‘A Christmas Carol' opens

It's moving dolls, flying beds, ghosts and fairies - there's even a boy band by the name of Mission 4 in this year's Mullingar Panto Group's production of ‘A Christmas Carol'.Scrooge and his tales of Christmas Past, Present and Future opened last night in the Mullingar Arts Centre, and is set to run until Sunday, December 19.Those at the helm of the Mullingar Panto Group, namely director Sean Lynch, musical director Angie Lynch and choreographer Siobhan Murphy have turned this Christmas Carol into an all singing, all dancing extravaganza that will both delight and enthral those both young and old.With modern songs and an original script penned by Paul Doolin, there is oodles of comedy thrown in for good measure.Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner this week, one half of the two most famous comedy dames in the Panto business, John Quinn, better known as Banjo, who plays Dusty Mantle alongside his sidekick Ita Hamper (Paul Doolin), says this is an “uplifting and heartwarming tale”.“This year's show can only be described as “magical” for the kids who come to see it, as afterall, that is what the show is all about, bringing a little bit of Christmas magic to the children at this time of year,” says John.“Of course there is something for the adults too, the recession and the budget get a good ribbing, as do some of the local politicians, but it's all done in fun and good humour,” he explains.With a cast of close to sixty on stage, plus a large back stage crew involved in the set, lights and costume department, ‘A Christmas Carol' is a big stage production, and one of the most technically challenging shows to date.This famous Charles Dickens tale sees the mean and stingy Ebenezer Scrooge, played by Aidan Ennis, up to his old tricks again on the Mullingar stage. The story begins on Christmas Eve after the death of the Ebenezer Scrooge's business partner, Jacob Marley (Joe Earley), who in the Mullingar Panto's telling of this winter tale, is “the bad guy” for want of a better term. However, for every baddie, there is always a good guy/gal, and that comes in the form of a fairy called Pixie (Gary Nolan)!This year's Panto sees a new dimension added in the form of boyband Mission 4, who are set to get those teenage hearts a-racing and add just the right amount of rock and roll to shake up this festive show.Of course the Mullingar Pantomime wouldn't be the same without the local's favourite characters, the two dames Dusty Mantle and Ita Hamper. Both “ladies” will be once again injecting comedy in its bucket loads into the production and of course taking a well aimed pop at the local celebrities of the town too!Tickets are still available for this funny festive show at the Arts Centre Box Office on 044 9347777 but they are limited so hurry hurry hurry. Or simply call into reception on Mullingar's Mount Street.