The Magic Bookmark featuring Mama G – Petite Pantos
Reviewed 24 March 2024, Albany Theatre, Coventry.
5/5
A show full of magic and laughter.
With a mix of storytelling, audience participation, and some good old panto magic, this new one-woman show promotes three things that we could all do with a little more of: kindness, understanding, and of course, panto!
The Evil Bookworm has stolen all the books from Mama G’s library in an attempt to become the most powerful worm in the world. Mama G sets off to find three books that will make the world a better place, but the bookworm has given her just 24 hours to do it. She is aided on her quest by The Magic Bookmark, and of course the audience.
With a simple set and a few key props, Mama G brings all her panto experience into play, and this lively one-hour children’s show keeps the kids (and parents) singing, booing and cheering as we go on a magical journey. The show is nicely put together, and there is plenty to keep the kids in the audience interested, from solving riddles, to playing hook-a-duck. The Magic Bookmark takes the form of a simple puppet, which the kids loved. The book worn appears via a video call, which worked well, and there are some nice graphics to depict the different locations on the show’s journey, all in the style of a children’s picture book. Accompanied by some great songs, one of which includes the audience joining in, the show has all the elements of a good panto, and it is here that Mama G’s experience shone through, handling the inevitable child who shouts the opposite to everyone else with ease, and her interaction with the youngest of the volunteers who came up was simply brilliant, having everyone laughing out loud.
Another important part of the show, is the reading of the three books that we find, all of which have an important message about being kind, inclusive, and understanding.
If the show comes to a venue near you, make sure you get a ticket.
Credits:
Cast: Mama G, Katie Pritchard – Book Worm , Julie Yammanee – voice of the Magic Bookmark
Director – Robert Pearce
Stage Manager – Marc Kelly
Producer – Petite Pantos
Music, lyrics, book – Katie Pritchard and Mama G
Puppet designed and created by Magic Light Productions
Screen content created by Daniel Hanton
Set painted by Sarah Harper (Harper Bizarre Art)