Connect with us

Entertainment

PREVIEW: ‘Light bulb’ moment promises spectacular Mother Goose panto at Cambridge

Yes, this year’s baddie is a woman

Avatar photo

Published

on

Did you know that Mother Goose lived in the grounds of Eiderdowning College? This year’s pantomime at Cambridge Arts Theatre, is set in Cambridge. The opening scene is Cambridge Market. There will be scenes in Trinity Street and a vista of The Backs.

It’s a morality tale. Mother Goose is just your ordinary, hard-working mum, until her goose lays golden eggs. Then her fabulous wealth goes to her head. She falls from grace…tempted by a devilish fairy.

Yes, this year’s baddie is a woman. The bad fairy played by West End actress Pippa Duffy, a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music (so expect bad woman – great voice).

Advertisements
canopyuk.com in-article

There is a good fairy too, of course: Fairy Virtue, played by Charlotte Wakefield (Holly Cullen in Holby City) as well as the comic character, Silly Sammy played by Steven Roberts and Priscilla the Goose played by Georgia Nicholson.

For decades, the Arts has faithfully delivered a stock four pantomimes – a new script every year (and even several new jokes) but always one of Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Aladdin, or Dick Whittington.

For years, Dave Murphy, the theatre’s chief executive, who produces the Arts pantos has been looking for something to add to their repertoire.

Then came the light bulb moment. He said: “I saw the McKellen Mother Goose.” (Sir Ian McKellen and John Bishop toured the show across the country earlier this year).

Murphy said: “It has a nice plot and a nice moral message that money isn’t everything, you should be careful what you wish for, and family is important. I thought Oh, I’ll have a crack at that one.”

He said: “It’s very dame centred. It is the story of Mother Goose, it’s not the story of Aladdin or the story of Cinders – and I thought that’s nice for Matt who is such a good friend of the Arts. (That’s Matt Crosby – the absolute consummate dame – this will be his 10th dame-hood at the Arts…gliding seamlessly through the change of frocks.)

“And (said Murphy) I thought how we can make this work for us. Every year we put quite a lot of effort into making the show feel Cambridge-centred.

Matt Crosby in a previous panto, this time as Widow Twankey. Photo: Richard Hubert Smith

Matt Crosby in a previous panto, this time as Widow Twankey. Photo: Richard Hubert Smith

“We have references to local shops and local places and things that have happened recently. If you have a panto that is not particularly based anywhere, I thought why not try to bring it to Cambridge and get a really lovely set done with places our audience will recognise. We wanted the show to have the sense that it belonged to the people of Cambridge.

He added: “I was so touched that our audience came back to us after the pandemic. We have an absolutely brilliant audience who come to Cambridge. The frequency of attendance is remarkable. When external parties look at the frequency of our audiences, they can’t believe how often people come.”

As it has been for the past decade, the panto will be written by Al Lockhart Morley, who grew up nearby in St Ives.

Says Al: “Mother Goose is a little different from the more established modern panto titles – though it’s been around for just as long. It’s a morality tale at heart: forces of good and evil battling it out in some Faustian pact over poor old Mother Goose who comes from nothing to achieve beauty, wealth, and fame.

“Her fall from grace is heart-wrenching but we hope the children of Cambridge will help her get back on her feet.

After Mother Goose goes up in the world, she starts splashing the cash on status symbols – tempted by Demon Vanity

As it has been for the past decade, the panto will be written by Al Lockhart Morley (left) with Matt Crosby – ‘the absolute consummate dame’

As it has been for the past decade, the panto will be written by Al Lockhart Morley (left) with Matt Crosby – ‘the absolute consummate dame’

Al said: “We’ve created a whole new college, Eiderdowning College where Mother Goose is a cook but of course she yearns to open a little bakery on King’s Parade instead of selling cakes in Cambridge Market.

“The story takes us from glorious little winding city centre streets to Midsummer Common and Cambridge Market. It’s my tenth year of writing and I want it to be something truly special. This panto is really my love letter to the city.”

Mother Goose, set in Cambridge is at Cambridge Arts Theatre from Thursday, November 30 to Sunday, January 7.

Can you help us?

While you’re here, we are asking, for the first time, for readers to support us financially by taking out a modest subscription.

£2, or £3 or even £5 will help us achieve our goals. It will mean the second year of CambsNews will be livelier, healthier, and much better placed to cover the important issues affecting our everyday lives.

