The show’s writers, Bob Heather and Cheryl Barrett, have done an admirable job of working the songs and the many pop references into the script.
Most of the songs are familiar tunes, including “The Eye of the Tiger,” “My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music and even “Uptown Funk,” although the words are often changed. The back and forth between wannabe Knights, Neddy Night (Charles Hoag) and Davy Day (Robert Leembruggen) was also fun to watch, with Leembruggen’s portrayal of the not-so-bright Day bringing in plenty of laughs.įor those who love musicals, there are plenty of songs in Merlin. The cast includes people of all ages from little kids on up, with standout performances by Missi Tessier as the story’s bad guy (make that girl) Ravenclaw (yes, the Harry Potter jokes scattered throughout the show are completely intentional) and Malcolm Edwards (who is also the show’s director) as the lovable Henrietta Cupcake. While most adults in the audience sit in the chairs set up theater style in the hall, the company has smartly designated a place right up front for the younger crowd to sit on the floor, allowing them to get even more involved in the action and perfectly positioning them to become part of the show themselves.įrom the opening line of the show (“I am Arthur, King of the Britons” a la Monty Python) to the final closing number, Merlin shows the audience a rollicking good time. It is this interaction that makes the show so much fun, with the kids in the audience quickly catching on and shouting out advice to the actors. Photo courtesy of The British Players.įor those who have never experienced a pantomime before, think of it as a cross between a musical comedy and interactive theater, where the audience is expected to participate in moving the story along: from booing the villains to warning the hero when the villain is nearby, to joining in on the many familiar songs sung throughout the show. Robert Leembruggen, John O’Leary, and Chuck Hoag. This year’s production, Merlin, directed by Malcolm Edwards, is a take-off on the story of King Arthur and is being performed at Kensington Town Hall through Sunday, December 11th. Pantomimes are traditionally performed at Christmas time (as the company’s beautifully-designed playbill explains) but are nearly always based on well-known children’s stories. The 5D flying theatre ride, a first for Merlin in mainland Europe, provides a unique way to discover Holland for all ages, and we’re really excited about the potential this relationship brings for the future, to both our existing attractions in Holland, as well as in other locations.If your kids squirm through The Nutcracker, it might be time to consider a new Christmas theater tradition: the annual British Pantomime produced by The British Players. René Sleven, Regional General Manager for Merlin Entertainments in Europe, said: “We are thrilled to be welcoming THIS IS HOLLAND into the Merlin family alongside our cluster of attractions in the Netherlands and the European region. The acquisition of THIS IS HOLLAND supports Merlin’s strategy to establish clusters of Midway indoor attractions in key gateway cities, and further expands its offering within the country, alongside a brand-new attraction for young children, Peppa Pig World of Play Leidschendam, also set to open this year. THIS IS HOLLAND holds an exclusive established partnership with UNESCO, who have supported the attraction’s development including the filming of Dutch world heritage sites from the air. After the experience, guests can explore the attraction’s dedicated interactive exhibition to discover more about the Dutch sights they’ve flown over.
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