First view – Puss In Boots
Picture Special from the Brunton Panto
By Thom Dibdin
The Brunton has a new director and writer for this year’s pantomime Puss in Boots with Tim Licata of local comedy troupe Plutôt la Vie taking over at the helm and Philip Meeks on writing duties.
Who’s behind you? Gavin Paul (Jamie), Kim Shepherd (Princess Fiona) and Ross Allan (Rory) in the Brunton Theatre’s 2012 pantomime: Puss In Boots
The production has its press night on Saturday, but has been running for schools performances since Tuesday, and the Brunton has been good enough to give Æ a few production shots to show it off in advance.
True to the Brunton tradition, this looks to be packed with local references. At least according to its synopsis.
This Puss in Boots is set in a Musselburgh which is ruled by wicked Witch Wysteria who wants to marry the town’s silly King McMuckletts. If she doesn’t get her way she’ll set her son, the monstrous Ogre Rumbletum loose, and there’s no knowing what damage he’ll do with his two big left feet.
Big green mean machine: Scott Glynn as the Ogre Rumbletum in the Brunton Theatre’s 2012 pantomime: Puss In Boots
McMuckletts’ daughter, Princess Fiona, is desperate to find a hero to save the day, but it looks like it’s a lost cause. Then Wysteria’s magic backfires and Puss in Boots arrives in town.
Sea tales: Kim Shepherd (Princess Fiona) and Tom Freeman (King) with some furry pals in the Brunton Theatre’s 2012 pantomime: Puss In Boots
And when he does, it soon becomes clear that the folk who are destined to save the day are Dame Doris Dimple’s two silly lads Jamie and Rory.
They’re playing our song… Gavin Paul (Jamie) and Kim Shepherd (Princess Fiona), the Brunton Theatre’s 2012 pantomime: Puss In Boots
The show’s writer, Philip Meeks is not quite a veteran of the panto circuit, but is something of a dame himself – he’s playing Nurse Dolly in Darlington this year, and wrote the fantastic one-man show Twinkle, Little Star about an ageing panto dame, which was a hit of the Fringe in 2006.
Up at the Webster Hall in Arbroath he was responsible for a well-received Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 2010 and, last year, a Puss in Boots which which set in “a beautiful kingdom just north of Arbroath and left a bit”.
What a sweetie (it takes allsorts)! Stephen Doherty as the Dame in the Brunton Theatre’s 2012 pantomime: Puss In Boots
As a television writer he’s also worked on Heartbeat and spent three years script-writing for Emmerdale.
Tim Licata is a clown, performer and director of some repute. He trained in Paris and Chicago – at the Piven Theatre Workshop. He set up Plutôt la Vie in 2002, which is best known for its international hits A Clean Sweep and By The Seat of Your Pants.
Puss in Boots sees Stephen Docherty as Dame Doris Dimple. Tranent funny man Scott Glynn is Rumbletum the ogre, and it also sees the return of the familiar faces of Isabella Jarrett (Wysteria) and Gavin Paul (Jamie) .
Ross Allan (Rory) and Puss in the Brunton Theatre’s 2012 pantomime: Puss In Boots
Kim Shepherd plays Princess Fiona, Ross Allan is Rory and Tom Freeman comes over all daft as King McMuckletts to complete the cast. The production also features 24 young people from across East Lothian who auditioned to appear alongside the professionals.
Puss in Boots is at Brunton Theatre until Saturday 5 January 2013. Tickets are available now from Brunton Theatre Box Office on 0131 665 9900 or online at www.bruntontheatre.co.uk
Oh yes I am! Isabella Jarrett returns as wicked Wysteria the witch in the Brunton Theatre’s 2012 pantomime: Puss In Boots
ENDS
