Mickey Rooney in panto?

Imagine Judy Garland as Bo Peep in the Arts Theatre panto, or how about Clarke Gable in Aladdin at the leisure centre in Stevenage? The thought of a Hollywood legend in a local panto is perhaps the stuff of daydreams. But fantasy turns to pinch-yourself reality at the less-than-fairytale venue of Milton Keynes. For here a legend of the silver screen can be seen strutting his stuff in pantoland. Mickey Rooney – for it is he - is starring as Baron Hardup in the town’s annual show at the MK Theatre. Yes, Mickey Rooney of Babes in Arms with Judy Garland (1939) Mickey Rooney of Max Reinhard’s Midsummer Night’s Dream (1935). Yes indeed, the Rooney of National Velvet (1944) with Liz Taylor. That Mickey Rooney. And here he is at 89 still showbiz struck and an hour away in MK. The show, is splendid and not just for having a movie legend in its cast (surely with Bacall, the last of the great legends?). It also stars the quick fire comedian Bobby Davro and Blue Peter legendette Anthea Turner. Cinderella is as pantos should be – a torrent of great gags, superb costumes, dance routines, colour, glitz and two quite wonderfully grotesque ugly sisters. But great as this show is, the wonder of it is Mickey Rooney. There he is shuffling a bit, now and again a bit vague on lines and at one point, slightly nodding off. But an 89 year-old legend has every right to be a bit sleepy. That said his interventions are often very touching, funny and he still has that famous grin – the same as that seen with Spencer Tracey in Boys Town (1938) or with Judy again in “Girl Crazy” (1943).
He also smiles his way through Chaplin’s great song, “Smile”.
Cinderella is a tale of rags to riches and magical transformations. Mickey Rooney, who started in silent movies and is still going strong, has magically transformed a regional panto into something very special: a living legend on stage. Go see it while you can.