A Short Shorts Panto Woolf

It's a while since I last blogged; so I thought I would try and follow in the style of prolific blogger and theatre goer, Mark Shenton and provide you with 'Short Shorts', as he terms them: a summary of events in one blog.  The truth is that this will most probably end up a bit more Virgina Woolf 'stream of conciousness'-esque; at least, that's my excuse for the following sentences grouped together with no real structure!

If you wish to decide which writer I emulate more: Shenton's blog can be found at The Stage and the complete text of Woolf's Mrs Dalloway can be read at the University of Adelaide.

I've never read a Virgina Woolf novel.  I did try and read Orlando once, because it sounded quite fantastical and was fairly thin; but I guess I gave up as I have barely any recollection of it.  I do read Mark Shenton's blog, however and I enjoy it.  He also tweets / writes with honesty and interest about panto - although I have noticed that he seems to leave the country when the season starts.

The reasons for my lack of blogging are varied.  The major one is that it turns out that having an office job takes up a lot of time and dents my desire to sit in front of a computer any more than I have to (especially when the purpose is to talk about life outside the office and trying to make it happen again!).  Also, I have moved house: from a flat I rented into a flat that I and my partner own.  Hence the reason for a settled, steady, office job at the moment.

The third reason is that a little while ago I was mugged (in Brixton, which is a frustrating cliche) and it became very hard to focus on things.  I'm not bringing this up to get attention or sympathy; but because it's a bizarre example of how panto-centric I am...

I phoned the Police when I got home and they came around pretty quickly.  Our old flat had several vintage panto posters on the walls and half way through the interview, as I was struggling to describe my mugger, one of the policemen started talking about a Cannon and Ball poster I had up.  From there the interview became a series of sensible questions interspersed with me preferring to talk about pantomime, because it's a much nicer subject!  I think I may have also tried to talk about my experience in terms of the stock panto characters and plots - to be honest: I suspect that I was more in shock than I realised!

I have always talked about pantomime at any opportunity; but I think that has to be my most extreme example so far!

Anyway, on to directly panto related ramblings! 

Last week the cast of this year's Sevenoaks panto Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood met up for the first time and had a very fun afternoon having our pictures taken for the new poster and doing interviews with the local press.  Here's the evidence:

 

 

The only ones I hadn't met before were Andy Abraham and Alan Fletcher and I think they are going to slot into our panto family marvellously.   Andy has already worked for Magic Beans before, last year in Weymouth; but this is Alan's first time and I think he will be a perfect match for our team.  Both of them were a lot of fun, friendly and down to earth.  Finger's crossed we will have as good a Christmas as previous years.  In fact, I've got a feeling it may be the best yet.

 

Alan is a musician as well and told us that he would be bringing his ukelele over with him.  I've never really had much luck with instruments where both hands have to work independently - but Ant and I have decided that we will be forming a ukelele trio with Alan over the season.  First we need to buy the things and then we need to learn them; but please expect to see us busking at Sevenoaks Train Station on 6th January when panto has finished.

 

Ukeleles are a bit of a panto past time actually.  A few year's ago Laura-Jane who played Fairy Pureheart bought one.  She has been challenged by this year's fairy Anna Kumble (aka Lolly) to perform a ukelele version of Telephone Boy, which I believe is a Lolly number.  Actually, YouTube can confirm this (I don't believe it's Anna in the video):

 

 

So, there you have seen Anna Kumble as you never have before.  Now, here's a picture of Ant Payne and myself as you won't have previously seen us, playing Inspector Fluzo and Detective WhatsUp:



This is part of a campaign to get people to have the Flu jab.  I'm not sure what it's for or where it will be seen; but what I do know is that Simon Cossons has added some amazing CGI germs to the mix and I can't wait to see the finished article. Right now it's just nice to have a picture that proves Ant and I are versatile actors - not just a man in a dress and a silly little man.  Alright....it's nice to have a picture that proves I'm a not just a man in a dress...!

Finally, I was very sad to hear about the death of pantomime dame Douglas Mounce a few weeks ago.  Dougie played one of the Broker's Men in my panto of pantos Mother Goose in Plymouth, so I always followed his career.  I also saw him play dame in Weston-super-Mare, with Antonio Fargas and his influence can certainly be felt in my performance (I hope!).  His dame was quite motherly, but naughty and a believable character whilst still clearly being a man.