Your subscription simply means we can provide and expand our news FREE to all readers (Read More)

Will you help us? Simply click the link below to make a donation.

Facebook

Read More

Mia Hanson took part of her Bayeux Tapestry to Wisbech Corn Exchange Conservation Trust's exhibition hall on Saturday: she was able to display almost 16 metres of tapestry. The walls were lined with photos and information about The Corn Exchange. Mia Hanson took part of her Bayeux Tapestry to Wisbech Corn Exchange Conservation Trust's exhibition hall on Saturday: she was able to display almost 16 metres of tapestry. The walls were lined with photos and information about The Corn Exchange.
News13 hours ago

Mia’s Bayeux Tapestry replica lights up a wet and windy day in Wisbech

Her ambition is to faithfully recreate the tapestry - all 68.38 metres of it

The latest outburst by the MP Paul Bristow came in a column for the online Peterborough Today website in which he said: “Mark my words - road charging is the plan”. The latest outburst by the MP Paul Bristow came in a column for the online Peterborough Today website in which he said: “Mark my words - road charging is the plan”.
News1 day ago

Peterborough: MP Bristow refuses to let go of road charging fantasy despite it being comprehensively dismissed by new council leader

Cllr Farooq dismisses everything the MP has to say on the matter

Ben and Sarah Dodkin, accompanied by their children Finley, Arthur, and Harrison, were among special guests invited to the Princess of Wales Christmas concert. The family’s efforts to raise awareness of Batten’s Disease prompted the VIP invite Ben and Sarah Dodkin, accompanied by their children Finley, Arthur, and Harrison, were among special guests invited to the Princess of Wales Christmas concert. The family’s efforts to raise awareness of Batten’s Disease prompted the VIP invite
News2 days ago

Princess of Wales Christmas concert ‘truly a unique and very special memory maker’

Both Finley and Harrison, the Dodkin’s sons, are registered blind due to this rare neurological disease

Cllr Alex Bulat “never thought or planned to be a local politician”. Cllr Alex Bulat “never thought or planned to be a local politician”.
News2 days ago

Romanian born councillor hopes to be Labour’s choice to be Huntingdon MP

'I moved to the UK from Romania in 2012; I was 18 years old'

Hansel and Gretel is at Cambridge Junction until New Year’s Eve Hansel and Gretel is at Cambridge Junction until New Year’s Eve
News2 days ago

REVIEW: Brilliant Hansel and Gretel children’s show ‘an absolute scream for adults’

This is a fun, fast-paced show with plenty of audience participation

One of the failures of Neale-Wade, says Ofsted, is for ‘behaviour and attitudes” which inspectors observed during their two-day inspection on October 31 and November 1, 2023. One of the failures of Neale-Wade, says Ofsted, is for ‘behaviour and attitudes” which inspectors observed during their two-day inspection on October 31 and November 1, 2023.
News2 days ago

Ofsted again finds Neale-Wade Academy March ‘requires improvement’

Critical Ofsted report has some glimmers of hope

Investments include a series of system upgrades as well as five new rigid trucks and ten new fork lifts Investments include a series of system upgrades as well as five new rigid trucks and ten new fork lifts
Business2 days ago

£1m investment to kick start New Year for Masters of Stretham near Ely

Cracking start to 2024 for Cambridgeshire logistics company

Kyle Spiers jailed Kyle Spiers jailed
Crime3 days ago

Paedophile voyeur’s ‘incredible arrogance and disregard for the law’

A mobile phone was seized which contained footage Spires had filmed of a child covertly

Christmas party venue at Lode – December 7 will be decision day for licensing by East Cambridgeshire District Council Christmas party venue at Lode – December 7 will be decision day for licensing by East Cambridgeshire District Council
News3 days ago

Lodestar site near Cambridge wins approval for large scale Christmas parties  

The licence approved for the site allows for up to 28 events

Stefan Hague, 33, of Hyde, Greater Manchester, barged through the door at the victim’s Peterborough home and refused to leave. Stefan Hague, 33, of Hyde, Greater Manchester, barged through the door at the victim’s Peterborough home and refused to leave.
Crime3 days ago

Rapist still covered in Peterborough victim’s blood as police arrived to arrest him

Detective Sergeant Matt Lauch said: “Hague is an extremely dangerous individual"