Wingate’s double panto offer was a delight to watch. 

The Seniors at Wingate put on a double bill of Jack and the Beantin and Aladdin on February 17th and 18th.  Two fast moving shows allowed the students to entertain the audiences with jokes, songs and convincing acting.
In Jack and the Beantin, Fiona Henderson was magnificent as principal boy Jack and the double dame parts of Mrs Broke (JJ Gibson-Taylor) and Mrs Scrubber (Scott Taylor) were superbly overacted.  In a twist that added to the humour, the giant (Meena Matta) was played by the smallest person in the cast.  He did not scare anyone but that was the point.  Strong supporting roles were played by Mathew Marshal (the beanseller) and Megan Gibbs (Jack’s girl friend Beth).  Gertrude the cow (Lucy Tiplady) rounded off the cast as the mistress of comedy with some cleaver one-liners.

Although Aladdin on second it was defiantly not second rate.  Lois Whitelaw, as principal boy Aladdin, was lively and entertaining. Aladdin’s mum Widow Twanky, was ably performed by Ryan Kelly.  We were scared by the evil wizard Abanazer (Thomas Sessions) and bewitched by the score-shooting genie (Grete Vood).  The ghost (Alison Colles) had us all shouting “She behind you” to Aladdin and Window Twanky’s apparent deafness.  The narrator, Ellie Gipps, kept us on tack with the story and the escape from a dark and evil place was accomplished with ease by the slave of the ring (Mayzie Hopkins). Meanwhile back at the palace a sophisticated Princess Jasmine (Pia Eriksen) saved the day by rescuing the lamp.  

Both casts joined together for the final song “Celebration” and they did live happily ever after.  A little bit of British cultural life certainly did brighten up the Tenerife winter.

Wingate School, Tenerife