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Still here: While They Were Waiting - Upstairs At The Gatehouse

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As the song goes, time heals everything. Or as another song says, it's time after time. Yet waiting—for a moment, a minute, or even a while—can feel like a chore. In Gary Wilmot’s slightly absurd and silly While They Were Waiting, the focus is on waiting and wordplay. No opportunity is missed to find more than one meaning in what is said. A debate arises about the difference between a smidge and a whisker. There's a playful riff on how you can be here and over there at the same time, depending on your standpoint. If this piece has a point at all, it depends on what you find funny. The concept of waiting-related language is, in itself, amusing, and there is plenty to laugh about in this show. It’s currently playing at Upstairs at the Gatehouse . The premise is simple: Mulbery (Steve Furst) arrives for an appointment and is kept waiting. What the appointment is for, we are not clear about but he is waiting for a yellow door to open. Nobody answers when he rings. He’s joined by th...

Close-knit families: Beowulf An Epic Panto @Kingsheadthtr


Charles Court Opera are back with their boutique panto season at the Kings Head Theatre. This time they are taking a story of epic proportions with Beowulf. It helps to know the epic poem. It helps to know various pop cultural references and songs thrown into the mix. Alternatively, you can let much of it sail over your head and enjoy the inspired silliness of it all. And indeed, that’s more than anyone could want out of a pantomime? It’s currently playing at the Kings Head Theatre. 

In this version of Beowulf, the hero (Matthew Kellet) has a bit of an image problem. And not just because of his 80’s inspired hair. He expects to be the hero to save the day, but Princess Hrothmund (Julia Mariko Smith) can take the monster Grendel on her terms. Grendel doesn’t seem to be much of a monster either. Played by Philip Lee, he wants to make friends. His mother is another matter.


There’s some inspired messing about with both the tale of Beowulf and the conventions of pantomime. The principal boy here, Emily Cairns as Wiglaff, also happens to have feelings for Beowulf. And Grendel’s mother turns out to be a chain-smoking, wise-cracking villain played hysterically by Jennie Jacobs. She also happens to have the most irritating ear wormy song of the evening, based on Eminem’s “My Name Is”. Of course, you never find out her real name, but that’s the point. And try and avoid walking the streets of Islington after the performance without humming to yourself, “My name is… Grendel’s Mother.”

Typically pantos tend to sag at parts, but things move briskly along to its ludicrous conclusion. Given the potential for adlibs and audience participation (requested or not), I suspect things will probably only get sillier as the show continues. But for what it’s worth, it’s a lot of fun. Written and directed by John Savournin with music and musical direction by David Eaton, Beowulf, An Epic Panto is at the Kings Head Theatre until 8 January. In the same week that I saw a preview of a West End show and a panto at the Kings Head theatre, it was clear which one was better. This one is intentionally hilarious. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️



Photos by Craig Fuller

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