So, December was a busy month for events of all kinds, including the almost-annual pantomime at Stage One’s Theatre in Emba. This year’s offering was a brand new and utterly unique take on Rumplestiltskin. Remember that weird fairy tale of childhood? The odd little goblin who is variously depicted as evil or sympathetic, and who, when it comes down to it, helped a maiden in distress (by running around a pile of straw to turn it in into gold, of all things) in return for the promise of her first-born child; but she, albeit for noble reasons, never handed said baby over, so Rumplestiltskin was thwarted, and, quite reasonably, angry. This anger demonstrates itself in various ways in historic telling of the tale: sometimes by stamping his foot in anger so hard that he disappears into the ground or worse, he pulls his own leg so far that he folds into himself and disappears that way. What’s more, he even gave the maiden (who became Queen, incidentally) an alternative option of guessing his name – and was an awfully bad sport when she got it right. But still, the Piper was not paid his agreed fee, and has been made out to be the baddie for centuries.
In last month’s pantomime, this tale was described and over with in the first ten minutes, quite delightfully, by the Fairy-Godmother-style character Angel Daaal, and carried out in mime by a superbly animated live ensemble. These five actors later portrayed cockroaches, villagers and TV contestants, showing great adaptability, and I hope to see all of them in principal roles soon. The main play told the story of what happened years after the straw-spinning, when Rumplestiltskin – or Rumplesillyskin – or his final true name, that I shan’t tell you in case the show goes on again, it’s a great surprise – discovers the Queen’s treacherous act (of not telling him she had a baby, and handing said child over to sisters Vindaloo and Tindaloo, who run the local Tandoori Palace).
It’s refreshing to watch a panto while not actually knowing the plot, and brave of writer-director Sian Williams, and indeed the theatre group, to present such a novel offering. The audiences clearly enjoyed it and the cast had a whale of a time.
Meanwhile I was gutted to miss the Phoenix Club’s offering of their own twist on Oliver! These guys, down in Kato Pafos, also present a Christmas-time show, and I hope to catch that this year.
The Markedion Theatre has been extremely busy, with another of Aspa Vasiliou Music Academy’s Disney Junior musicals: this time a delightful staging of The Little Mermaid, and also a number of touring ballets and ice shows. Pafos is bursting with performing arts schools for children, and this is pushing up the standards of both amateur and professional shows for everyone.
All in all, with the record number of world-class artists that have visited this year: Ed Sheeran, Bryan Adams and Tom Jones; the Pafos Aphrodite Opera Festival which brought us La Traviata in the summer; King Lear at Curium; and the eagerly anticipated production of Chicago coming to Nicosia next month, the dearth of professional musical entertainment that we expats used to suffer is well on the way out. My own year began with the solo role in Tell Me On A Sunday and I’m not sure how I’ll beat that this coming year – but let’s see what 2025 brings.
Jezebel hosts a Quiz Night at Xrys Taverna, just above Tsada Square, 7.30pm Wednesday 8th January; and Jukebox Bingo at Stage One Theatre Group’s Club Night at the Emba Theatre 7.30pm on Thursday 16th January. Everyone welcome at both events www.groovejetmedia.com.
Chicago the musical February 19-23 Nicosia Municipal Theatre tickets and info www.more.com