He was also very supportive.  I met him at a music hall convention in Weston when I was 16 and he talked to me for a very long time about how to pursue a career in theatre.  After reading my first blog entry he emailed me to talk about Mother Goose and seemed genuinely excited that it had meant so much to me.  I am sure it meant a lot more to him!  Last year he offered to help us get some local publicity for Soap Opera's run in Weston and was very keen to see the production (had we made it there!).

I didn't know him at all really, but the amount of support and encouragement he offered was amazing.  He seemed to have a genuine love for pantomime and was keen to promote that in a younger generation.  That sort of passion is very valuable.

 



Panto in a Week

 

A few weeks ago Jamie Wilson asked me if I'd like to go up to Darlington with him Jasette Amos, Sophie Shearer and Simon Cossons to help direct a panto in a week in a school.  It would be a week away with friends in a part of the country that I love and better than sitting in an office: so I thought "why not!"  What I couldn't have guessed was how extraordinary the week would be!

 

The school we went to was St Aidan's Academy and we had been invited by the new Principal who had previously worked with Jamie in Maidstone.  Catherine is spearheading a change in attitude at the school and putting on a pantomime was an attempt to create a positive vibe for everyone!  I think it worked and I hope the affect lasts.  Magic Beans have more (un-panto-related) trips planned for the rest of the year and I am sure the school will see the benefits.

 

So a panto in a week!  How does it work?  In professional Panto Land it's not uncommon to have just a week to ten days to put on a full scale show.  This is usually helped by the fact that actors tend to know how panto works and often play the same stock role.  The director will block the show and often the performers can do the rest.  In Darlington, however, we were starting from scratch.  Most of the kids had seen a pantomime, but as far as being on stage was concerned: bags of enthusiasm was all we had to work with.

 

I didn't help the situation much, as it turned out that I was going to direct the show (a detail that Jamie neglected to tell me until the very last minute!).  I was Resident Director for the Brittany Ferries pantomime and I put together a panto with children in Sierra Leone, but the stakes had never been quite so high as they were in this situation.  Fortunately, we were putting on Aladdin so I was able to cast my mind back to Christmas and work from there.  What I couldn't remember I made up and hoped for the best; but I think that I found my feet fairly quickly.

 

I don't know why, but people rarely listen to me!  I'm often talked over or ignored completely, so I was especially nervous at having to control a room of enthusiastic teens.  There were definitely moments when I could have done with having a bit more control, but for the most part I was amazed to find the room pretty attentive!  From some of the stories that we had heard about the cast this was the last thing I expected.  Even some of the staff were amazed at the way certain people applied themselves to the production.  In some cases teachers were saying that behaviour from a few people was totally different (for the better) than they had ever seen before.  This surely goes to show how important drama and different methods of engaging pupils are in school.

 

I spent the whole week working with the principal cast and every single one of them worked incredibly hard.  When we started blocking on the Sunday I was really nervous: some of them were very confident, whilst others were holding scripts in front of their faces and laughing anxiously the minute they walked on stage.  Yet by Tuesday (and I don't think I had anything to do with this) almost everyone had put their scripts down and were starting to experiment with their characters.  By the time we got to Friday and the two shows the transformations in the performances were astounding.  I couldn't imagine that these were the same people I had started working with less than a week ago.

 

It wasn't an easy week.  I think one of the hardest things was to instill in the cast a sense of self-belief.  Not just that they can do it, but that they deserve to be on stage, be the centre of attention and that people want to see them there.  In fact, it took them so long to understand that people would go to this amount of effort for them because they were worth it, that one day I screamed and shouted at them out of frustration. Until that moment I had no idea how much I believed in everyone and I think my outburst helped them realise how people much closer to them believed in them too.

 

This is going on a bit so I'll try and wrap it up quickly!  Basically, if you hadn't already guessed I had an amazing week.  I was so proud of the entire production.  The dancers were fantastic (especially given that Sophie choreographed from a comfy chair the whole week!).  The singing was excellent.  The band was massive and it was encouraging to see so many eager people wanting to play and take part.  And the cast were all stars!  I admire all of them for what they achieved and their work ethic.  I was particulary impressed by the patience of the four Chinese Police Force who spent ages sat around, then learnt a routine at the last minute and always performed with energy and character.  They also provided me with two of my favourite memories of the week!  The transformations that Abanazer and the Genie of the Ring made simply blew me away.  Then there was Widow Twankey - demonstrating massive bravery for wearing a dress in a school, but working so hard and getting so many laughs that, actually, I was a bit jealous!  Everybody did so well and I am sure that in one or two cases we'll be seeing them again.  I hope that they have the bravery to pursue their dreams, if they want to be performers; or to just trust that they can do anything and they deserve everything!

