Gallus in Weegieland ★★★★

In what has become a staple in the Glasgow Christmas scene, the Tron has once again returned with Gallus in Weegieland, another unique panto experience. With its blend of the popular fairy tale Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll and a heavy Glasgow twist.

The show begins with an inspiring ballet dancer, Alice, finding herself unable to graduate due to her lack of love, imagination and bravery. When a mystery bunny appears from the ground, Alice cannot shake this feeling that this is the self-discovery journey that her life needs and jumps into the peculiar world of Weegieland. As we are transported into this world, we are met with simplistic stage designs (only 4 actual stage setups), with the sets resulting in a background and one large stage element (e.g., a table.) Though surprisingly, it remains still captivating being transported into this mystical place filled with odd characters that Alice will get to know very well. A cast comprising seven members, they sufficiently manage to pull off a gripping tale of discovering yourself and your voice whilst finding true love.

Writer Johnny McKnight once again proves his talent for crafting an entertaining pantomime. A script that features elements such as the tea party and has the famous Wonderland characters but remains very loosely based on the original tale and could even have gone further with the parodying (for example, the drink-me Buckfast bottle used on the marketing is genius and never utilised.) The show ultimately has non-stop relentless humour that appeals to all ages, from Scottish humour and cheesy jokes to comedy relating to pop culture moments (all the way up to Celebrity Traitors.) The humour within has an incredibly high hit rate, with the fast-paced nature allowing even a single poor joke to be swiftly moved onto another that certainly causes some huge laughs. Compared to previous Tron pantos, the audience interactions seem sadly stripped back, which is disappointing, as they were always the most memorable comedic moments, but as expected, the traditional audience shouts are indeed there.

As the story plays out, there is original music scattered within, with only a small snippet of a traditional Christmas pop song sung at the end. Composed by Ross Brown, the show displays a broad range of musical numbers, including disco and a slowish love ballad. The songs are upbeat, catchy songs that would be enjoyed outside the show. These songs, mixed with the simplicity of the choreography, heavily containing voguing, display a strong influence from the ballroom scene. The choreography by Eva Forrester is simple but is still strong largely due to the cast giving it their all and how well written and composed these original numbers are.

Beth Allnutt, Inez Callan and Francesca Rose have created an overload of colourful pieces in their glorious extravagant costumes that cast members certainly strut. Jorgey Scott-Learmonth as Alice is the most charming, grounded character and is easily relatable; with an ensemble filled with over-exaggerated personalities, she can stand out and display her impressive stage presence while still being a ‘normal girl’. Meanwhile, Star Penders is the energetic (Benson-Boone-looking) love interest that has a childlike, energetic personality; he encapsulates the character perfectly but is massively overshadowed by the rest of the ensemble, such as Louise McCarthy as the Queenie of Hearts. McCarthy is the scene stealer in a costume and performance that could be described as influenced by Lady Gaga with sparkling dark costumes (including “lady in red” with a cane and a skeleton costume) and a pop-tastic solo number that’s the most ballroom. McCarthy commands the stage in the villain role, is most confident with audience interactions, and she truly embraces this iconic mother role. Meanwhile, Marc Mackinnon as the pantomime Dame in the form of a caterpillar and Catriona Faint as the Mad Hatter character are eccentric comedic characters with the biggest hit/miss comedy, but they are memorable due to their costumes and certainly having the most joy on stage as they become friends with Alice. Overall, it’s a talented cast that creates the most joyous times and is having a blast on stage.

In the end, the Tron showcases an entertaining, hilarious Scottish pantomime that will please everyone. The cast of Gallus In Wonderland are phenomenal, and Johnny McKnight has written another must-see pantomime that will certainly have you laughing, dancing and engaged till the very end when you leave with spirits high and in the Christmas cheer.