Having taken the decision to move away from pantomime to stage last year’s smash hit production, Santa Claus the Musical, the Pavilion Theatre, Worthing are presenting the next chapter in the tale this year with Jack Frost’s Frozen Christmas, starring the X-Factor’s Marcus Collins.
Once again the stage has been extended into the auditorium and out at both sides to create a huge platform on which they present a touching, funny, festive, all singing and all dancing musical spectacular, which takes all the best elements of last year’s five star performance (including eight reindeer, six penguins and two polar bears) – add adds to them!
From the moment that he takes to the stage, Richard David-Caine as Jack Frost, totally dominates the proceedings, and the audience, with his amazing stare, totally wacky hair and a voice that is so menacing it actually sends shivers down your spine. Despite his Cbeebies background, he is certainly one of the scariest baddies around, although he does have many brilliant comic moments too.
Jack Frost’s henchmen, Robin Banks and Dee Linquent are played by father and son comedy duo Keith and Ben Simmons. Their comedy routines are wonderfully simple and old-fashioned and are executed with such perfect timing that I couldn’t help but be reminded of the late, great, Tommy Copper at his best.
Michael G Jones could very easily pass for the real Santa Claus and his arrival, from the back of the auditorium, has children rushing towards him to try and say “Hello”, or to get a “high five” from this very special man. He plays his part faultlessly, helping to emphasise the drama that unfolds and then, after singing his way through Louis Armstrong’s million selling anthem, “What a Wonderful World”, bellowing a huge “Merry Christmas” to the packed out theatre.
Santa’s personal assistant, Hazel Knutt, is played by Sarah Whitlock who, depending on the scene, is something of a cross between a hospital matron (because she is so organised and always has her clipboard close by) and my aged aunt (because she loves a sneaky slurp at the Whiskey bottle!) and she, together with Hannah Bond as Jack frost’s abandoned daughter, Candi Frost, keep the plot moving along at a great pace.
No musical would be complete without “the voice” and in Jack Frost’s Frozen Christmas that job falls fairly and squarely on the supremely capable shoulders of soul sensation Marcus Collins. He rises to the challenge of singing some of the best Christmas songs ever, giving absolutely all he has to each one.
For me the musical highlight comes at the end of act one when Marcus takes on an Oscar winning track from the soundtrack of the Dreamworks animation, The Prince of Egypt, that was a massive hit for Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, and that also propelled X-Factor winner Leon Jackson to the Christmas number one slot, “When You Believe”. Marcus’s voice soars and, helped by some superb lighting and the entire cast as backing singers, the overall effect is simply breathtaking.
Jack Frost’s Frozen Christmas is so good that it should be compulsory to see it, and tickets to see this festive family treat should go right to the top of the list of things that everyone should get this Christmas!
***** Five Stars