 

Also, some of the teachers we worked with were stars too!  Any Vice Principal that buys t-shirts with this design on for the whole cast and crew gets a gold star from me!

 

 

 

 

I spent quite a lot of time working with Lillian, the school counsellor and her help was invaluable.  Not least on Friday when she thoughtfully brought in a packed lunch for me!  We had teachers as the Chinese Lions, teachers helping choreograph...paint sets...print scripts...be supportive...all amazing.

 

 

Finally, one of the perks of being in Darlington is that it was very near where I did my first professional pantomime: Middlesbrough.  I think I've talked about the Wardrobe Mistress, Karen Hudspeth before...we're really good friends and always try to see each other if I'm up that way.  Well, after much searching for somewhere nice to eat we found a pub called the Bridgewater Arms, in Winston.  It used to be a school and was still displaying a board from the last school pantomime:

 

 

What are the chances?!?!?!

Let's Get Critical - The Sequel

It's really early March and I've just done a photo shoot for a panto that starts in nine months!   It did make me realise that I have started to prepare for Christmas 2013 and I haven't finished my critical round up of the pantos I saw last Christmas!  So, basically...here goes....

 

JACK AND THE BEANSTALK, Theatre Severn Shrewsbury

 

This was a bit of a pilgrimage for Jamie Wilson, Simon Cossons and I to see Laura-Jane Matthewson (who was our fairy in Mother Goose) play a Fairy.  A vegetable one this time.  Laura-Jane has terrific stage presence and a great voice, so it was a joy to watch her!  In fact, despite having worked with her on stage almost the whole of 2012, this was my first chance to watch her from the audience and I wasn't disappointed!  Often fairies don't feature too heavily, but Laura-Jane was barely off stage - so it was worth the trip!  I was also pleased to have the opportunity to see Brad Fitt as Dame.  I've heard a lot about him and it was really interesting to see how he works.  He is a lot more laid back than I am as Dame; but I liked how maternal he was, whilst remaining saucy.  I also really enjoyed his very imaginative slosh routine.  Having seen a lot of pantos it is lovely when you see something truly original.  I particularly liked the way the chaos was broken by a moment of real sincerity only to be used to get a great laugh!  I learnt something there I did!

 

CINDERELLA, Theatre Royal Nottingham

 

Whilst on our 'pilgrimage' we went across to Nottingham to see the Playhouse's Robin Hood as research for Sevenoaks this year.  It also meant we could squeeze in an extra panto at the Theatre Royal.  I was very excited because Sheila Ferguson was playing the Fairy Godmother and I LOVE her!  It was also nice to see Scott Norton in the Ensemble - he was a dancer for our first year in Sevenoaks and I believe is in last year's Panto Factor too!  The show was generally very good.  Sheila Ferguson has great stage presence and a fabulous voice for panto.   She works the audience well and operates on a level that suits all age groups.  The same can't quite be said for the Grumbleweeds, who played the Broker's Men.  These characters are rarely in Cinderella today, but they dominated this production.  I found them very funny to begin with...then they became a bit old fashioned (think Teletubbies and Ali G references!)...and then, well, a little too naked for my liking.  They seemed, to me, to represent an age when panto was getting bad press - but the audience appeared to lap them up.  I much preferred David Robbins and Martin Ramsdin as the Ugly Sisters - particularly their spectacular entrance into the Ballroom, as chandeliers...

 

ROBIN HOOD AND THE BABES IN THE WOOD, Nottingham Playhouse

 

Kenneth Alan Taylor has a great reputation for his work on the Playhouse pantomime.  He writes and driects and if you are very lucky appears as Dame. The Playhouse was one of a handful of venues adding Babes in the Wood to the Robin Hood title (as Sevenoaks is this year), so it was good to see how they fit in.  I felt having the Babes in the story gave the pantomime much more structure - it also gives the Dame more of a purpose - and the production felt more focused than the one I saw in Greenwich.  I loved Kenneth Alan Taylor as Dame.  I will admit I wasn't enamoured to begin with; but the more I thought about it the more I admired his performance.  He really reminded me of Jack Tripp - camp, motherly, funny, gossipy, but also very real.  The moment when Taylor discovered the Babes about to be killed was tender, dramatic and given as much gravitas as a director would give the moment when Juliet discovers Romeo dead. However, his solo Cooking routine was the complete opposite! Taylor was surrounded by a group of regular performers, but I felt a few of them seemed lost playing roles they wouldn't normally fulfill.  The Sheriff of Nottingham (John Elkington; usually the Dame), for instance, wasn't particularly scary and remained genial throughout!  The set would most probably win an award for being the glitteriest - I literally wanted to rub my face in it!

