A review by Willie Caldwell
The Cincinnati Shakespeare Company and the Appalachian Shakespeare Center at Eastern Kentucky University joined forces to create an unapologetically chaotic cocktail of sketch comedy, fart jokes, slapstick, and political jabs all brought to life through the stylings of the immortal bard himself, Lil’ Willy Shakespeare.
The Premise of Panto-Loons
The show was devised, written, rehearsed, and performed in just ten days, which in theater time is about as long as it takes Hamlet to make up his mind. The sketches ricocheted between Shakespearean send-ups, political roasts, and self-aware digs at “adult theater kids” everywhere. It was a glorious mess, a panto for those who prefer their Elizabethan references with a side of absurdity along with a few puppets for good measure.
For the uninitiated, a panto (short for pantomime) is Britain’s holiday tradition that gleefully blurs the line between theater, chaos, and controlled anarchy. Lil’ Willy’s Panto-Loons embraced that spirit wholeheartedly, delivering an evening where nothing was sacred–least of all, taste.
The Actors
The ensemble cast included Jasimine Bouldin, Wyle Caudill, Jeremy Dubin, Jonathan Hibbard, Courtney Lucien, and Matthew Lewis Johnson. They committed to the camp with Olympic-level dedication, diving headfirst into sketches that required everything from bad Donald Trump impersonations to questionable interpretations of iambic pentameter. Even when a joke occasionally overreached, the sheer gusto of the cast made it hard not to laugh along.
The Creative
Look, comedy is hard. The best kind balances wit with shock, and Panto-Loons hits that sweet spot often. Sure, a few gags leaned so low-brow they might’ve scraped the stage, but when it worked, it worked well, eliciting genuine guffaws and the occasional “too soon!” from the crowd. Some of the humor felt repetitive with a few of the more shocking moments falling into the trap of playing to the lowest common denominator. Given the cast started 10-days ago without a script, the end result did exactly what it set out to do, entertain the unwashed groundlings of Cincinnati theatre goers.
The set was minimal, making use of pipe and drape along with a few tables and props for good measure. The set pieces, props, and puppets all did their jobs well and let’s be honest, If you were coming to this show for cutting edge technical theatre, you were clearly in the wrong place.
About the Companies
The Appalachian Shakespeare Center at Eastern Kentucky University is a professional theatre group that brings accessible, modern, and fun Shakespearean performances and educational programs aimed at promoting agency and citizenship through the works of William Shakespeare.
The Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is a professional resident ensemble theatre located in downtown Cincinnati, OH. Founded in 1993, the company is dedicated to performing Shakespeare and other classic plays with a focus on accessibility for all audiences.
Lil’ Willy’s Panto-Loons played January 16 and 17, 2026. Check CSC’s special events page for more upcoming shows.
