Review of Rapunzel at Weymouth Pavilion

Review 

Staff - Intimidating when entering the premises. Not very organized and all glaring at  us as we entered the premises. 

Gentleman on the front door with a face covering; bluntly asked about track and trace. I do not use the NHS app, and require them by law to take peoples details. Came across very rude.

No warm welcome from staff instead just glared at whilst waiting to be entered; 10 - 15 staring. There was no warm welcome; only the chap on merchandise stand said hello. 

The lady who had no identity but just a cleaning product in her hand was very pleasant and reassuring and quite happy to clean a table for us to sit; but instead the auditorium doors opened. 

Usher on the door showing people to seats very good: showed us the one way system and toilet rules. The ticket lady unorganized and not able to hear us when I said my surname.

20 minute reminder 

Jumpy announcement from a very over exited member of crew. Poor announcement about face covering, as some people are medically exempt.  

Set design looks good. Doesn’t look like it has been sponsored by ikea - so far...

The show - 

Rapunzel - Saved by the Drag and The Welsh. The rest was painful. The sound desk obviously didn’t know how to do sound as when the performers were singing they were being drowned out by the music which made the performers hard to hear. The performers were  also interrupted by the ushers who were showing people to their seats mid show.  Which was distracting when they are trying to sing. 

The performance, referenced by the performers several times as it being too long and being dragged out; was right. The story could have been finished in about 60 minutes Instead of 85... children getting very irritable.

Slapstick comedy and covid19 jokes throughout with a covid joke on the latest tier changes appropriate.

Costumes and Set design a lot better than the show I saw in January in Liverpool a few years ago, The Snow Queen, which looked like it was sponsored by IKEA.  The lighting and set design was very good.

The storyline was good/ acting a lot better than expected, it was nice to be in a theatre. 

The show was raising money for performing arts, as this year lots of people have been out of work, and the Weymouth pavilion pantomime was just one of the pantomimes going ahead. There is only 14% of pantomime taking place which is shocking and upsetting as many of them including Portsmouth got underway, and got closed 2 days into its run. A very good cause they were collecting for.

During the performance the usher came across about face coverings now as were both exempt; they shouldn’t be questioning it. The lady that questioned it was on the door and saw us walked in with the lanyard. So we were less than impressed.