 

SLEEPING BEAUTY, Marlowe Theatre Canterbury

 

I missed the Sevenoaks trip to the Marlowe last year and was gutted because everyone has spent the year raving about it!  I made sure I went this year and I was pleased I did!  The set was stunning (I think it was previously a Nottingham Playhouse set) and the show they put in front of it was equally as good.  Toyah Willcox and Gareth Gates were the stars and really worked hard for their billing.  Willcox especially proved particularly eager to take part and was a very good baddy!  However, the star was clearly Ben Roddy, who was playing Dame for the first time.  He played her as a 'bloke in a dress' and completely dominated proceedings!  I've seen him in a few plays before and he is effortlessly funny.  I think that he and Lloyd Hollet (who was the comic) were the only people to have me weak with laughter this whole season.  Led by Roddy they excelled at organised chaos; keeping straight faces whilst making life hard for everyone around them.  I also enjoyed their bathroom slosh routine.  I've never seen one before, most probably because it looks like a complicated and expensive set - but I think the effort would be worth it.  It would have been funny with a bit more structure, but they were both drenched at the end and it was amazing to see proper commitment to a slosh scene.  So often, in modern panto, you see a few cream pies thrown and that's it.  I'm certain that we'll all be going again next year...!

 

ROBINSON CRUSOE, Birmingham Hippodrome

 

This was the big one this year and from the moment we went in it felt like an event.  I've never seen Brian Conley before, which is one of the reasons why I wanted to go.  I will admit that I was a little bit disappointed - I was expecting a bit more chaos and quick fire material - but I still really enjoyed what I saw.  For me, however, the star of the show was Lesley Joseph.  She seemed to be having the time of her life and considering the show was in it's 7th week or so I think it's a miracle.  Her energy (I'm talking panto energy, which is ten times anything you normally need on stage!) was astounding and her complete control in any situation was enthralling.  Lessons could be learnt from the way she effortlessly communicated to everyone in the audience - it's not an easy skill, especially in a 2000+ auditorium.  I was also a fan of Andrew Ryan's Dame.  He played Mrs Crusoe bold and brash and not really as a man or woman - a very distinct character.  His costumes were bright and ever changing and matched his performance level perfectly.  As you would expect from Qdos' flagship production the special effects and pyrotechnics were beyond anything you would have seen at any other theatre.  I particularly enjoyed the sea monster that came out into the audience and Lesley Joseph's flying shell throne.  It was also great to see such an unusal subject given a top class production at a theatre recognised for the quality of its pantomime!

 

So there we have it - my panto season in an almost two month nutshell!  Now I can finally start thing about this Christmas!  I CAN NOT WAIT!

Let's Get Critical

You may have gathered, over the last few years, that pantomime is an all consuming passion for me.  Not only do I want to excel in it as a professional on stage, but I also love being in the audience.  The only shame about a passion such as this is that I spend all year waiting to be in / see pantos and then there’s a two month whirl wind where I can do both before it’s all over for another year!  However, I certainly do my best to see as many productions as possible and in terms of quantity this season was my most successful as an audience member.

All told, I will have seen eleven pantos this Christmas (although that doesn’t even get me close to the number some people will have seen) and a fair few have been in theatres whose pantomimes I haven’t seen before.  I thought it might be interesting to share some of my opinions on what I saw. If I tried (and I have) I could find flaws in every production I’ve seen; but for the sake of brevity and because I like everyone to be happy: I’ll keep it  mostly positive!

 

ROBIN HOOD, Greenwich Theatre

 
This is the first time I’ve seen Robin Hood without the Babes in the Wood (which is a shame as he was actually an interloper into their pantomime) and I felt the plot was lacking for it.  I suspect the Babes give the narrative focus and without them poor Maid Marion just gets captured again and again and again!  That said, the production was still a joy. I have a bias because a previous panto son, Garry Ellis, was playing a would-be troubadour to very good comedy effect; but pantos in Greenwich are always fun.  The routines are consistently inventive; whilst watching Andrew Pollard and Paul Critoph work together will never be less than childishly entertaining!  I was disappointed to have to go to a school performance this year, as one of the most exciting things about their double act is how near the knuckle they can go without upsetting anyone!  It was also great to see Anthony Spargo (who is easily one of the best baddies I’ve seen this year) start to become an integral part of Greenwich’s panto team.

