REVIEW: Freezin - A 'quare' excellent Carlow pantomime that'll make you laugh and cry!

The George Bernard Shaw Theatre at VISUAL is the place to be every night this week with Freezin - The Quare Cold Panto 2024 lighting up the stage every night.

This is truly remarkable show with plenty of laughs provided right throughout from the likes of Nancy Frostbit (played by the incredible Kayla Kehoe), and the return of the dynamic duo, this year named: Snowflake (Madeline Doyle) and Snowballs (Maria Ansbro) - whose presence means people are laughing from the moment they enter stage left or right. 

The vocal range and performances of Kayla Kehoe and the inimitable Grace Guerin (who plays Elsa) are the two highlights of the show in my view. 

Grace Guerin is a superstar with a singing voice that would rival any Disney production. While Kayla once again steals the show this year with her humour, audience engagement and vocal abilities. She is the complete package and delivers every time for the local panto. 

The performance of the Goblin Queen (Katie Phelan) deserves special mention and she is the perfect villain as she tries to woo Kai (played brilliantly by Patrick Craddock who got a huge roar before the curtain came down).

Katie is the perfect villain throughout the production and plays the role with aplomb. 

The performance too of Gerda (Sophia Rea) will have you welling up with tears as she looks to lay her life on the life to save her brother Kai.

Truly, the acting here brought tears to my eyes, it was intense and powerful, Sophia played the part perfectly and also added some brilliant humour throughout the show as she ridiculed Kristoff (played by Ryan Jennings) - the hapless boyfriend of Anna (played by Holly Harmon). 

Ryan has a natural stage presence and an incredible singing voice - he will be in many more pantomime productions; he is tailormade for them. 

Holly played the storyteller in last year's Jack and the Beanstalk production and delivers an incredible performance this year as Anna.

Not just vocally, where she holds her own with Grace in a difficult duet at one stage, but from an acting perspective she is impeccable also. 

The storytellers also knit the story together beautifully with the youthful innocence of Annie Moriarty (Child Storyteller) and the solemnity of Paddy Behan (Master Storyteller). 

Seán Óg Ferry also adds some wonderful laughs with his performance as Oaken.

A future star in the making is Emmy Nolan (Squeaks the Cleaner) - who for a young actor holds her own in a prominent role on the stage and has a bright future ahead of her, well done Emmy and keep it going! 

Other incredible highlights were the performances of Sophie Brennan (Young Else), Isabelle Fennelly (Young Anna), Megen Walsh (Young Else) and Saoirse Moriarty (Young Anna).

Once again, the team at Striking Productions take you on a magical Christmas family pantomime adventure, with distinct local twists right the way through.

It is becoming a family tradition in our house to go every year now, it just keeps on delivering.

Well done to all involved! 

The production is written and directed by Robert O'Neill, alongside Assistant Director and Choreographer, Tracy Rea and Musical Director and Choreographer, Katie Conlon. 

Special thanks is also extended to Tinryland GFC for their continued amenable facilitation for rehearsals and always being supportive and helpful in the lead up to the production. 

It really does take a village to put something like this together! 

Running from Wednesday, December 11 to Sunday, December 15 of 2024 - there are a still a handful of tickets available if you want to go for a truly entertaining night.