Granny get your gun

‘Granny Get Your Gun’ is the 35^th pantomime written by Australia’s king of pantos, Tony Nicholls. It is directed by Duncan Sharp and is being presented by Curtin’s Performance Studies and the Hayman Theatre Company in the main auditorium at Subiaco Arts Centre, 180 Hamersley Road, Subiaco. Most of the performances are on weekdays at 10.00 am with evening shows on Friday and Saturday nights at 7.30. Matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 2.00 pm until the 4^th December.

 

       In a Wild West town the sun is rising and the shadowy figure of the Spaghetti Kid (Jordan Nix) with all the harmonica skills of Bob Dylan appears. Two of the local cowboys, inbred Short and Curly (Lawson Reeves and Michael Collins) who work for the crooked Lawyer Slimey (Charles Wu) are petrified. 

       Slimey has managed to con all of the townsfolk out of their houses and land, now he wants Granny Lotty’s Tavern. The Sherriff (Patrick Harvey) seems to have lost control of the law in the town. When a townsman (David Cronin) staggers into the main street with half a dozen arrows in his back, the sheriff knows that something must be done.

       Granny Lotty (Andrew Thom) ‘with her 38s hanging around her waist’ has very little money, her only precious possession being her beautiful daughter Marion (Claire Calderwood). Unknown to Marion, Luke Warm (Emma O’Sullivan) the local farm hand - who is several sandwiches short of a picnic - is madly in love with her. Poor Anna (Violette Ayad) the milkmaid loves Luke so much. Who will Luke chose? 

       When the Indians arrive Anna is worried about the safety of her magnificent dancing cow, Daisy Belle (Kat Spanbroek and Briege Whitehead). Will Chief Running Nose of the Hanky Tribe (Matt Randall) and his braves (Hannah Mason, Sophie Joske, Mary Soudi, Nicole Koch and Amber Moore) be able to capture Marion as a hostage? Will Hiawatha (Sarah Bazely) and Running Bear (Hannah Hugessen) side with the terrible Lawyer Slimey or help Granny?

        Why does Slimey want all of the land?

 

A good panto should be written on two levels, one for the kids and another of painfully rude, but very clever, puns for the adults. This has plenty, with two or three laughs a minute; I didn’t know there could be so many Indian jokes. 

The music (Michelle Snedden) is catchy and bounces along. Tess Darcy has designed a bright and versatile set (yes Ian Stewart is back) which allows for very quick changes by Jenni Stevens and Hayley Daffin’s team. An especially good lighting design from Karen Cook and demanding routine for the operator (Bec Miller). The sound design and smooth operation was by Seth Woolley – was a microphone faulty, or was the treble turned fully off?

Two major essentials are colourful costumes and dancing. The cast all had several costume changes and Kate Hart and Shelby Shaw ensured that they were stylish and beautifully tailored. The chorus sang their hearts out, coupled with the dance and movement (Claire Crosby) the spectacle was loved by the kids.

Plenty of young children there, none frightened, and all totally engrossed. Tony Nicholl’s pantos are always good, but this is one of his best.

Great fun for children and adults with children’s minds.