It’s the panto-fever time of year and Esther Lafferty uncovers the secrets of two of the best – MADC’s production Beauty and the Beast and FM Theatre Productions’ second Rock ’n’ Roll panto Aladdin.

This month sees pantomimes take the stage in full force, among them MADC’s production Beauty and the Beast, showing at the Manoel Theatre until January 7, and FM Theatre Productions’ Aladdin, showing at the Astra Theatre, Gozo, from December 26 to 30. 

Chiara Hylzer is the director of MADC’s Beauty and the Beast.

Chiara Hyzler is the writer and director of MADC’s Beauty and the Beast. Making her panto-writing and directing debut, she’s delighted to be adding her playful and sarcastic humour to the successful formula of previous years.

“I picked Beauty and the Beast because it’s a wonderful, action-packed love story, and I was very keen to include elements of the Disney version as that’s the retelling people are mostly familiar with. However, we have added a strong Maltese twist to the characters, their names and costumes, so everyone will feel right at home,” Hyzler explains.

“You’ll meet a bunch of new, lovable characters (some based on well-known ones) including Kikkra Tereża, a motherly Maltese teacup; Bozza Mixgħula, an elegant yet annoying streetlamp; Gradenza Sultana, a vivacious chest of drawers; and Tick Tock, a clumsy mechanical whizz,” she smiles.

Belle’s Nanny is played by the ever-popular Alan Montanaro and the show is peppered with his typical jokes and mannerisms.

Belle’s Nanny is played by the ever-popular Alan Montanaro.

His long-term fans can still expect his hilarious naughty-but-nice antics and larger-than-life stage presence. He is also nanny to Belle’s annoying twin siblings whose driving force is social media, poking fun at this obsession in society today.

For Hyzler, Belle is the hero of the show. “She’s a really ballsy principal girl who is determined to find her father. She’s not afraid of anything and represents those who have the courage to face challenges head on and call out corruption. She’s a direct contrast to the villagers, who keep their heads down and say ‘it doesn’t matter’ about everything, from local construction to global issues.”

Hyzler says they’ve modelled the bad guy in the show on a dodgy Maltese businessman who is envious, greedy and dressed in green to represent his snake-like personality.

More members of the cast of MADC’s Beauty and the Beast.

The panto includes a variety of tunes, from the iconic Be Our Guest to Better When I’m Dancing by Meghan Trainor, a great favourite with the children, and Michael Jackson’s Man in the Mirror, which seems the perfect choice for this story. The choreography is varied, with different types of dance to match the moods of the songs and scenes.

“The tavern scene is fun and boisterous with a masculine vibe; yet, elsewhere in the show, there’s wonderful ballet appropriate for a romantic moment. And it’s such a large-scale production, with big costumes and lots of sets, that we needed to have choreography for the backstage crew too to keep everything organised,” Hyzler says jokingly.

There are also lots of references to recent news – such as a mention of the Mosta ficus trees- Chiara Hyzler

Together with feel-good fun for all the family, Hyzler has incorporated a darker undertone in a few places.

The cast of Actor Musicians in Aladdin the Rock ’n’ Roll panto.

“There are also lots of references to recent news – such as a mention of the Mosta ficus trees – which we’re constantly updating, as well as innuendoes and double-entendres,” she adds. Although Chiara is the writer and director, everyone in the cast “has an input so the panto is as funny and relevant as possible”.

Hyzler is also particularly proud that the sets have moved away from projected backdrops to more traditional painted ones. “Having been hand-painted by an incredible team of scenic artists, they’re a fitting backdrop for this powerful and vibrant production with its show-stopping moments and inevitable audience sing-along.”

Edward Mercieca on bass guitar in Aladdin the Rock ’n’ Roll panto.

Over in Gozo, at the Astra Theatre, FM Theatre Productions are back with their second original Rock ’n’ Roll panto. This year’s offering is Aladdin, directed by Chris Gatt with Cathy Lawlor as musical director. The script is by Peter Rowe, and adapted by Edward Mercieca.

For those who don’t know (I confess I didn’t), this is a cross between a cover band gig and a pantomime, in which a cast of actor-musicians both act out the story with all the ingredients of a traditional panto, interspersed with pop and rock classics performed live on stage.

“The show’s great for music fans,” co-producer Edward Mercieca says.

Sandie von Brockdorff as Aladdin.

Whereas a traditional panto might have 10 or 12 tracks, Edward says they will have 20, ranging from You’re The One That I Want to I Will Survive, Born To be Wild and Welcome to the Jungle. And then, of course, there’s also one which comes with a song-sheet so everyone can join in.

“Dan Ganado (playing the uber villain, Abanazer) is a really great guitarist, and Noodles the monkey (played by Hannah Attard) is on the flute and keyboard. And although there’s only a cast of nine, we’re still promising a zany high-octane adventure of mayhem, magic, romance and chasing around the theatre,” he adds.

In classic panto tradition, there’s a girl playing the principal boy in the title role (Sandie von Brockdorff) and the genie (Cathy Lawlor) wears an oriental style costume. “It was a very conscious decision not to have a blue ‘Robin Williams-style’ genie and to strip the story right back to the original which was set not in Arabia, but in China.”

Cathy Lawlor as the genie in Aladdin the Rock ’n’ Roll panto.

On stage, Mercieca will be running an operation that’s half Chinese takeaway and half Chinese laundry, as Widow Twankey, the panto dame, weaving together elements of stand-up comedy, double-entendres and running gags, a touch of circus and a dose of Christmas references.

He also plays the bass and when I wondered how this works with his big costume and 60-inch boobs, he tells me that, actually, the biggest challenge as a musician is working out how to get the strap over his larger-than-life wig! 

Designed by Romualdo Moretti, the set is equally impressive and colourful, adventurous and even includes a Cave of Wonders in the salt mines of Qbajjar.

Aladdin runs from December 26 to 30, while Beauty and the Beast is on until January 7.