Tossed: The Royal Vauxhall Tavern Panto review: Fabulous festive fun
The entire cast shines in this side-splitting production that makes everyone feel right at home, Attitude's Dale Fox says
By Dale Fox
The answer from an overseas tourist at the bar during the interval perfectly summarises this journalist’s Tossed: The Royal Vauxhall Tavern Panto review when I asked how they liked the show. “We don’t have anything like this in my country – it’s so funny and so British.”
Though brief, this 13-word commentary summarises the performance perfectly. With pantomime on the cards to join the Unesco cultural heritage list, the RVT expertly combines this oh-so-British tradition with the venue’s oh-so-queer history.
Tossed is a raucous retelling of the Jack and the Beanstalk tale packed with laughter, music, and cheeky fun. Directed by seasoned panto veteran Tim McArthur and written by the talented duo of Tim Benzie and Paul Joseph, Tossed spins a hilarious story about what happens after Jack chops down the beanstalk and slays the giant.
“The show bursts with vibrant musical numbers and side-splitting gags”
Centred around Jack, played with wide-eyed charm by Ed Cooke, and The Giant’s vengeful daughter Gina T, brought to fabulous life by the stunning Leigh Pollard, the show bursts with vibrant musical numbers based on familar artists- think Eurhythmics, Take That, and Mariah Carey.
But it’s Ada Campe who steals the spotlight as the devilishly delightful Sorcererer, wielding her husky cut-glass vocals and camp presence with aplomb.
Meanwhile, Ben Hutt elicits laughs as the foul-mouthed drag dame Mother Spriggins, while vocal powerhouse Grace Kelly Miller punctuates the tale stunningly as Daisy the sassy, singing cow.
From the moment the lights dim, the audience is enthralled. All eyes stay glued to the stage and nary a smartphone can be glimpsed as rapturous laughter and applause fill the venue. Audience participation is mandatory, with the cosy cabaret setting of the RVT providing that sense of queer camaraderie we all need at this time of year.
“Daisy’s note-perfect rendition of Kate Bush’s ‘Wow’ is spectacular”
Ada Campe’s Marianne Faithfull-esque sorceress stands out with her imposing comedic stage presence and gravelly yet powerful singing voice. Grace Kelly Miller’s Daisy’s note-perfect rendition of Kate Bush’s ‘Wow’ (reworded to ‘Cow’, of course) is spectacular [this is coming from a lifelong Bush fan – it really was breathtaking].
However, the entire cast shines in this fast-paced, side-splitting production that makes everyone feel right at home and full of festive cheer.
For veteran panto fans or newcomers alike, Tossed delivers the trademark ribaldry and chaos that makes the medium so endearing. The show puts on a delightfully messy spin on the Jack and the Beanstalk legend. This raunchy, chaotic show is undoubtedly a must-see. Grab a ticket now while you still can.
Tossed: The Royal Vauxhall Tavern Panto is running now until 5 January. Tickets are available from vauxhalltavern.com