 

DICK WHITTINGTON, Hackney Empire

 

This is the first year that losing Clive Rowe as resident dame might have really turned things on their head in Hackney.  In fact, what they did was make the dame audaciously different (a Welsh accented Bond girl wannabe) and carry on as if nothing had changed.  Steve Elias was a great dame and I hope they stick with him and let him develop; however, the star of this show for me was Rina Fatania as Fairy Bowbells.  I found myself impatiently waiting for her next entrance and she had such a singular energy that no one could match it.  Although, as a panto purist I'm not keen on the idea of a female dame: Fatania is the first lady I have thought could justifiably do it.  In the right pantomime I would definitely buy a ticket to see her as dame!
 

If you want to see the sort of character that Fatania plays, I have just stumbled across some episodes of an internet programme she did last year called Mummyji Presents.  The concept is great; but it’s also an excellent showcase of her infectious performance qualities!

 

Mummyji Presents

 

MOTHER GOOSE, Millfield Theatre

 

I’ve performed at the Millfield and whilst it is a lovely theatre, almost everything about it is small; yet this production was big!  The entire proscenium was done up to look like a storybook theatre, including a beautiful area for the Fairy to hold court and an elevated position for the band to maximise capacity.  Traditionally, the transformation in this title is the Enchanted Pool and the Millfield went the whole hog with actual fountains and everything!  Quite where Mother Goose got changed I don’t know; but the lack of space was worth it for the stunning visuals!  As a panto, the show felt a bit pedestrian.  It was nice, but never took off and I think this is because it favoured word play over visual comedy.  Panto definitely needs a mix of both to keep everyone interested and the energy high.  I particularly enjoyed Mark Slowey’s Dame: a lovely mix between maternal and clearly a man in a dress; and weren’t his costumes lovely and his changes quick?!  They genuinely were...but my friend is the Wardrobe Mistress and I don’t want to get in trouble!

 

ALADDIN, The O2

 

This show was superlative.  Alan Miller-Bunford’s sets were vast, colourful and ever changing.  There was a ten-piece orchestra (!).  The cast were uniformly top-notch; I mean: not one weak link, everyone working with the same energy and delivering crisp performances.  But was it a panto?  Any panto that Lily Savage has headlined tends to be, from what I can gather, a fairly anodyne affair.  The traditional elements tend to be avoided and the plots can be unnecessarily complicated (this one opened in a Merseyside cemetery, for instance).  That said: they are always very funny.  It goes without saying that Lily Savage (or Paul O’ Grady) is an incredible live performer and clearly relishes working with an audience, but she didn’t diminish the comic opportunities for the rest of the cast.  In particular Matthew Rixon and Andy Spiegel (Chinese Policeman) were one of the finest panto double acts I have ever seen: strong characters, chemistry and funny in their physical differences.  To be honest: it’s hard to fault a pantomime that is so confident in itself that it only gives Issy Van Randwyck about three entrances; she is a performer that needs to be on stage as much as possible!  So, I suppose it was a panto.  Maybe a panto to appeal to everyone, even people that say they don’t like pantomime and those without children.  Either way I am pleased to see a venue such as The O2 taking a responsibility for a native art form.

 

SNOW WHITE, New Wimbledon Theatre

 

Last year, the pantomime in Wimbledon nearly changed my life.  This year I suspected it was my last visit!  As ever, the Terry Parsons sets glittered and shone and epitomised everything you want a pantomime to look like.  However, I genuinely feel that they didn’t put a pantomime in front of them.  Whilst everyone was trying their best it really did feel like a posh telling of a children’s story.  Priscilla Presley came in for a lot of stick as the Wicked Queen, but I enjoyed her.  Her clear confusion about the Anglo references she was having to make in the middle of a fairy tale was great fun and she put in so much effort you have to applaud her.  There were very few scenes she wasn’t in...she flew twice...and it was her first pantomime; I’m sure there were some worse performances around the country from people who knew what they were doing!  Snow White is a tricky pantomime at the best of times and I think some of the problem here was that a lot of the comedy was left on the shoulders of Jarred Christmas who is not at all your average panto comic.  I found him very funny, but as the Henchman he didn’t really have anyone to bounce off and left Lee Carroll as Muddles somewhat redundant.  Panto does have a lot of rules in terms of character and structure and that’s because they really work.  If you follow them you make your life a lot easier, whereas pantomimes that fight against the rules face an uphill struggle from the very beginning. The Dwarfs were amazing, however!

