Writer: Johnny McKnight
Director: Sally Reid
Designer: Kenny Miller
Composer: Ross Brown
A decade on from its first look at The Tron, the re-vamped Aganeza Scrooge has been given a glow-up and marks a return to high kind for town centre venue.
The most Glasgow of Glasgow pantos, it provides Charles Dickens acquainted story a completely trendy twist with a barrage of native and Scottish theatrical references. There are digs a a lot on the largest panto working throughout city, the present Scottish Government arts funding debacle and the National Theatre of Scotland to call just a few.
Down on Dickensian Street (that appears suspiciously just like the environs of the Tron) entrepreneur Aganeza is pushed to succeed. Pinching each penny, she makes her loyal worker Bob Cratchitt’s life an utter distress. Aganeza in fact is compelled to see the error of her methods by visitations from the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. Thrown into the combination are a Karl Lagerfeld look-a-like Jacob Marley accompanied by an 80s guitar/synth trio, an Aberdonian Barbie, The Spice Girls (minus sporty) and a 90s boy band that left the viewers in tears.
Aimed at adults it’s smut and innuendo free, it’s intelligent in the very best approach. The mad cap antics and eye-popping visuals preserving the little-uns amused when the dialogue is over their head.
With the very best entrance in theatreland this 12 months, Louise McCarthy, (clad in a silver sequin strewn catsuit, to a 70s disco beat) is an absolute powerhouse of a performer, a drive of nature, her Aganeza is daring, brash and bloody good. You’ll see no finer supply of strains anyplace within the pantosphere. Her timing is blistering and she will scale back the viewers to tears of laughter with only a look.
McCarthy is ably supported by the ever dependable Julie Wilson Nimmo, an everlasting Tron favorite and a tough labored ensemble taking part in a mind-blowing variety of a number of roles. This is eye-wateringly humorous from begin to finish, the environment electrical, it doesn’t miss a beat all through.
An excellent instance of what will be performed with a restricted finances and expertise, expertise, expertise. Utterly unmissable – value all the celebrities!
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Runs till 7 January 2024