Odyssey: A Heroic Pantomime

Oh Yes It Is (a fabulous panto)

Odyssey: A Heroic Pantomime

by John Savournin, music and lyrics by David Eaton

Charles Court Opera at the Jermyn St Theatre, West End until 31^st December

Review by Patrick Shorrock

The Charles Court Opera Panto has been a seasonal treat for those in the know for many years, with finer singing, funnier jokes, and more fantastic scenarios than your bog-standard Cinderella.  Recent subjects have ranged from Pinocchio to Beowulf, from Tutankhamen to Rumpelstiltskin. 

There are usually some wonderfully unpredictable twists – I’ll never forget Prince Charming being revealed as a serial killer one year.   Quite often the monsters end up being lovable and misunderstood, whether Grendel’s Mother, or Polyphemus the Cyclops, who eats sheep not humans and has a lovely romance with a Trojan Horse.  That said, there is always a good villain to boo: Rosie Strobel was a marvellous Circe (doubling as Ares and Odysseus). 

The innate cheesiness of panto is joyfully embraced – with some gloriously groan-inspiring puns, splendid double entendre, and plenty of fart jokes – but also a deft wittiness and subversive delight in twisting the source material out of all recognition.  This Odyssey is all about Penelope. 

In this version of the Homeric Epic, Odysseus has been delivered to the wrong island (Circe’s rather than his homeland Ithaca) by (of course) Hermes (an adorable Tamoy Phipps who also plays a magnificent three-headed Cerberus).  (Kudos, by the way, to Stewart J. Charlesworth and Eleni Beaumont Hulme for the fabulously colourful and adaptable set and costumes.)  

Penelope sets out on a mission to rescue her husband from Circe’s clutches before she can turn Odysseus into a pig.  In her quest, she is aided by Odysseus’ Trojan Horse and Poly the Cyclops, as they encounter Scylla (without Charybdis) who bears an alarming resemblance to Cilla Black and fight to obtain the head of the Gorgon Medusa so that they can turn Circe to stone. 

Musical influences range from The Bee Gees to Britney Spears from Don McLean’s American Pie to Boney M, all beautifully sung by this all-female wonderfully adaptable cast that also included Amy J Payne, Emily Cairns, and Meriel Cunningham in at least three different roles each.  As usual John Savournin provided a wonderfully entertaining script and excellent direction, with David Eaton doing the lyrics as well as a marvellous job on keyboard aided by Dave Jennings on percussion. 

Grab any remaining tickets while you can!

Patrick Shorrock, December 2023

Photography by Alex Brenner