The annual Trinity Vincent De Paul (VDP) panto has got to be one of the most enjoyable, and ridiculously wholesome, nights of the year. A far cry from a civilised (perhaps stifling) evening at the Abbey, the theatre is packed full of audience members who, with raucous enthusiasm, have come to engage with the action. The atmosphere is electric and joyous, both onstage and off.
Running for two nights this weekend, the highly-anticipated pantomime has returned, this time in the form of a unique Dublin take on the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Loosely based on the events of the first film The Curse of the Black Pearl, the play reaches far beyond its plot: the script is extremely entertaining in its heavy pop-culture referencing and colourful nods to Dublin life, and the show abounds with fantastic music and choreography.
Though the large cast does include members of the Trinity VDP society, the majority of the performers consist of the adults and children who benefit from the society’s weekly activities. This includes 120 children who take part in after-school homework clubs, and members of the Trinity Club, a group that organises activities for intellectually-challenged adults. Held in Belvedere College’s O’Reilly Theatre, tickets were sold for €10 each, with all of the proceeds channelled back into supporting the society’s work.
Last night’s performance began with an animated introduction by the panto’s narrators: a decidedly out-of-place, but nonetheless charming Cinderella, and his no-nonsense sidekick Polly the Parrot, whose witty repartee had the audience laughing aloud within the first few minutes. The curtains then opened with a lively dance to “Cheap Thrills” by Sia that introduced all of the children and the Trinity VDP members on stage at once, and the fanfare set the tone with a revelrous quality.
The talent of the stars’ acting was remarkable. In particular, the romance between the characters of Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann was convincingly portrayed, and the onstage chemistry was tangible even in the midst of the fast and furious action that surrounded it. Elizabeth Swann’s heavy D4 accent drew many a laugh, and when she could only be awoken after her rescue by the news that Topshop was having a 50 per cent-off Spring Sale – “Oh My God, whatt?” – the audience burst into hysterics.
The charm of the VDP panto lies in its self-conscious and relentlessly quick humour. For example, a father (played by a young child) disses his daughter with the line, “if it’s 2018 darling, why are you still wearing Uggs?”, and later on, a whole troupe of little bouncers arrive onstage with t-shirts reading “Not Tonight Pal”, crying “can I see some ID?”, and “get yourself a coffee”. The vast array of scenes are glued together by a boundless onstage energy, by the dance-offs to Beyonce, by the fabulous Sea Snails (the Trinity Club) who dance and cartwheel across the stage, and by a fidget spinner. All these elements come together harmoniously to create an incredibly enjoyable evening for everyone in attendance.
With one night down and one night left, the Trinity VDP panto provides the perfect opportunity for a genuinely entertaining Sunday evening. For the social good that it promotes, and the personal enjoyment it provides, the panto is a sure highlight of the College calendar.
