FROSTBITE: Who Pinched My Muff? - The Garden Theatre at The Eagle - ★★★★★ - Until January 10, 2021


While FROSTBITE: Who Pinched My Muff? may be more Poundland than Harrods it provides great value and constant gales of laughter. It is, perhaps, best to gloss over the plot - or lack of it - but all the characters from pantomime are here: Good Fairy, Evil Demon, Loveable Dame, Cute Elf, Principal Boy, Sweet Girl and Grumpy Father. Writer Gareth Joyner, designer David Shields and director Robert McWhir give us two hours of unabashed naughtiness demonstrating that there is high art in low comedy! Nathan Taylor's superb Demon Frostbite leaves no piece of scenery unchewed while Dereck Walker is everything one could ever want as Dame Herda Gerda, and his costumes are magnificent. This is a proper pantomime damery not drag. Shelley Rivers is the ideal thigh-slapping Principal Boy (memories of Dorothy Ward) and, as the nimble Scots elf, Lumiukko, James Lowrie charms the audience with his naughty 'innocent' looks. This all proves that you don't need TV stars to bring rollicking fun to the stage. It must be said that this is most definitely an 'adult panto' and a particularly rude version of The Twelve Days of Christmas had the audience in stitches. The final singalong sent us home wreathed in festive smiles. It has been a long hard year so it was great to feel The Roar of the Greasepaint: The Smell of The Crowd again! They must be eating their hearts out at The London Palladium - The Eagle has landed in Pantoland.

Rated: ★★★★★

Reviewed by D.S.J.
Photo by NatLPho.

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When, Where, Getting there:
  • Until January 10, 2021
  • Tue - Thu: 7 pm, Fri - Sun: 6 pm, Sun: 2 pm
  • No performances: December 23 - 26, & 31
  • The Garden Theatre, The Eagle
  • Nearest tube: Vauxhall
  • http://gardentheatre.co.uk
Map & Location: 349 Kennington Ln, Vauxhall, London SE11 5QY, UK

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