EDINBURGH PEOPLE’S THEATRE’S CRACKING CHRISTMAS PANTO

Mother Goose is one of the most popular pantos and boasts the strongest of pantomime dame characters in the titular role.

Sent to Earth, to live with Mother Goose, Princess Priscilla of Gooseland must learn to live as a mortal in order to be accepted into the Goose Royal Family. However, when Mother Goose discovers that Priscilla can lay golden eggs, which allow her to pay off the nasty Squire, she soon has other ideas.

What follows is an evening of laughter, spooky goings on and plenty of opportunity to cheer and boo in equal measure.

“EPT’s Mother Goose is packed with lively songs, dances and some cracking (get it?) jokes - in fact, why not count just how many egg jokes we have managed to squeeze into our annual panto,” laughs the show’s director, EPT President Irene Beaver.

She adds, “We always have enormous fun with our panto and this year is no different. The cast have worked incredibly hard for myself, assistant director and choreographer, Mandy Black, and musical director Barry Simcock. I know that will come across on stage during every performance.

“Running between Christmas and New Year this year we are offering people plenty of opportunities to enjoy a lovely fun outing to the theatre at a time when everyone is together.

“We look forward to welcoming kids of all ages to the Church Hill as I know all the family will enjoy Mother Goose and the eggs-trava-gander of jokes and songs paraded throughout the show.”

Established in 1943, EPT continues to delight audiences with a wide variety of plays, from straight drama to comedy, and from Shakespeare to the fun of the family pantomime.

EPT’s year is built around a timetable of four productions, typically scheduled for March, May, the Festival Fringe and December.

Right now though, it’s time to scramble along to Morningside to discover just why EPT have the eggs factor.

Mother Goose, Church Hill Theatre, Morningside, December 23-31, 7pm (matinees 2.30pm), £10, 0131-668 2019

LIAM RUDDEN