THE latest Welshampton panto has been declared a ‘huge success by one reviewer as the cast were praised for their work.

Alison Utting, from Ellesmere and no stranger to the stage, was in the audience with her family last week and she praised the performances and the show.

In a review, she praised the work of Shaun Higgins who was writer, co-director and chief baddie for ‘Making Waves’ and said she was delighted with the work.

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“Shaun made a wonderfully offhand baddie of Captain Codseye, maintaining an air of authority even though his only help was from his reluctant and likeable sidekick, Grim Aldi (Simon Airey),” she said.

“Lining up in opposition were the two human heroes, Cal and Alex (played with confidence by Anna Lingard and Anna Gallen), aided and abetted by magical Meremaids (led by Becca Moore) and honey-toting kind fairy Ashleen Bee (Heather Rodenhurst).

“My daughter loved the Meremaids, bewitched by their wonderful costumes, make-up, and bubbles, and their fabulous floatiness. I was similarly entranced by Ms. Bee’s costume – some absolutely lovely touches.

“Of course, with Liza Ashby leading the costume design (as well as co-directing), the skilled wardrobe team made the whole show look fabulous – even Grizzy and Wizzy (Bob Richards and Andy Johnson), the macho maidens who terrorised the fictional Ellesmere almost as much as Captain Codseye.”

Alison said that panto ‘is all about breaking down the fourth wall’ – asides to the audience, local jokes, singalongs, and plenty of booing and cheering – and said Making Waves achieved this brilliantly with a great set too.  

She said: “The immersive experience was all the better for having the audience seated around the actors who used the centre of the hall, reserving the stage as a musicians gallery (and some very natty nautical décor).

“My favourite bit of fourth-wall-breaking was the opening duo, who continued their battle throughout the show (including the interval).

“There were so many fabulous characters in Making Waves that it’s impossible to list them all.

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“But I want to give a special mention to the young (and some very young) members of the ‘Cheeky Blinders’ and ‘Wildlings’, who were absolutely faultless.

“And praise must be given to the hard-working team who worked behind the scenes to make this show run like clockwork and look amazing. I

“It’s not every show that has its own dirigible, submarine, and mobile hot-tub.”