Review: Ottawa Musicals' HANSEL AND GRETEL GO WEST

Does your holiday tradition include attending a pantomime? If not, maybe it should! For those unfamiliar with pantomimes, fondly referred to as pantos, here is a brief primer: a pantomime is a British, family friendly musical comedy, often based on a fairy tale. They encourage lively audience participation, generally include some elements of slapstick and physical comedy, and usually cast a male in the lead female role.

Ottawa Musicals, created by Sarah and Matt Cassidy, brings the tradition of the holiday pantomime to the GCTC stage this year in the form of Hansel and Gretel Go West. Not your typical retelling of The Brothers Grimm’s Hansel and Gretel, this version introduces a multitude of fun characters, including Widow Wady (Jonathan Patterson), Hansel (Chad Connell) and Gretel’s (Emma Houlahan) mother, a nine-year old, lollipop-loving bounty hunter (Maggie Cassidy) who goes by “The Kid”, a smart-talking Sherrif (Laura Caswell), and Earl (Geoff Whynot), the new farmhand inadvertently capturing the widow’s romantic affections. Of course, no panto is complete without a wicked villain to jeer at, and Shelley Simester’s Witch is a worthy adversary.

What follows is a ridiculously fun romp that leads the characters from the Hidden Valley Ranch, through the woods and to the gingerbread house. The show’s writers, Connell and Simester, made sure to include plenty of laughs for the adults in the audience, while ensuring that they sail over the heads of the little ones. There is one part of the show where two children from the audience are invited on stage to participate in a friendly competition, as the audience cheers them on. The mandatory Scooby-Doo style chase scene (created by Chad Connell) is done using anime versions of each character as they scramble through the woods. There are also many references to the city of Ottawa, as the writers, and the majority of the cast, are either Ottawa-born or raised.

This is Maggie Cassidy's third appearance in an Ottawa Musicals panto; previously, she was given a role mostly for cuteness and participation. However, at nine years old, she is now ready to take on the meatier role of The Kid. A member of the Capital City Dance competitive dancing team, Maggie Cassidy masters the choreography (by Jessica Vandenberg) with ease and gives a strong vocal performance, hinting that she will be a veritable tour de force in the future.

Notably absent this year is Declan Cassidy, who usually appears on stage in the role of Selfie the Elfie, but who is behind the scenes this year. However, in a sweet nod to tradition, he does make a brief appearance in animated form.

Everything about this production screams fun, from the script to the sets, costumes (both by Lu-Anne Connell), wigs, and original music and lyrics (by Jonathan Evans). The cast is extremely talented, with some truly excellent vocals, particularly from Houlahan, Chad Connell, and Caswell. Patterson’s comedic timing and audience interaction drives the show’s momentum. Simester feeds off the audiences' jeers, fueling even more interaction. Everyone genuinely seems like they are having a blast on stage and their energy is infectious.

If you are looking for a new holiday tradition, look no further than Ottawa Musicals’ annual panto. Cheer the heroes, boo the villains, and laugh out loud at the antics on stage! Hansel and Gretel Go West has something for everyone and is the company’s strongest offering yet. Playing at the Great Canadian Theatre Company’s Irving Greenberg Theatre on selected dates through January 4th, get tickets at the link below or click here for more information.

Ottawa Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. JERSEY BOYS (Tweed and Company Theatre)

15.3% of votes

2. NEXT TO NORMAL (Elevator Theatre Company)

11.9% of votes

3. THE PROM (Suzart Productions)

8.9% of votes

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