her physical humour is hilarious.
Goldilocks is played by Laura Fulgenzi. I've seen Laura in other shows and I know how good she is, but I think she has a tough gig with this one, because she's fighting that old chestnut of the leading female role in panto not being very demanding - you mostly just need to look pretty and be rescued. Goldilocks makes a valiant attempt to break out of this but it's a tough gig! That said Laura's performance is solid - she sings and dances her way into danger and back out again with flair!
The Three Bears are cute and just what you'd expect - a slightly spoilt Baby Bear (Megan Laing) sways from cute to brattish and back again, Mammy Bear (Dawn Wolfe) is kind and reassuring, and super protective of her family, Daddy Bear ( Justin Alistair Ward) is rather grumpy, tries to be a bit authoritarian but mostly get over-ruled in the nicest way by Mammy Bear, and he has the most beautiful singing voice!
Silly Willy provides most of the slapstick and silliness throughout - alongside his baby elephant Peanut. Don't ask what he feeds him on! Especially, if you're in the front rows. (see earlier mention of mopping up Elephant pee...that's all I am saying!) Rhodri James brings a lovely gentle sense of fun to the show, with his terrible jokes and slapstick humour.
Dame Bella Big Topp - still the most glamorous Dame of all no matter what the panto might be, keeps the show zinging along with quips and innuendo that could make your hair curl, dressed in an array of costumes that sparkle and wigs that defy gravity at times (at least one wig that succumbs to the gravitational pull!).
Supporting through out are the dancers, choreographed by Chantal McCartney who bring a little bit of sparkle and in Act Two a bit of scary! If you don't like clowns, beware!
The sets and scenery are great - I especially loved the minibus ride to Sunderland, comic genius from the set designers! (And being from Sunderland I love all the Wear wolf jokes!)
As always this company have produced a show with big heart in a little theatre. the cast give 100% throughout and they will have you screaming with laughter, (and occasionally gasping with surprise at the jokes).
Don't forget, if you have seats in the front half, take a raincoat!
You might be lucky and find some tickets available but it's a sell out pretty much every year so get booked for next year now to avoid disappointment!
Denise Sparrowhawk
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