PICTURES: Panto soars back in style with Mother Goose
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AFTER a Covid-enforced break last year, Buckie's panto came roaring back in style yesterday (Thursday) with Mother Goose.
As audiences have come to expect – with good reason – the team at Buckie Community Theatre Group performed their take on the classic tale with their usual flair and aplomb.
In addition to fine performances and foot-tapping songs, audiences over the four performances in the Fishermen's Hall were treated to stunning special effects, scenery and costumes.
Theatre group artistic director Kevin Oakes was in typically outrageous form in the title role, with Holly Allardice excelling as Bobby Goose. Mr Oakes's character, a poor woman who was obsessed with being attractive pretty much at any price, provided a strong moral undercurrent to the whole show that beauty and wealth are not in themselves the keys to happiness.
Laying the golden eggs was Mother Goose's best pal, Eileen the goose, played by Jay Farley.
There were strong performances from Ellie Coull and Claire Macleod – Flora and Fairy Adora respectively – while theatre group stalwart Pauline Macintosh made a welcome return to the boards, revelling in her role as the baddie, the Demon Queen.
Danya Smith was obviously having fun with her role as boisterous and cheeky exchange student Gretchen, while Caitlan Shand provided the moral ballast as Peter when matters started to stray from the narrow path.
It was a stance his aunt, the Baroness (Sara Chiappa) would have done well to heed, falling easy prey to the evil designs of the Demon Queen.
The versatile supporting cast all put in a shift to be proud of with the backstage team working hard to make it all happen on stage.
As always, there was a great selection of songs during the show, many harking back to the 80s. There was something for everyone, from Cyndi Lauper's Girls Just Wanna Have fun – exuberantly performed by Danya Smith – to an especially powerful slow version of Cher's If I Could Turn Back time from Ellie Coull and Holly Allardice.
The work put into bringing the show to the stage, often in less than ideal circumstances due to Covid regulations, was appreciated by the audiences, with tickets for the three evening shows and the matinee vanishing quickly after going on sale.
Mr Oakes said prior to the opening night: "We as a company are extremely proud of this year's panto, Mother Goose, and are excited to be performing this story back in the Fisherman's Hall, which is the focal point of our community.
"We began rehearsals back in September 2021 and what a rollercoaster we as a group have been on. We have had a lot of laughs and lot of tears on this journey and also lots of lateral flows!
"The cast have been working extremely hard each work rehearsing (and working without any cheese and wine, just rehearsals!).
"Buckie Community Theatre is not just about the cast...but all the backstage team. Without their support we would not be able to perform our shows.
"From the amazing team of ladies who have made all our fabulous costumes to the parents who have devoted their time to our fund-raising events, the stage managers, the painters, the carpenters, the list is endless.
"I would like to thank everyone who has helped bring this magical performance to life."
