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Humpty Dumpty
Jan. 30th, 2012 06:29 pmLast week I ushered for Imaginary Beasts' annual panto, this year based on Humpty Dumpty and a variety of other nursery rhyme characters; full title: The Half-Baked & Hard-to-Swallow History of Humpty Dumpty or, One Egg is Enough!. I can't do better than the plot precis on the postcard flyer:
Other characters included a hench yeti, the three blind mice (the ones who see all, which I suppose makes them Tireisian rodentia), King's Men Jack B. Nimble and Jack B. Quick, Eensie Weensie the spider, Mother May I, Mother Hubbard, and more.
I had a fabulous time (modulo discomfort from a still-unhappy back, which didn't like sitting), with improv moments and lots of audience participation, plus lots of silliness and some songs. There weren't any kids that night, just lots of adults indulging their inner children, which was great.
Costumes were colorful and exaggerated, as was makeup, and the set was a frame around the stage, plus some oversized stackable foam blocks that served as wall, puppet theater, castle, and more.
Favorite bits: Mother May I's over-the-top evil laugh; Mother Hubbard's aging coquettishness, particularly because of being played by a man; the explanation for Princess Mary Mary's name (the king liked the name Mary, the queen liked the name Mary, and they couldn't agree, so they put them together to be Mary Mary); "1% of the children have 99% of the manners"; the walrus that finally showed up to join the Eggman; amusing use of modern music, including some rap and The Humpty Dance (plus more I don't know the names of); the k-nock k-nock jokes of a not-so-fearsome yeti; clever integration of long icicles into Icicle's outfit; the subtle Game of Thrones reference (at least, I assumed it was, but perhaps they didn't intend it.... winter is coming....). And there's more I'm not remembering right now, alas.
Definitely recommended; running through Saturday at the BCA in the black box theater.
A Giant Egg has appeared mysteriously on the wall surrounding Old King Cole's castle, and that's no yolk! It's a Portent of Doom sent by Old Icicle himself! If the egg should fall, down will come king & crown & castle and all! Winter will blanket Nursery Rhyme Land for all-time! In order to reverse the curse, Sunnyside the Goose must lead a band of ragtag characters on a Dangerous Quest that will take them to the Far Reaches of the World. But will our Unlikely Heroes be able to crack the frozen-hearted Icicle and end his wintry reign for good? Or... will they all be Scrambled?
Other characters included a hench yeti, the three blind mice (the ones who see all, which I suppose makes them Tireisian rodentia), King's Men Jack B. Nimble and Jack B. Quick, Eensie Weensie the spider, Mother May I, Mother Hubbard, and more.
I had a fabulous time (modulo discomfort from a still-unhappy back, which didn't like sitting), with improv moments and lots of audience participation, plus lots of silliness and some songs. There weren't any kids that night, just lots of adults indulging their inner children, which was great.
Costumes were colorful and exaggerated, as was makeup, and the set was a frame around the stage, plus some oversized stackable foam blocks that served as wall, puppet theater, castle, and more.
Favorite bits: Mother May I's over-the-top evil laugh; Mother Hubbard's aging coquettishness, particularly because of being played by a man; the explanation for Princess Mary Mary's name (the king liked the name Mary, the queen liked the name Mary, and they couldn't agree, so they put them together to be Mary Mary); "1% of the children have 99% of the manners"; the walrus that finally showed up to join the Eggman; amusing use of modern music, including some rap and The Humpty Dance (plus more I don't know the names of); the k-nock k-nock jokes of a not-so-fearsome yeti; clever integration of long icicles into Icicle's outfit; the subtle Game of Thrones reference (at least, I assumed it was, but perhaps they didn't intend it.... winter is coming....). And there's more I'm not remembering right now, alas.
Definitely recommended; running through Saturday at the BCA in the black box theater.