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While theatres across Scotland have been closed since March, all the fun, frolics and frivolity of pantomime was all but lost in the year 2020.
But with a pen and paper in hand, Perth Theatre’s Barrie Hunter might just have written up the perfect glimmer of light to alleviate the dark winter with a fast-paced adventure – all from the comfort of our homes.
The Doomy Gloom is under threat from devilishly evil yet creepily charming Corrupta (Helen Logan). It’s up to sparky ,and aptly-named, Hero (Christina Gordon), dame Heidi Hoall (Barrie Hunter) and her twin weans Duggie and Phillip (Ewan Somers) to save the day.
The hilarious gang are lead on their adventure by The Ghost (Ava Hickey) – who, as well as leading our plucky heroes to save the day, acts as the guide for the audience in this virtual walkaround Perth Theatre’s nooks and crannies.
It’s a pretty amazing technical feat that the team behind Oh Yes We Are have put on. Despite the new and slightly untested medium to take us there, all the panto essentials are waiting for us and innovative little sparks make for a really immersive experience.
The audience is encouraged to boo, hiss and cheer on the well-drawn characters laid out for us. We even to sing along with our guide and swing our lamps around the room as we travel between scenes.
There aren’t any shortcuts on the technical side too – the whole performance is live and interactive moments with the hundreds watching makes the piece sparkle.
It’s not quite theatre as we know it, but it is a touching tribute to those of us who long for the days when these great venues will open their doors once more.
Oh Yes We Are! A Quest For Long Lost Light And Laughter runs until 24th Decembers. Virtual participation tickets can be purchased from Perth Theatre’s website, £16 per device.
Note: As outlined by Perth Theatre, there are some technical problems with iPads. Their tech team are on hand throughout the performance, but you might want to access on an alternative device for the fully immersive experience.