 

CINDERELLA, Broadway Theatre Catford

 

This was my guilty pleasure of the panto season.  Floella Benjamin played the Fairy Godmother and whilst I barely remember her on television I felt certain that she would be magical and she was!  Her way of communicating with children is second to none.  She was funny,  a superb storyteller and played to her strengths.  Maybe because of this I found the whole experience quite magical.  The stage looks small, but the set was lovely and fitted comfortably and the actors didn’t seem restricted by the size of their playing space.   Andrew Hayden-Smith as Buttons felt a little awkward, but quickly made you want to be his friend and John Lyons as Baron was genial to a degree.  For the size of the theatre Ugly Sisters were massively intimidating without having to do very much; I would have loved them to have to put a bit more effort in, although they certainly made an impact!  My only disappointment was that considering it was directed my Roy Hudd’s wife (Debbie Flitcroft) the main comedy routines almost went for nothing.  I’m still glad I saw it though!

 

So...that's the first six!  Have you seen any of them?  Do you agree?  Do you disagree?  Let me know!

...In Conclusion

So here I am, unbelievably, on the other side of another panto season.  I am already anticipating next year's; even though I know that on the 9th January 2014, I will be absolutely horrified, again, at how quickly it has all gone. 

Even in the last week, I still felt that we were doing it for the first time and I'm sure that's because we (maybe just I?) were / was having so much fun.  It is a delightful experience to be sharing a stage with a large group of friends, knowing that there are 450 people watching who have paid to see you mess around (and that if you didn't they'd be in uproar!)

 

Following on from my last blog, the last two weeks of the run went extremely well.  We broke Box Office records, in every sense, for the Stag; which was an incredibly rewarding experience.  It meant we could legitimately have Champagne pre-show and can be read about here in the Sevenoaks Chronicle.  This isn't just great news for the producers or the theatre: it's also a big help to the local economy. 

 

It also justifies all the hard work and faith people have had to put into bringing professional pantomime back to Sevenoaks.  I think it is truly amazing that in just four years the panto has been able to add a week to its run and reach 75% capacity.  This means that in a very short space of time, the Stag pantomime has managed to sit comfortably alongside other theatres in the area, some of which have had established pantomimes for over twenty years. That is definitely quite an achievment.

 

If the producers, Magic Beans Productions, can achieve this with a theatre that, initially, offered them very little, I think it would be very interesting to see what they were able to do with a theatre that has an existing panto audience.  In Weymouth, where the team have taken over producing the panto, they managed to break financial Box Office recordsas well as having the best attendance in six years.  Given a few more Christmases and the theatre in Weymouth will clearly be buzzing with sell out audiences all over panto.  Also, the more people you get in for panto, the more people you can market to throughout the year and the more chance you have of increasing attendance for all sorts of events year round.

 

Unfortunately, this season might have been that last one for professional pantomime in Weymouth, as the council are looking to turn the venue into a car park.  Sadly, this isn't an unusal story: many theatres have faced similar fates; but I believe / hope that it is rare for an operational theatre, still used by professionals and amateurs, to be put in such a situation.  On the upside, today it came to my attention that there is a petition you can sign to try and avert the council making a bad decision.  It's at Change.org and definitely needs your support!

 

Anyway, the reason I started talking about that was in order to mention the producers!  Now that I've distracted myself, I'll have to make it brief!  One of the reasons the company is so successful is because the three producers bring diverse skills to the world of pantomime.  Jamie Alexander Wilson is the panto guy - it's his passion and vision that eventually gets seen on stage.  Luckily, Jamie and I have very similar ideas about panto and it's not unusual for me to open each year's script and find three of four of my favourite songs inside!  Simon Cossons is the one who does all the incredible technical stuff, which gives our panto a very distinct edge over a lot of other companies.  Finally, Russell Ludwin is the money man.  In fact he's more than that, because he didn't start out as a theatre person at all, so he offers the view of the audience, which is incredibly useful.  I'm sure he'd make a good dame one day too...

 

They are the reason the pantomime in Sevenoaks is such a year on year success; but it's impossible to ignore the support of the dancers (and their parents) who make it look like there's about a million people on stage; and also the volunteers at the theatre who endeavour to make the audiences comfortable and whose enthusiasm really adds to the panto experience.

 

So, what a lovely four week run I've had.  Not only were we visited by Davina McCall and Cheryl Baker, but it turns out an Olympian Handballer (Sebastian Prieto) has seen us for the last three years; and at one performance we were visited by both Ronan Keating and Danny John Jules!  I have to add that the Boyzone fans have really made this panto a very unique experience.  80s sitcom and soap stars don't tend to attract that same level of commitment from their supporters, it seems.  By the end of the run a lot of us were able to recognise Shane Lynch's fans (and Andrew Stone's too) who had been speaking to us on Twitter, or had seen the show three or four times.  It is lovely to see familiar faces and know that they are enjoying the show (and not just Shane), but I can't even begin to imagine how much money must be spent on following their idols around the country.

