Laurel and Hardy, Morecambe and Wise, Corbett and Barker, Payne and Swift… If you haven’t heard of that last pair, you need to get a ticket for Wicked Productions latest show, The Jungle Book, because when it comes to comedy chemistry, wonderful wordplay and superb slapstick, Payne and Swift are every bit as brilliant as the other comedians you see named above.
Like a pair of naughty schoolboys when the teacher’s back is turned, they tease each other, hit each other, make each other laugh and generally misbehave, all of which has the very enthusiastic Tunbridge Wells audience howling with laughter.
The Jungle Book story stays faithful to the original Kipling book, and to the animated and live action movies that followed, and that familiarity gives the audience free time to concentrate on the seemingly endless stream of puns, jokes and comedy routines which, together with the superb original songs and energetic dance routines, come together to make the epitome of a family show – something for absolutely everyone to enjoy.
Tom Swift (Akela the Wolf and Baloo the Bear) and Ant Payne (Bagheera the Panther) have a solid and secure fan-base, following on from their terrific pantomimes and their previous Easter productions, Rapunzel Rocks and Alice in Wonderland. Each time they create a new show the keep the best ideas from previous shows and add to them with even more weird and wonderful ideas – that’s how we find ourselves watching a bear, on a hoverboard, doing a knife-throwing act with a very anxious member of the audience!
The cast is also made up of Monifa James, who is wide eyed and innocent as Mowgli, Edwin Wright, every inch the “panto baddie” as Shere Khan the Tiger, and Suzie Chard, who works incredibly hard in the triple roles of Raksha the Wolf, Kaa the Snake and Queen Lou-Lou – yes, King Louie seems to have undergone a serious transformation.
Also hard working are Lauren Brindley, Saskia Ward, Josie Lee and Summer Jay Jones who, as wolf cubs, Baloo’s gospel choir (don’t ask!), crows, monkeys and some very colourful elephants are quick change specialists – and obviously love every minute of the totally crazy, madcap action of which they are an integral part.
Trying to explain exactly why the show is so incredibly funny is very difficult as, firstly, you really do have to be there to appreciate the skill that goes in to making hundreds of people, of all ages, laugh at the same time when they are all laughing for different reasons and, secondly, because I am not entirely sure that any two shows are ever exactly the same.
With a brand new show coming in July 2019 and their usual Christmas residency at the E.M. Forster Theatre in Tonbridge already in the pipeline, Payne and Swift (and Wicked Productions) will continue to go from strength to strength because their first class quality shows, amazing on-stage chemistry and seemingly limitless talent will keep audiences flocking back to see a show that is guaranteed to deliver what we all need these days – a chance to forget the world, and laugh our collective heads off!
***** Five Stars