Ridiculously good for a Panto
I’ll be honest – I wasn’t sure. I’m a Die Hard fan and my inclination was that the panto element might be a step too far. I was wrong. So wrong.
Starting strong with a rewritten ‘Cheers Theme’, Where everybody knows your name, it’s John Maclane….version, the genius of this show then just doesn’t stop.
The panto elements are infused throughout with the early established Yippee-ki-yay MotherF*cker Callback led to my mam leaning over and asking ‘Is that from Die Hard’.
Where the show excels is the treatment of the subject and the style, although a parody, the nuances and style of panto is honoured, not just in the writing but in the presentation.
The cast, Shane McDaid, Bradley Hawkes, Belle Quinland and Alex Stewart, play a myriad of your favourite characters from Argyl to FBI Agent Big Johnson. The whole cast are stupidly talented, from accents to vocals they are really what you’d call quadruple threats.That being said, a special mention should go to Bradley Hawkes who had me weeping with laughter almost every time they entered the stage.
What’s difficult with a multi roling, setless show in a plain black box when telling a well known story is not wanting to miss the in jokes that Die Hard fans are here for. The team conquers this with creativity, from props, to costume, to flags, each clever and unique and gives the audience what they want while keeping to that fringe budget.
Director Vicky Gimby has done a great job pulling out every ounce of humour and showcases the cast.
Songs are catchy and nostalgic just as pantomime should be – don’t even get me started on the Duran Duran medley, it’s worth going to see the show just for this.
This show belongs on the fringe, executed to perfection and leaving audiences ready to take the real debate home…. Is Die Hard a Christmas Movie? In this reviewer’s eyes and heart yes!