 

Finally, a lovely last minute review we had on Kent Online.

 

I hope everyone had a good Christmas and a happy New Year!

The Story So Far...

We are into our second week of shows in Sevenoaks and I thought a quick overview of how the season is going so far might be in order!

Sadly, there's not much drama.  We are always really lucky in Sevenoaks with how well everybody gets along and this year is absolutely no exception.  Both Shane Lynch and Andrew Stone have commented on how friendly the company is and I think it shows on stage. Today I looked along the line as the whole cast parodied a Boyzone number and I could see everyone having the best time ever.  I can't remember what had just happened; but there was plenty of laughter and shared amusement going along, whilst everyone managed to focus on the job.

Shane and Andrew have joined the group as if they've been a part of the team since the very beginning.  Andrew is particularly exciting to work with, as he adapts to situations really quickly and can work with anything that's thrown at him on stage.  This is a particularly necessary skill when working with Ant Payne aka Silly 'Wishee' Billy 'Washee'.  It takes a lot to enter an established group of performers and match their performance style; but Andrew has thrown himself in and seems to be really having a good time.  He also has the most loyal fans.  His birthday was during the run and even before the show gifts were being dropped off at Stage Door by people who weren't planning to stay for the performance!

As you can most probably imagine, Shane has fans queuing out the door.  Deservedly so too.  He's very polite and charming and considerably talented.  He has never played baddie before (he's our Abanazar), but has put in so much thought and effort that you would never guess.  He's the first baddie I've spotted discussing his exit music with the band in relation to the pace of the show and his character's psychological journey!  It has been worth it for him though.  He manages to tread the fine line between playing the boyband hunk that mums and dads want to see and the believable baddie that the children can totally buy in to.

The two winners of Panto Factor are doing great jobs as well.  Lucy Reed was so much fun to work with on the History of Pantomime and got the energy of the company very quickly.  Drew-Levi Huntsman is a fantastic Aladdin and seems to be putting up with the antics of myself and Ant in the dressing room very well. The three of us are very lucky actually, as we have ended up with the biggest dressing room and as the only one with access straight out of the building are getting plenty of visitors looking for fresh air!!!  I assume that some of them are interested in our company too...!

 

It's a joy to be working with Tony Haygarth and Jasette Amos again.  Jasette and I are particularly enjoying sharing lifts into work; we can end up dissecting the entire day in tiny detail; obsessing over music or trying to out inspire each other!  On an especially 'dark' day (they do happen sometimes in Panto Land) I told Jasette that each year I try and make it 'my' year; the year that I am going to be amazing.  On reflection it sounds a bit big headed, but I think it worked: the next day we both felt great and hopefully that feeling hasn't worn out!

 

So far, the show has been a great success.  We've received amazing audience reactions; some even saying it's the best one yet.  Not only that,  we've also been endorsed by celebrities!  On our first weekend... Cheryl Baker came to our press night and loved it; she's almost a friend of the panto, living locally she has been to several other productions.  The following day Davina McCall brought a birthday party to the show and absolutely loved it too!  We only found out she was there because I managed to throw giant, polysterene spring rolls in her face, but she obviously didn't mind, as she asked to come back stage and meet us all after the show.  To be honest, I couldn't be sure who was more excited her or us... I'd like to think her...!

 

We've also had some great reviews from excellent sources, which can be found here:

Sevenoaks Chronicle

The Stage

British Theatre Guide

So, we're having fun and the audiences are having fun...you had better book your tickets!

Is It Time?

It has just struck me that panto season is alarmingly near!  Several pantomimes are in rehearsal; including the Greenwich Theatre, where my friend is appearing.  On Sunday Ant Payne and I start touring with the History of Panto; our T.I.E. show around Kent that helps us get in to character for the main event!  By the end of today I will hopefully have booked tickets for at least one pantomime.  Preparations are being made for Panto Day, which is on December 5th (www.celebratepanto.co.uk for more details) and on top of everything else: earlier this week I had a discussion about Panto 2013/2014!  Phew!

