Slipped, Royal Vauxhall Tavern review
★★★★★ by Jason Reid
There are always a few surefire signs that we’re entering the ‘most wonderful time of the year’, when we all start hurriedly buying gifts for people we rarely see, fill the cupboards with enough food to survive a nuclear winter, and feign interest at the release of a TV advert for a shop we’ve only been to a handful of times just for the free fragrance samples. The annual RVT panto opening is one of those signs. It has become a queer Christmas tradition that is on a par with the first play of THAT Mariah song.
This year’s offering is Slipped – Cinderella…Rebooted. The Big Society Ball has come to VauxhallLand and Cinderella is desperate to attend in the hope of finding her true love. Luckily she does get to the ball in her glimmering new frock and a pair of knockoff Gucci’s, but, as you can imagine with the RVT Panto, the story doesn’t follow the traditional path (understatement of the year).
Slipped is a fast-paced, gag-heavy, beauty of an adult panto. The cast of Faye Reeves, Grant Cartwright, Rich Watkins, Rob McNeilly and Jim Lavender ALL deliver brilliant comic performances. There is no weak link. They gel together beautifully. You can tell the cast are really having fun – which is so important as that energy transcends to the audience.
Because the show is so packed with quality writing that’s of the zeitgeist, ingenious musical numbers, and gag after gag after gag, thanks to writers Paul Joseph and Tim Bennie, you’re probably going to want to see this one more than once. The Especially for Shoe number was a particular howler for me; I still laugh thinking about it.
Slipped is the best RVT Panto of recent years – and I’ve seen them all. It’s exactly what a queer, adult panto should be: filthy, fun and utterly captivating!
Slipped continues at The Royal Vauxhall Tavern, 372 Kennington Lane, London SE11 5HY from Thursday 28th November and throughout the festive season.
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