Every year, one of the funniest pantomimes on stage in the North West always turns out to be the one at the Oldham Coliseum... and going off the latest showing, it probably will be again.
This year, the Coliseum has gone for something a bit different and is staging Robin Hood with a smattering of Babes in the Wood thrown in for good measure.
This colourful, loud, rib-tickling funny panto didn’t disappoint with its up to the minute jokes, popular music, energetic dancing and all-round feel-good madness!
The show, written by Fine Time Fontayne and Chris Lawson, drew on local knowledge with references to areas around Oldham - Mumps, Rochdale, Failsworth etc which the audience lapped up.
It also picked up on current topics, such as the lack of Arts Council England funding for the Coliseum.
The panto centred around Robin Hood, played impeccably by Coliseum favourite Shorelle Hepkin, who was trying to find the pardon to free him of all past deeds so he could marry Maid Marion
This pardon was being held by the Sheriff, played menacingly by Liz Carney, who was using it as a bargaining tool to capture Robin.
Her two hapless henchmen, who brought much hilarity to proceedings and played by Ian Crowe as Sir of Gisbourne and Nathan Morris as Failsworth, then had to capture and kill two children - the Babes - for money for the Sheriff.
These two, especially when they dressed up as girls in a classroom scene - think of the twins from The Shining - had the whole theatre laughing. They were particularly funny when they played alongside Charlie Ryan as Nurse Nellie, the pantomime dame.
William Travis, who played Friar Tuck, also brought a lot of titters from the audience, especially with his jokes about his toy sausage.
All the usual panto traditions are in there - he’s behind you, water pistols, ad libs etc - and it all adds to the atmosphere of a show which doesn’t take itself too seriously with the emphasis on making sure families have a good time.
If you only go and see one pantomime this Christmas, make sure it is the one at the Coliseum - one to definitely catch if you can. It runs until 7 January. Visit https://www.coliseum.org.uk