 

However, much more pressing is the question: "Which pantos am I going to see this year?"!  I might suggest that 2012/13 isn't going to be a vintage season; but nontheless: there are still plenty of productions I would like to watch.  My decisions have been made harder this year by the fact that we've added a week to the end of the run in Sevenoaks.  This means we open and close at roughly the same time as a lot of other productions; where as, previously, our shorter run meant that I could have my pick of shows!

 

I've lived in the same part of London for the same number of years that I've done panto in Sevenoaks and this means that, unwittingly, some theatres have become regular panto visits for me.  I think that just goes to show how quickly people become happy to return to their local theatre for panto; as we've proven in Sevenoaks.

 

Two of my now 'traditional' panto trips are the Greenwich Theatre and the New Wimbledon Theatre.  This year Greenwich are doing Robin Hood and according to my friend Garry Ellis, who plays Alan McDale, it's going to be a good year!  Sadly, it looks like I'll have to go and see a schools performance, so I don't think I'll get to see resident Dame, Andrew Pollard, be as outrageous as previous years; but I'm looking forward to seeing another inventive, yet traditional, show that manages to be spectacular in such an awkward space.

 

Last year, the New Wimbledon Theatre's panto changed my life and it was a pleasure to consequently work with Kev Orkian on Soap Opera and hear stories about the genius that is Barry Humphries.  This year the theatre have Priscilla Presley, who I thought was a bit of a let down, but has caused quite a stir amonst my circle of non-panto fanatic friends.  The production is Snow White, which is a very different pantomime to Dick Whittington.  I'm expecting far fewer traditional panto elements and for it to, essentially, be a musical with a bit of audience participation.  Hopefully, I'll be proved wrong, but as with Peter Pan, it is very rare that this story is told satisfactorily as a traditional panto.  Despite that, I'm still booking tickets...!

 

Another venue that I'm becoming a regular panto-goer at is the Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon.  This year I'm particularly excited to see Herbie Adams (who was Buttons when I was in Middlesbrough) play Simple Simon opposite Laila Morse and the tallest man in Europe, in Jack and the Beanstalk.  In fact, this will be my fourth consecutive panto in Croydon and I always have fun.  The auditiorium is a great size for panto and the shows are always spectacular despite the miniscule stage.  One of the great things is the sense of atmosphere you get at the Fairfield Halls - there is always a buzz and the staff are incredibly friendly.  Plus, Herbie is a very funny man - so we're onto a winner this year, I think!

 

The only downside to visiting Croydon is that it will make it almost impossible to see my true panto guilty pleasure, which is the Windsor production.  I just love the show there, but this year, everything is conspiring against me seeing the show.  Also, Croydon is the same subject and production company in Shrewsbury, where last year's Sevenoaks fairy, Laura-Jane Matthewson is giving her Fairy Peapod...will I see both?  I think I've promised to!

 

One pantomime I am definitely seeing is Cinderella in Catford.  For the past three years, Sevenoaks and Catford have had a very similar performance schedule, so it has been impossible to see a panto in my nearest theatre.  This year, however, we've got different days off, so I will definitely be paying a visit.  Luckily, the Catford panto is also one of the ones I am most excited about this year, cast wise.  Playing the Fairy Godmother they have Floella Benjamin, who is not only a proper children's TV legend, but also a Baroness!  Several politicians have tried their hand at pantomime, but it is really rare that they have the credentials to actually be on stage.  Other than Baroness Benjamin, the only other politician who springs to mind as being genuinely suitable for panto is Glenda Jackson!  I'm sure she wouldn't agree...

 

Hopefully, I'll be getting to see Lily Savage as Widow Twankey at some point too.  I've seen her in pantomime before, but as Wicked Queen, no dame; so I imagine this will be quite interesting.  I'm not altogether comfortable with drag queens playing dame; but the production looks fun!  Plus, I read that Iss Van Randwyck is the Slave of the Ring and I have wanted to see her on stage for a very long time.

 

Despite saying I didn't think it was a vintage year, it is still sounding quite busy for me!  There's a few other shows I would like to see - some I definitely won't; but some I will be doing my best to get to.  There's four Sleeping Beauty(ies)... Weston, Cardiff, Canterbury and Grantham / Stamford; Aladdin in Norwich, with two Sevenoaks panto alumni (Graham Cole and Lucy Dixon); Robinson Crusoe in Birmingham... Dick Whittington in Hackney... and Cinderella in Hammersmith.  The pantomimes at the Lyric have been fantastic for the past three years, but this year it looks like it will be almost impossible for me to see their production.  A great shame, because I missed Mel Giedroyc's turn in the Barbicam panto a few years ago and I think she is made for the genre!

Actually, the list is quite long!