Krankies are a real treasure

:: This review appeared in the Birmingham Mail on Saturday December 13th ::

It's not full of spectacle and it has turned its back on slapstick - but The Krankies ensure that this panto is never short of laughter for long.

It must be ten years since Janette, in her familiar guise with short trousers, school blazer and cap, was halfway through their remarkable ventriloquist's dummy routine on this same stage and gasped that she was getting too old for this sort of thing. She clearly wasn't, because they are still doing it.

Paul Nicholas equips Captain Hook with a naughty smile that says he's not all wicked and Jack Montgomery is a determined Peter Pan in partnership with Isobel Hathaway's characterful Tinkerbell.

This is a panto that has lots going for it, including dancers who become long-legged pirates when Captain Hook assembles his crew to return the cubes of sponge that the audience has been invited to throw at them.

The run runs to January 25.

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