POTTED PANTO

Wilton’s Music Hall

★★★★★

“an incredibly creative and comical work of genius”

Potted Panto is a brilliant, fun and hilarious explosion of spectacular panto goodness! Written by Daniel Clarkson, Jefferson Turner and Richard Hurst we speed through six well known pantomimes, and are led by the leading stars Daniel Clarkson and Gary Trainor. They both shift and swap between playing the hosts, narrators and characters for each of the stories bringing to life well known stories with side splitting and rib tickling twists and turns.

Upon entering the auditorium you are immediately welcomed with well known Christmas jingles and songs getting you in the spirit for some festive tradition. The stage (Simon Scullion) is set with five windows, a door and a chest, all of which is lavishly draped in deep Christmas red velvet. Amongst these things is a podium holding a very large book, immediately setting a tone of anticipation for a bombardment of entertaining storytelling along with the mystery of who we’re about to meet. Who will be appearing in these windows and doors? What could be stored in the chest? What stories are in this oversized book that will have us cackling in mere moments. The excitement was palpable.

We very quickly meet our storytellers for the evening and they captivate the audience in a moment’s breath. The dynamic duo stun us with high energy and witty humour getting us prepped and primed for the madness that will come. You will hardly believe that these two could possibly move through so many pantomime stories and characters all whilst keeping us tickled, but they were both spewing absolute mastery in holding the audience, embodying multiples characters and giving us ALL the jokes and pantomime tropes possible. It was just out of this world how talented these two men were on stage, they made what on paper seems impossible, look slick and somewhat organised! Yes, it was naturally chaotic but they lean so far into absolute absurdity that we have no choice but to join in and enjoy the utter silliness of it all.

The Potted Panto script itself is a work of art alone, Clarkson, Turner and Hurst take the most important and iconic scenes and present them to us with a fresh new lens, they also zoom into things that are often overlooked and make them unforgettable. We see new and returning characters all made hilariously fun. The script is extremely up to date and relevant for all ages, there is really something for everyone to enjoy.

It’s really no wonder why Potted Panto is Olivier Nominated, it’s an incredibly creative and comical work of genius. We have all the traditional pantomime rules and traditions made better without losing any of the nostalgia and comforts of a pantomime at Christmas.

The talent really runs through this production, from singing and acting appearances of the stage managers, James Guilliford and Georgia Corrigan. To the costumes (Nicky Bunch), which were ingeniously put together to support a vast amount of quick changes but not forgetting iconic outfits and hilarious put-together costumes that deserve a laugh and a round of applause independently.

The sound, music and sound effects (Tom Lishman, Mark Cunningham and Drew Jameson) keep us singing and laughing throughout, helping the energy to stay high and joyful, you just want to join in with everything.

All in all Potted Panto is a glorious night out. It’s everything you want in (six!) pantomimes and even more. Get ready to get involved, have a laugh, cringe and cry if you’re wanting to see this masterpiece. It is truly worth every penny.

POTTED PANTO

Wilton’s Music Hall

Reviewed on 5th December 2025

by Paige Wilson-Lawrence

Photography by Geraint Lewis

Most recent shows reviewed at this venue:

THE ENIGMATIST | ★★★★ | November 2025

MUSIK | ★★★★ | October 2025

THE REMARKABLE BEN HART | ★★★★★ | September 2025

MACBETH | ★★★★ | July 2025

ROMEO AND JULIET | ★★★ | June 2025

MARY AND THE HYENAS | ★★★ | March 2025

POTTED PANTO

★★★★

“A brilliant thriller that keeps you guessing”

Murder at Midnight written by Torben Betts is a comedy thriller full of twists, turns and jaw dropping absurdity. It is a ninety minute countdown to the start of a New Year, set in the luxury mansion of a one eyed cockney drug dealer named Jonny the Cyclops (Jason Durr). Throughout the evening we see his mother (Susie Blake), his girlfriend Lisa (Iryna Poplavska), his sidekick (Peter Moreton) and his maid Cristina (Bella Farr) all spin a complicated web of deceit, scandal and lies until it all comes crashing down – this play is truly a classic farce.

Before anything begins, the glorious set design (Colin Falconer) quickly paints a picture of what is about to come, and in the first scene we are fed very specific details about the main events, however this is not nearly enough to prepare you for what is in store. During the play we witness multiple storylines and relationships unfold at a very fast pace, you have no choice but to focus and keep up, but the actors make this such an enjoyable experience. Their characterisation and heightened physicality really keeps the energy from beginning to end. They commit truly to the high stakes built within outrageous circumstances. We see shifting dynamics in relationships and some serious status play that keeps you on your toes. The actors were connected to their roles and each other throughout so well, it really allows you to get invested in the characters.

We also meet Paul (Max Bowden) and Russell (Callum Balmforth) who join in on this masterclass on physical and vocal comedy. They both offer even more insanity and foolishness to this play, leaving you either shaking your head at them, laughing with them or laughing at them. Having a collaboration of household names, together on stage, really gives the performance that “Saturday evening entertainment” feel. You feel connected as an audience with the undercurrent themes of British humour, references and character archetypes that we know and love. Even the music connects us back to British culture and social commentary making everything feel all the more familiar.

Director Philip Franks, has done a great job in finding harmony in an already chaotic play. He moves us from location to location, he keeps every spot of the stage alive and you always have something to see or witness! As one storyline unfolds, you get the sweet treat of seeing another be foretold, and it is all just a rollercoaster. To be able to manage so many different components that this play offers is a real talent, and in ninety minutes Franks really showcases his creativity and genius for visual storytelling and directing.

Murder at Midnight is both everything and nothing you would expect from a murder mystery. However, there is a certain warmth to a play, that when it is well oiled and has been played to an audience a few times or rehearsed to an audience worthy standard multiple times, you can feel it – everything feels slick, and you are invested in a new reality. This warmth was present, but there were small moments where it was absent and stuck out a little harshly. A few stumbles on lines and a few inconsistent holes, most of which can easily be worked out over the run.

This play is fun but dark. There is a constant foreboding atmosphere and it is full of clever jokes with expert timing. A brilliant thriller that keeps you guessing until it is all tied up with a shocking surprise at the end. It is the truest form of a British farce disguised as a murder mystery and who couldn’t love that?

Tag Archives: Paige Wilson-Lawrence

POTTED PANTO

★★★★★

Wilton’s Music Hall

POTTED PANTO

Wilton’s Music Hall

★★★★★

“an incredibly creative and comical work of genius”