Review: ODYSSEY: A HEROIC PANTOMIME at Jermyn Street Theatre

 

Photo credit: Alex Brenner

Date: 1st December 2023 

Seat: E7

Tickets: Gifted

Rating: 4 Stars 

I love many things about Christmas, but there’s one thing that stands out – predictability. It’s the same thing (with perhaps just a few small tweaks) every year, from the same food, the same rush (and panic) to buy gifts, the same twinkling lights, and the same old pantos with the same old stories being told. 

And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. 

Only sometimes, it seems, it’s fun to escape that predictability and try something new, which is why, when offered the chance to see a different kind of pantomime telling a different kind of story, I decided it was time to step out of my comfort zone and give it a go. I’m so glad I did. 

This different panto was Odyssey: A Heroic Pantomime by Charles Court Opera and currently playing at Jermyn Street Theatre. As the name suggests, this is not your usual Peter Pan or Snow White – this is the Odyssey (ish) in panto form, and although that might sound strange, it actually all works together perfectly, thanks in large part to the writer and director John Savournin and the hugely talented cast. 

Photo credit: Alex Brenner

The story of Odyssey is that Odysseus is lost, and his wife, Penelope (Emily Cairns), and best friend, Trojan (yes, he’s a horse) (Meriel Cunningham), are tasked with finding him and bringing him back to Ithaca to please the gods, aided and abetted by Hermes (Tamoy Phipps). Along the way, they come across myriad challenges, including Cerberus (Phipps), Medusa, and the biggest baddie of them all, Circe (Rosie Strobel) – she’s the one the audience boos. 

There are two versions of this show, both taking place on various dates at Jermyn Street Theatre, and although most of the dates are geared toward families, I happened to see the adult-only version, which was a delight. A little bit smutty, a little bit sweary (Hermes’ call and response to the audience was particularly naughty), but most just good fun; I was impressed at how the cast of five exceptionally talented women were able to move through the pacey story (the Odyssey might be an epic, but this version is under two hours) and fit in quite so many puns and songs without the whole thing feeling overloaded. 

The talented performers (Amy J. Payne, Meriel Cunningham, Tamoy Phipps, Emily Cairns, and Rosie Strobel) each play a variety of different parts, and what I loved about them was that they each had their own personality and even their own voice (Payne’s Polyfefifofumnus the cyclops coming from the West Country was particularly amusing), meaning that it never got confusing. You couldn’t get much more different than Strobel’s Circe and her Ares, both of whom I adored. And Cunningham’s Trojan was in stark contrast to her Dionysus (one of the funniest elements in the show). 

Photo credit: Alex Brenner

The musical arrangements are fantastic. Directed by David Eaton with percussionist Dave Jennings, there were some very familiar songs with some very new lyrics that were laugh-out-loud funny – one in particular that perhaps only those of a certain age will know is still firmly lodged in my brain and probably will be for many days to come. 

Watching the Odyssey in panto form might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you’re looking for something new to do at this time of year, but I promise, it’s well worth it – this slick, fun, exciting show is something you’ll fall in love with. 

Odyssey: A Heroic Pantomime is on at Jermyn Street Theatre until 31st December 2023: https://www.jermynstreettheatre.co.uk/show/odyssey-a-heroic-pantomime/