tadorna: (Default)
sheldrake ([personal profile] tadorna) wrote2008-12-12 10:54 pm
Entry tags:

Review

I just went to see Basil Brush in panto! I know, you wish you were me.

It was Aladdin, which, for those who don't know it, is a brave, searingly honest story of the forbidden love between two women in Imperial China. This play also touches on themes of class prejudice, animal rights and transgender issues, and explores the transitory nature of financial gain (with clever nods to the current crisis). The script is often witty, sometimes moving. We gain a rare insight, for example, into the plight of a widowed cross-dressing laundry worker in Old Peking, and at times feel so involved in the drama that we are tempted to call out, to warn the progagonists of their impending doom.

Best performance of the night must surely go to Mr Brush, that much-lauded classical actor of many years standing, who was a revelation as the Emperor of China. The sheer energy he put into his every action was breathtaking, even when he spent most of the night being wheeled across the stage in a laundry basket on wheels, due to his lack of actual legs. Bravo, sir!

The high-speed car chase went on too long, though.

ETA: sorry, accidentally turned on comment-screening! I was worried that the controversial subject matter might drive you all mad.

[identity profile] elanorkat.livejournal.com 2008-12-12 11:05 pm (UTC)(link)
Boom Boom!

/awe.

is a brave, searingly honest story of the forbidden love between two women in Imperial China. lol

Car chase? I think these are being crowbar'd into a lot of pantos, aren't they? I remember one in one of the pantos we saw John Barrowman star in, and it was totally pointless. (soz about the grammar. Am going to bed now.)

[identity profile] sheldrake.livejournal.com 2008-12-12 11:12 pm (UTC)(link)
I have no idea, I genuinely hadn't been to a panto since I was about 6! The car chase was quite pointless, although I was tempted to draw parallels with Thelma and Louise.
lazulus: (fairy)

[personal profile] lazulus 2008-12-13 12:10 am (UTC)(link)
I am off to the panto tomorrow - we are going to see Hansel and Gretel at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East. I can only hope that it reaches the heights that your production of Aladdin appears to have scaled. According to the website synopsis, it does seem to have rather similar themes so I can live in hope!

[identity profile] sheldrake.livejournal.com 2008-12-13 01:29 pm (UTC)(link)
Watch out for car chases!

[identity profile] lobelia321.livejournal.com 2008-12-13 06:28 pm (UTC)(link)
to warn the progagonists of their impending doom.


Hahahahahah....

I don't think anyone not familiar with pantos will even understand the least little bit of this post. Even I, long-time denizen of this country, feel a wave of 'ooh this is exotic and quaint'-ness coming on whenever I see a picture of a Dame.

[identity profile] sheldrake.livejournal.com 2008-12-21 08:01 pm (UTC)(link)
Panto is bizarre and disturbing - if not it would be no good.

[identity profile] purple-hazed.livejournal.com 2008-12-14 12:19 am (UTC)(link)
Now you should eat your Galaxy Buttons!!!

Are you off to see Eddie too? I'm going next Monday!!

[identity profile] sheldrake.livejournal.com 2008-12-21 08:02 pm (UTC)(link)
No, sadly I'm missing out on Eddie this time round. :( Ah well...