Hamming it Up: Mini Pigs Review

Whilst many envy the Rocky virgins of this town, I pity the pantomime first-timers. The number of St Andrews students who just don't understand the joys of the British institution that is pantomime distresses me on a daily basis. I pride myself on being the opposite. Maybe it's the anticipation of the end of exams and going home for Christmas, but I have embraced the onset of pantomime season with open arms.

And what a welcome into the Christmas season it is! The Three Mini Pigs and the Disgruntled Wolf of an Unusual Size, written and directed by Orsolya Haynes and Henry Huron, revived the low end-of-semester spirits with 2 hours of endearing narrative and cheek-aching laughter.

Pantomime thrives on community, and this was no different; in spite of apprehension regarding the turnout to an independent show competing with an established group, a strong number turned out on a drizzly Monday night to support. In the one show where the audience can be on their worst behaviour, this one was all too obliging to boo the baddies and cheer for the heroes. The familiar faces didn't stop in the audience, though; this particular pantomime was complimented by such a stellar cast that the show almost advertised itself.

As the audience enter The StAge - to a beautifully curated 70s pre-show playlist, I might add - stagehand Tate Philpott sits on a stool downstage right reading a newspaper – perhaps the only breather the poor techie gets in the entire show. For a character who spends just about the whole time trapped in a corner with no lines, the level of involvement they are dragged into - from holding up giant “boo” and “cheer” signs, to slaving after some of the particularly entitled characters, to rearranging two levels of an entire stage – deserves huge kudos.

We were immediately treated to the joy of witnessing Ryan Cunningham playing the Disgruntled Wolf, donning a silk robe and in his element as the Emcee from Cabaret. The few occasions where we were blessed with another of his musical numbers were truly a highlight; the man lip-synced like his life depended on it, prancing around the stage to rapturous applause.

Ryan Cunningham as the Disgruntled Wolf. Credit: Caroline Kerr.

Fewer cheers, but no fewer laughs, were for the more disgruntled brother of Cunningham's character – Basilio Bad Wolf, played by Jack Stirling Davis. From his first lines, Davis captured the audience as they attempted to decipher his flamboyant accent, bringing a frankly baffling amount of personality and inflection to already hilarious lines. However, it was in the afterlife that his character truly flourished, as his death scene and ghostly interactions stole these scenes (often quite literally, as the other actors had to work hard to project over the laughter Davis’ physical comedy elicited), somehow even surpassing his earlier scenes.

A particular mention (and three big oinks) has to go to writer and director Haynes for stepping into the role of DJ Alexandra for this show. The ability to memorise one of the largest roles in the show on short notice was seriously impressive – and as I was noting her sharp delivery she then proceeded to start RAPPING. I was flabbergasted.

All profits from the show go to LGBT Youth Scotland, and so it would be unfair to go without mentioning the very welcome and well-approached (if slightly didactic) lesbianism in the plot. I mean, just call me a Gay Saint reviewer with the way I was kicking my feet and giggling at the beautiful chemistry between Poppy Kimitris and Sage Norwood, playing Little Red and Lumberjacqueline, respectively. It would be wrong of me not to admit that I had a tiny crush on a few of the characters. The audience were taken on an absolute emotional rollercoaster of a romance arc (emphasised adorably by Ella Byrne-Cabot as Cub 1 and the audible gasps from her seat watching the action play out), complete with a seriously impressive, fully choreographed ABBA number, to further rapturous applause.

Tate Philpott as the Stagehand, Orsolya Haynes as DJ Alexandra, Ryan Cunningham as the Disgruntled Wolf, Poppy Kimitris as Little Red, and Sage Norwood as Lumberjacqueline. Credit: Caroline Kerr.

I consider myself quite the connoisseur of pantomimes; I have been in panto audiences since before I can remember and am no stranger to a round of, “Oh no it isn't!” at any inconvenience. I was so excited for the return of pantomimes and to be a general nuisance of an audience member, and whilst I was undoubtedly one of the loudest in the audience when these chances did crop up, I would have loved to see more of them. I've noticed a distinct character in student pantomime compared to the national scripts; they work to a much more niche audience and so have more freedom within the narrative to get away with some of the off-beat plot lines they follow and more outlandish jokes that consume more of the stage time than other productions.

That said, I couldn't say that this makes one breed of panto better than the other, although the minimal set that comes with student production budgets did leave audience members craning their necks at one point to search for an imaginary house pointed out by the characters. Whilst slightly flagging writing may have left occasional long periods of quiet, the cast quickly settled into their comedic timing (even rogue props earned their fair share of laughs) and the script proved itself with satisfying coherence and neat resolution, great audience engagement, and very topical references - it wouldn't be a St Andrews panto without references to previous ‘disaster shows,’ leaving me with the biggest FOMO that I never got to witness them.

This show was entirely without disaster, however, with impressive cover from the entire cast to turn any potential awkward moments into an enhancement of the show. In a rare feat of theatre, the chaos of opening night added to the experience, culminating in a Scooby Doo-style chase scene to end Act 1 that left me once again feeling awful for the ever-exhausted stagehand.

Tate Philpott as the Stagehand. Credit: Caroline Kerr.

The Cubs (Ella Byrne-Cabot and Elliott Reed) in particular ensured that the audience were always engaged, expertly covering Philpott's scene changes from their seats in the audience, riffing entertainingly and perfectly tiptoeing the territory of endearingly annoying until they finished their bag of popcorn and returned to the stage to great protest from the audience. As a literature student and The Stand editor, I particularly appreciated Reed's insistence on correct grammar from the other characters, one example of many of the cubs’ comic relief.

Whilst I'm slightly worried whether I signed away my soul to theatre in the two oaths the audience were sworn into over the course of the show, it was absolutely worth it, even if just to witness the brief on-stage features of the incredible production team on stage as they grimaced their way through the kickline they had seemingly been threatened by DJ Alexandra into performing. The joy of this show was so apparent, from the genuine smiles and laughter from the whole cast, to the avid engagement from the audience, Mini Pigs was so clearly an example of the pure love of theatre that goes into so many of the performances in St Andrews.

Once again, I found this show to be over far too quickly; there were audible protests as the house lights came up, the audience were still so ready for more. This cast and show absolutely deserved more than the single collective bow they took at the end of the final number.

Tate Philpott as the Stagehand, Orsolya Haynes as DJ Alexandra, Ryan Cunningham as the Disgruntled Wolf, Poppy Kimitris as Little Red, and Sage Norwood as Lumberjacqueline. Credit: Caroline Kerr.

Pantomime at its heart is a celebration of silliness, and Mini Pigs embraced this to its fullest. If you're a pantomime veteran like me, you will love this new story filled with heart, personality, and laughs. And if you've never seen one before, I would urge you to get your tickets and make this one your first.

The Three Mini Pigs and the Disgruntled Wolf of an Unusual Size, written and directed by Orsolya Haynes and Henry Huron, is performing at The StAge on 24th and 25th November at 19:00. Tickets can be bought here: https://www.yourunion.net/ents/event/2781/