Review: Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Theatre Royal Newcastle

The Theatre Royal's Goldilocks and the Three Bears has you on the edge of your set one minute and up on your feet the next.

It is a circus-based pantomime, which suits father and son headline stars Danny Adams and Clive Webb who are hot off a nationwide tour with their very own Cirque du Hilarious.

There are motorbike riders hitting speeds of 60mph, juggling, acrobatics, high-speed rollerskaters - and it all comes at an action-packed pace.

Writer and director Michael Harrison has created a high-octane experience which brings big top adventure to the stage.

In his 14th annual panto in the region, Danny Adams, as Danny the Clown, provides laughs, slapstick action and double entendre aplenty, backed up by dad Clive Webb as The Ringmaster.

Chris Hayward returns as Dame Rita Rington and has a stunning and glittering costume change for every entrance with the rousing introduction of 'hiya me bonny bairns'.

Boos and hisses greet the dastardly villain, Whitley Bay-born Steve Arnott as Baron Von Vinklebottom with his every step on stage as he bids to kidnap the Three Bears played by Peter Peverley, Christina Berriman Dawson and Reece Sibbald.

The circus theme of the show goes up a gear with as the four-piece Berserk Riders hit speeds of 60mph with an exhilarating choreography inside a globe less that five-metres wide.

The Skating Mendini, Asia and Dylan are the fifth generation of one of Italy's oldest circus family's and provide one of the many high-points and the skills of The Great Juggling Alfio, Valencian Alfio Macaggi, a fourth-generation circus artist from a large Spanish circus family, leave onlookers mesmerised.

Even Danny gets involved with his own nerve-wracking circus trickery that he practised to perfection, well you'll have to see it for yourself, but I can say it's tense.

Goldilocks with her angelic singing voice is played beautifully by Laura Evans, a singer-songwriter who is set to appear on Netflix in the new year playing a young Tammy Wynette in a biopic about the star's life.

Michael Potts as the circus idiot puts in another performance of comedy genius, ahead of appearing with his brother and dad, Danny and Clive, in CBBC show Danny and Mick which is due to be aired early in 2019 after being filmed in Newbiggin.

Yet again Danny and Clive and cast, with the help on occasions with the odd stage appearance by members of the audience, have put on yet another high-energy action-packed love story, although I obviously cannot reveal who wins Goldilocks' affections in the end, for that you'll have to see the show.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears will be on at the Theatre Royal Newcastle until Sunday, January 20, 2019.

For tickets contact the Box Office on 08448 11 21 21 or for more information log onto: www.theatreroyal.co.uk