Reviews
The Stage
The Palace offering is the perfect antidote to a financial downturn that has hit Mansfield harder than most.
You’d have to go a long way to find something as consistently funny and good humoured as this with the cheeriest slapstick scene ever and probably the loudest screams from delighted audience.
It's success has a lot to do with Rik Gaynor, a Mansfield lad himself.
He looks as though he’s just breezed in off a building site and he works the audience so outrageously as Wishee Washee that they’re positively begging to be sprayed with water or given a custard pie.
Michael Abs'alom as Pong and Charles Burden as Twanky are perfect foils for him.
The Derbyshire Times.
Children yelling, laughing, clapping and jeering - the best genie in the land couldn't conjure up a better reception. "Screen, scream, scream" orders Rik Gaynor with his aside to parents: "This'll cure your hangovers"
The excited kids respond in ear-splitting fashion and carry on doing so, with comic gems drowning in a tidal wave of noise.
For the liveliest and loudest panto audiences in the region, Mansfield really does take some beating.
There's plenty to shout about in this year's offering, Aladdin, which is lighting up the town's Palace Theatre.
Mansfield-born Rik Gaynor steals the show with tomfoolery and quick wit in his role as Wishee Washee, aided and abetted by CBBC's Michael 'Abs'alom as Pc Pong.
The comical chums turn water pistols on the auditorium dabbing foam on the heads and hands of spectators.
Clowning glory: Rik Gaynor (left) and Michael 'Abs'alom (right), play the comical chums in Aladdin.
Daily Telegraph.
Fast-paced and full of frolics and fun, it’s a magical show that’s well cast and slickly produced.
Much credit for a super pantomime that lifts the spirits in these gloomy times goes to Mansfield’s own Rik Gaynor, returning to his home town after being involved in just about every aspect of show business in recent years.
He’s a loveable Wishee Washee who responds to his audience with gusto and also contributes his own songs to the show.-
Review Gate.
Anyone in need of a free shower will like the wet routine, involving buckets, water-pistols and hose pipes.
Men in their fifties will appreciate the fact that there are plenty of leggy ladies all over the stage.
And you get healthy helpings of excellent song and dance and good old-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll with Elvis impersonation from Rik Gaynor, back as Wishee Washee and versatile as ever.
Mansfield 103.2 Radio.
This week we went to the panto in Mansfield to watch Aladdin, it was fantastic, what a fantastic cast and crew.
There were some great songs, costumes, music and humour.
The star of the show for me personally was Rik Gaynor who plays Wishee Washee (and also put a pie on Norman Cox’s head) please be warned there is audience participation.
Great British Panto Review
Mansfield’s Aladdin was a blast from beginning to end.
The star of the show for us was Wishee Washee played by Mansfield’s born Rik Gaynor.
Everything from his voice to his facial expressions, to his warmth and humour when dealing with the children he invited onto the stage, created belly laughs and the fact he used the “fart” at least once has ensured he has a fan for life in Miss M.
The Stage Review – Tunbridge Wells 2008
This slick, upmarket pantomime hits all the buttons.
It sits spaciously on the Assembly Hall’s big stage and makes imaginative use of the live music, especially in the ‘splosh’ scene which uses silent movie-style piano to accompany the slapstick - and ends with Rik Gaynor as Wishee and David Drewitt as PC Pong hilariously running round the auditorium smearing a few (un)fortunates with foam.
It’s good to see a really strong female principal boy. The crisp-voiced Anna Williamson (GMTV Toonattik) sings and dances beautifully and clearly has talent which readily transfers from small screen to stage. Stephen David is a very watchable Widow Twankey - earthy and homely rather than glamorous. David Drewitt is a suitably larger-than-life silly policeman.
But the really outstanding work is by Rik Gaynor which accounts for the freshness of this show. Gaynor is a highly accomplished, eclectic entertainer whose enviable comic timing and acting is as good as his rock singing. And the rich Yorkshire voice works a treat.
Chris Ellison is disappointingly wooden and predictable as Abanazar and, notwithstanding Gaynor’s joke about it, it really would have been better if Ellison hadn’t sung.
