There are around five of London’s off West End theatres which produce a traditional pantomime for families with original songs, laughter, painted backdrops with a pantomime dame and, if you are lucky, a principal boy. Theatre Royal Stratford East’s is always one of the best.
This year it is Red Riding Hood set in Stratford on the Down, a rural idyll next to where in E3, Bow Peep (Ashley Goh) tends her sheep, among the rest of the Bow Peeps. References to other local areas are always a pantomime staple. Except that there is a problem, some of the sheep have disappeared. Also missing are the bunnies and 101 dalmatians!
Our heroine Red (Elise Zavou) lives with her mother (Kirsty Whelan) who is a wannabe internet influencer and has numerous parcels of stuff to promote arriving from River Lea Prime!