The story of the Three Little Pigs is here presented in the style of Harry Potter. This idea, dangerously on the brink of farcical, proves inane. Hammy, Rasher and Hamione outwit Lord Mouldipork and his sidekick, Snake, aided by a hysterical house-goblin, Hats and Gloves. This is a pantomime without the humour. There is certainly nothing to amuse the parent and little of value for a child.

The green-lit stage is filled with smoke. This is the enchanted forest. Josef King's sound and lighting design is great fun, but not original. Also, there is a discrepancy in costume design. While the three pigs themselves are lavishly attired in full 'Hogstye' (Hogwarts for pigs) school-uniform and piggy-hats with ears, the ghost's white sheet does not cover his black-trousered legs. The wolf's grand head-piece dwarfs his slim un-costumed body. There is extensive audience interaction. It is, more often than not, arbitrary. In the first instance audience members befriend a friendly ghost. A lot of time is spent getting the children from auditorium to stage - two minutes later they are running back into the crowd.

The onstage creation of the stick house, the house of straw and the house of brick, aided by audience volunteers is inspired. Sadly it is very slow, and there is little to excite the audience who have not been picked as helpers. The audience must help Lord Mouldipork to blow down these houses, huffing and puffing along with the wolf. This seems foolish and unjustified: it upsets the balance between good and bad. All that should be bad and inspire the boos and 'he's behind you's' of pantomime is dumbed down - the evil is simply not frightening. Finally Rasher, who has been eaten by the wolf, is reincarnated without much difficulty and everything is restored to sweetness and smiles. Even the evil Snake is converted to the good.

James Cowden's performance as Hammy is sensitive but just a little too earnest. The same could be said of the other pigs. The premise of the show is taken far too seriously - the joy and silliness that might have saved it is lacking. As Snake however James Cowden is genuinely entertaining. He captures the caricature nicely and his hissing delivery and dance-like movement are very entertaining and befitting of the show's style. Kelly Johnson also comes to life as Hats and Gloves, the banished house-goblin. Her performance is just over-the-top enough to justify the ridiculous quality of the character. Three Potter Pigs has all the charm of an English holiday-camp child-minding show. The cast have bags of energy, but all the huff and puff is really just hot air.

Cast Credits: (alpha order): James Cowden - Hammy / Snake / Ghost. Kelly Johnson - Hamione / Hats and Gloves. Kieron Riddell - Rasher / Lord Mouldipork.

Company Credits: Writer - Rachel Thomson-King. Director - Rachel Thomson-King. Lighting Designer - Josef King. Sound Designer - Josef King. Technical Operator - Josef King. Stage Manager - James Cowden. Assistant Stage Manager - Kieron Riddell. Producer - uncredited. Company - Spotlites Theatre Productions. Website - www.spotlites.co.uk.

END

(c) Rebecca Gibson 2009

reviewed 17 August 09 / Spotlites @ The Merchants' Hall, Edinburgh UK

Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012

www.fringereport.com