Odyssey – a pantomime by John Savournin & David Eaton. Jermyn Street Theatre, 16b Jermyn Street, London SW1 to 31 December 2023.

5*****: William Russell.

“Possibly the best Charles Court Opera Company pantomime ever!.”

A plethora of puns, pulchritudinous performers, and perfect in every respect this latest Charles Court Opera Company pantomime must rank as one of their best. It helps to know your Homer – it was all Greek to me – as we follow the attempt by Penelope hindered by various Gods and Godesses to rescue Odysseus from Circe. The cast of five perform a multitude of roles and sing the score devised by David Eaton with gusto, deliver the words conjured up by John Savournin, who does clearly know his Homer, with relish – and clarity - reducing the audience to tears of laughter the while. Savournin also directs and – perhaps – makes a last minute sonorous appearance after a fashion to bring things to a conclusion. The pair have been responsible over the years for a series of pantomimes not always based on traditional stories – they turned their talents, for instance, to Beowulf. Sometime they worked perfectly, sometimes less so but always the performances were spot and and once again that is the case. The five include regulars like Amy J Payne and Emily Cairns and a relative newcomer Tamoy Phipps who gets to play Hermes – the comedy Savournin has created out of that is inspired. There is a more lavish than usual set by Stewart J Charlesworth – Jermyn Street after all is not a room above a pub – and David Eaton, musical director, composer, arranger and sound engineer, is backed up a stoney faced percussionist one Dave Jennings. It is not a pantomime for children, nor is it that ghastly concoction, an adult pantomime – this is a show for grown ups who at least have a smattering of a classical education since if you don’t know who these Greeks are sit could be rather a puzzling affair. To be blunt – it could not better be as the Gods and the Greeks lose their marbles over what to do about a lost hero.

Cast

Amy J Payne – Poseidon.

Emily Cairns – Penelope.

Rosie Strobel – Circe.

Tamoy Phipps – Hermes.

Meriel Cunningham – Trojan.

Creatives

Director – John Savournin.

Musical Director, Composer, Arranger & Sound Designer – David Eaton.

Set & Costume Designer – Stewart J. Charlesworth.

Lighting Designer – Ben Pickersgill.

Choreographer – Blair Anderson.