The Little Mermaid

It’s Christmas! Well, almost. So far I have avoided #Whamageddon, but last night we went out for that traditional Christmas entertainment, The Panto.

The show starts at 6:30pm as it does attract an audience of small people as well as grown-ups, so we booked an early table at Field & Green. Unfortunately we didn’t have time for ice-cream, so had main courses only, of duck breast and snapper (not together). Field & Green never fails to deliver, and everything was as tasty as usual.

Then across the street to Circa Theatre, where there was a queue outside as people were scanning their vaccination passports. They do really need to find a more efficient way to do this than just having someone with a phone or tablet scanning each one each time you enter a venue.

The panto follows the usual format of a fairy tale, with topical political references and smutty innuendo for the grown-ups. This year's story is The Little Mermaid. The story is set in Wellington Heights, the only part of Wellington still above water in the year 3021. King Lando played by Simon Leary is at war with the Merpeople who live under the sea, led by Neptuna. The cast is led by Circa stalwart Gavin Rutherford as Shelly Bay, and her son Lyall. Coral (the actual mermaid) is played by Natasha McAllister. There’s plenty of songs, from Sweet Child Of Mine to Baby One More Time and Walking On Broken Glass, and lots of “he’s behind you!” and “Oh, no I didn’t!” -ing going on, as well as booing the villain, Bermuda (Neptuna’s sister).

All a jolly good romp, and it played to a packed full house, which is great to see.