Otherwise the music choices are attractive and quite unusual for pantomime with plenty of strong tunes rather than over-reliance on bone-rattling rhythms. And the ballet sequence using Borodin’s Prince Igor music at the end of Act 1 is delightfully typical of the very high standard of dancing in this show.
What the papers say about Dick Whittington at the Mansfield Palace Theatre.
The Advertiser 17/12/04
Panto's paved with gold
Rik Gaynor, who as also directed the show, is absolutely fantastic as Idle Jack and gets the kids on his side immediately by pulling funny faces, telling silly jokes and wearing a ridiculous outfit.
Every time he comes on he shouts out: "Hiya kids" and they shout back "Hiya Jack, wooh", also every time he is ordered about by anyone on the stage, the kids have to shout out: "Jack do this Jack do that, wooh" Great fun. He makes a great double act with the ship's Captain played by Mathew Linus Hunt, who also pulls many faces and goes about wearing a carrot for a parrot.
They get decidedly messy during a cookery demonstration using eggs, flour and water and get away with throwing a bucket of water over the audience and running around the auditorium putting shaving foam onto the audience's hair.
Absolutely hilarious.
They are also a hoot on board the ship when Idle Jack turns into Michael Flatley and the Captain becomes his partner in a long flowing blond wig
NOTTINGHAM EVENING POST
By Alan Geary
A brilliant script brings out the best - it's a riot
A multi-talented cast directed by Rik Gaynor who also plays Idle Jack, are mainly the reason.
It has to be said that they are helped by an unusually brilliant script, which is tightly written, stuffed with topical gags, local allusions and clever rhyme and given a generous helping of splendid adult innuendo.
Perhaps it's the script, or perhaps unselfish direction on the part of Rik Gaynor, but everyone in the cast is given plenty of scope for his or her talents.
Rik Gaynor holds the evening together leaving the gormless bit in the capable hands of Mathew Linus Hunt (Ship's Captain), he exploits his amazing rapport with his audience. His comic timing is often priceless.
There is one splendid set after another, a feast of all sorts of music, and some remarkable special effects
Highlights? The word-play between Idle Jack and others over the spotted dick; the mega-messy cooking routine from Jack and the Captain, the scene with Jack and Mum Sarah in The shop.
If you're sitting near the front bring a brolly. It won't afford much protection from the cream pies but it might stop you catching a free shower.
BBC Nottingham
By Margaret Poulson (internet review bbc.co.uk)
The star of the show was, without a doubt, Idle Jack played by Rik Gaynor, his rapport with the young, and the not so 
young, was fantastic, his antics and sometimes corny jokes had everyone in fits of laughter.
During the traditional singalong he had people waving their arms in the air, clapping hands, stamping feet, standing up and spinning around.
The cooking scene between Idle Jack and the ship's Captain (Mathew Linus Hunt) was pure slapstick, breaking eggs, tossing flour around and of course the inevitable throwing of foam into each others faces
was hilarious and when this fun was extended to include members of the audience the result was bedlam.
This traditional pantomime has everything, flamboyant dame, horrid Villain, handsome hero, lovely heroine, funny fool, good fairy, colourful sets, amazing costumes and fantastic music.
An enchanting Show.
Mansfield Chad
By Heather Hinchley
OH yes!
It's panto season again in Mansfield and the Palace Theatre has certainly done locals proud with this year's offering…Dick Whittington.
UK Productions made sure this timeless Christmas classic pantomime was given a new lease of life with
injections of modern songs and references to current affairs.
Possibly the most captivating Performance was from South - Normanton born Rik Gaynor as Idle Jack, who also directed the show and bridged the generation gap by demanding 100 per cent participation from the lively Tuesday night audience.
This is certainly a good way to get into the festive spirit and enjoy a night of family fun but be warned!
Watch out for the flying custard pies!
THE STAGE NEWSPAPER
By Helen Gay Bolton
HOME AND AWAY SOAP CHARACTER ALF STEWART GETS A CULTURE SHOCK!
When he swaps life down under for Mansfield rubber-faced Rik Gaynor ups the fun factor, aided by his daft sidekick Mathew Linus Hunt. Spectators love it when the clowns run amok in the audience, smothering people in custard pies.
This is by far the best panto Mansfield has had for years.
