The Foreigners’ Panto, written and directed by Shani Erez, makes its world premiere at BOLD Elephant, a charmingly intimate theatre space in the very heart of London’s multicultural Elephant and Castle, writes Bella Christy.
The production centres around a group of immigrants who come together to perform their own version of a traditional British pantomime. From Far Far Away, Dame Foreign and daughter Zara are making a home in the city of Londom (with an M), though Lord Villan, Mayer of Londom begins to make their lives rather challenging.
Both a heartwarming celebration of immigrants in the UK and a critique of their treatment, this production blends numerous genres. It unifies comedy, musical theatre, satire, pantomime and fairytales to demonstrate how a combination of differences can make a beautiful thing.
Act 1 is fast-paced and charming, it felt fresh and won the audience over with laughter almost immediately. The characters portray an endearing sense of awkward sweetness when playing ‘themselves’, and transform into quirky, distinguished personalities when taking on the roles in their pantomime. I found the Lord Villain (Vikash Bhai) and his son, Benedict Cumberbatch (Suzy Kohane), particularly captivating.
Towards the end of Act 1, the pantomime is disrupted as one of the immigrants receives a deportation letter, breaking the illusion of their characters. Initially impactful, it reminds the audience that the issues depicted on stage are far from mere entertainment. However, as the play progresses, this device is employed excessively, causing disruptions to pace and flow, and unfortunately, the second act began to lose me.
I find that most of the time, less is more, a critique which also translates to Zara’s breakdown scene. Her dramatic screeching did not make me feel the emotion I assume it was meant to. Despite this, John Constable’s song (performed by Gabriel Paul), began to pull me back into the piece. It cut through the comedy, bringing with it a serious tone without the need to break character. Remarks such as ‘I was born here but still need to prove I belong’ depict the difficulties of second-generation immigrants.
It wouldn’t be a pantomime without the obligatory audience participation, and I would say we did a great job. A few classic ‘he’s behind you!’s’ and a dash of ‘oh no you didn’t’s’ went down a treat. The cast was engaging and playful, drawing us into the world of the panto.
The play appeals to all audiences. As a white British-born individual I found the quips and critiques of the UK relatable and funny. Though sometimes I didn’t know whether to laugh at the jokes or feel shameful of some of this country’s bigoted tendencies. Equally, my fellow theatregoer, son of two immigrant parents, resonated with certain aspects of the story and characters. Specifically, connecting with the portrayal of parental pride in their children’s ambitions and achievements.
The Foreigner’s Panto was delightfully entertaining, however, I think it could do with some further refining to become a truly brilliant piece.
BOLD Elephant, 21 St George’s Rd, Elephant and Castle, London SE1 6ES until 28th October. Times: Thursday – Saturday at 7.30pm, Saturday at 7.30pm.
Tickets from £15 with some Pay What You Can performances
Booking: boldtheatre.com
