Panto of the Opera Pantoween: 4 stars

Panto (or pantoween) isn’t really my thing, but I know that Hoi Polloi Academy has been doing some solid stuff and I was keen on seeing how the company would deal with this mash-up. Well, it turned out to be a glorious riot, despite some technical shortcomings. Director and writer Marco Calleja pulled off just under three hours of bangers, political shade and double-entendres while navigating the most jaw-dropping costumes. Before I get down to the review, here are all the details.

Panto of the Opera – details

Play		Panto of the Opera
My Rating		⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
Producer		Hoi Polloi
Script		Marco Calleja
Director		Marco Calleja
Cast		Marco Calleja, Matthew Grech Margueret, Leah Mifsud, Gabriel Magro Delia, Katherine Brown, Lara Agius, Denise Bezzina, Jalen Manicolo, Graziella Debattista, Joe Depasquale, and the Ensemble.
Music Director		Christine Vella
Choreographer		Warren Schembri Bonello
Vocal Coach		John Cutajar
Lighting Design		Matthew Gellel
Sound Design		Sergio Costa
Set Design		Romualdo Moretti
Costume Design		Louie Noir
Wardrobe Supervisor		Petra Galea Debono
Running Time		3 hours including interval
Dates		October 29, 30, 31 & November 1
Venue		Teatru Salesjan
Language		English and Maltese

Panto of the Opera – the narrative

The script is written by Marco Calleja, who gives the popular musical a few twists and turns, setting the story at the Old Opera House in 19th-century Malta. The Phantom’s lair lies in the warren of tunnels right underneath Valletta. The rest is pretty much what you might expect, with the narrative retaining its classic bones and getting a glow up with a Dame, a Villain and a happily-ever-after that includes a message we can all get behind: a more inclusive arts community.

As we all know, panto is not really about the story itself, but about the callbacks, the music numbers, the larger-than-life dame, the shady political digs and the innuendos that fly right over the heads of the younger audience members. Calleja’s script had no shortage of any of this, and it came together in a wonderfully mad caper that had many cackling loudly and turning a blind eye to the technical hitches.

I’ll start with the adaptation of the music numbers, which ranged from Queen and Abba classics to homegrown tracks like Aidan’s Bella. These were all given the pantoween treatment, with lyrics swapping swiftly from Maltese to English. But Bella was perhaps the funniest, transformed into an insane pseudo-patriotic number with lyrics to match.

Political satire there was aplenty. Many lines were absolutely hilarious and landed very well — as expected, construction and corruption were constantly under the spotlight. Every single political party in Malta got its fair share, but at times the punchline suffered from being repeated too often. I know this repetition is an accepted part and parcel of panto (which is why I tend to avoid them), but there’s a lot to be said for tighter scripts like Chucky’s Solo Panto last year.

Some other funny moments failed to land not because they weren’t witty, but because they mostly resonate with those who work within the arts sector. I was shrieking with laughter, but audience members who aren’t as familiar with the ins and outs of the industry’s big names didn’t get the references. Douze points from me, though, for somehow working in Kenneth Zammit Tabona. If you know, you know.

The cast

Marco Calleja’s Madame Dame Theatre Manager delivered everything a panto lover could wish for in a dame. Calleja fits the role immensely comfortably, bringing a manic but somehow lovable energy to the stage. There were no dips, and Calleja really came into his own throughout the music numbers. Not even the ridiculous accent, costumes and lines could hide his powerful voice. It’s difficult to pick a favourite moment, though his rendition of I Want To Break Free, complete with broom, would probably have made even Freddie Mercury break into laughter.

Leah Mifsud gave us a solid Christine, her vocal prowess finally being given proper rein towards the end of the second act. Her rendition of The River (from Hell’s Kitchen) was powerful, poignant, and had us all spellbound. Gabriel Magro Delia proved to be a charming counterpart as Raoul, and his performance of Newsie‘s Santa Fe was just beautiful. Matthew Grech Margueret doesn’t have a lot of stage time, as the Phantom, but leaves his mark nonetheless.

Most of the cast was on point vocally. Special mentions go to Katherine Brown’s Madame Giry (what aThe Last Midnight that was! ) and Graziella Debattista as The Opera Diva and Jalen Manicolo as the Opera Director (basically for every single time they sang). The young ensemble also acquitted itself very well, some members leaving a particularly strong impact. I’m looking at you, the auctioneer at the start. Natural and easy comic timing throughout. I will hunt down your name and watch out for more of you on stage. Speaking of comics, Lara Agius and Denise Bezzina as The Henchmen provided plenty of laughter.

Direction, set, lights and music

Apart from writing the script, Marco Calleja also directed the show. There were some hiccups along the way although, full disclosure, I attended dress rehearsal, so these may very well be sorted. Pacing dipped after the first act, with set transitions suffering and the dialogue lagging in parts. Audio was not up to par throughout, and several performers lost their mic on occasion.

The above two points almost cost the review half a star, but the production as a whole was so enjoyable that it didn’t feel fair. Audio seems to be a recurring problem with too many local productions — the nigh-perfect Ħobżna ta’ Kuljum had also suffered in this regard, which makes me wonder what’s the deal.

Songs were accompanied by sharp choreography from Warren Schembri Bonello. Numbers like I Want to Break Free and Bella proved how adapt Schembri Bonello is not only technically, but also in matching movement to humour. Musical director Christine Vella was equally skilled at leading her music ensemble, technical problems aside.

Costume design by Louie Noir was the cherry on the cake. The dame’s outfits were genuinely spectacular, with an eye to detail that we don’t usually see in panto. One ball gown revealed an incredible landscape photo of Castille; another had a tulle frou-frou (okay, I may have invented that word) emerging from a very strategic spot, and making me snigger like a 14-year-old everytime my eyes landed there.

But it wasn’t just about being over the top. There were gorgeous fabrics and a definite Victorian vibe that contrasted very well with the costumes of the children of the night (that’s what I decided to call the creatures Christine encounters in the catacombs). Incidentally, the latter scenes are where Schembri Bonello’s choreography really stands out.

Panto of the Opera – the verdict

It may not have been technically perfect, but Panto of the Opera provided almost three hours of mad energy and heart-warming laughter. I was particularly impressed by the promise shown by the 11-strong ensemble and hopefully we will be seeing more of these performers. The main cast was solid, crowned by the damiest Dame there ever was. In short, if you’re after an evening to make you forget any stress you may have going on in your life, this is it.

Affiliate/Advertising Disclaimer: How I Carry Out Reviews

I received no payment for this review of Panto of the Opera, and I was offered press tickets. The opinions expressed here are purely my own and the producers had no input/control over what I wrote. There are no affiliate links contained within this page. To learn more about my policies and my reviewing process, visit my Affiliate/Advertising disclosure page. To better understand what my rating means, check out the details of the star system. Check out another equally funny show: Cagliostro & The Pirate Queen: The Secret Story of Malta.