Pantomime

Peter Pan - London Palladium⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

As the 2023/24 Pantomime season draws to a close, all over the country Theatres will be reviewing their box office takings to see whether it has been successful enough to sustain the venue for the year ahead and perhaps wondering how many of these audiences will return before next year’s pantomime. Perhaps one venue that does not have these concerns is the wonderful London Palladium where the Full House signs have been out from most of the run despite the eye watering prices of up to £195 for a best seat in the stalls and £12 for a programme! Despite its tradition going back years of Pantomime it must surely have set new Box Office records this year. Not only that but many in the audience will probably have booked already for the wide variety of production already announced including two dates for the show star, Julian Clary in May.  

As soon as you walk into the auditorium you realise that the Producers have not stinted on the budgets and production values of the show with a sumptuous eye-catching dressed Proscenium arch and portals which gets so many camera phone clicking to record and a lush preshow sound track reminiscent of the music played as you queue for Disney’s latest attraction. As the house lights dim the spectacle begins with a four-character flying sequence as impressive as you will see anywhere. Indeed, the special effects are stunning with a giant crocodile, a pit croc, and Clary being flown up into the auditorium rooftop where last year Jack climbed the beanstalk and a few years ago the child catcher was flown in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Only the Palladium can deliver this scale of spectacle. 

 The investment shows too in the beautiful ornate costumes which adorn the stage. The tradition of recent years is that Clary’s character should be a clothes horse for outrageous gorgeous costumes adorned with feathers and sparkle. This year is no exception, although perhaps a little less heavy looking, his opening pirate uniform is wonderful, the cannon outfit brilliant (I am sure there were more innuendo jokes that could have been played in it), the lobster outfit hilarious and the clam outfit poignantly framed his face as he sang his tribute to the late, Paul O’Grady . The ensemble costumes too are a delight showing off the muscular frames but with delightful touches of humour and glamour as in the marvellous sea life routine. The Tiller Girls may not have been here this year, but their history was honoured as the large Ensemble performed their brilliant dance routines.

 The script too worked hard to remind us that there should be a narrative to Pantomime while mocking the inevitable deviations to incorporate the variety routines. This year they seemed to constantly remind the audience about the plot , even if JM Barrie was spinning in his grave, and got the balance right between the presentation of variety acts that the venue is famous for and honouring the traditions of the genre . There was a fresh version of the usual 12 days routine written around the nursery rhyme “I saw a ship” which worked well and many of the songs had fresh tailored witty lyrics which linked it all together.

In a two-hour twenty running time there is not much stage time for anybody as each artiste gets his turn but returning Rob Madge does seem to get more than most as Tink and his unique style brings a joyous modern freshness to the character, proving that he is an exciting new comic who is making the transition to a wider audience and mainstream theatre.  The rest get their moments. Nigel Havers once again revels in being sent up for everything he has done before. Gary Wilmot gets to sing two of his self-penned patter songs. Paul Zerdin does his usual ventriloquist business but does freshen that up with an excellent pop count down routine. Jennifer Saunders makes a series of appearances as Hook and Edina from Ab Fab in a vain attempt to control the smut.  Louis Gaunt also returns as a balletic Peter Pan and the butt of several put downs. But the audience is there to see Julian Clary whose brilliant comic timing and masterful withering put downs dominate the stage on every occasion and it he who they rise to applaud at the end.

This is an excellent production on a large budget with a big cast and honours the venue history and the essence of the genre of pantomime. You can’t fail to admire its quality but for those who see many pantomimes each year, you do yearn for some of this money and talent to be redirected to presenting the stars in the roles of Principal Boy and Principal Girl in a structured narrative rather than bit parts in a variety show. I would have loved to have seen Cilla Black play Aladdin at the Palladium in 1970 so perhaps next year they can honour that tradition. What about Taylor Swift in Aladdin ? Now that would be worth the ticket price.

 

Nick Wayne

UK Pantomime Awards 2023 11^th April

The UK Pantomime Awards returned to the wonderfully refurbished Trafalgar Theatre for a second year for its annual Awards on Tuesday 11^th April. It was a star-studded packed night supported by all the main producers and a glorious celebration of the very best of UK Pantomime Industry. Hosted by the irrepressible Christopher Biggins (himself a performer in 46 Pantomimes over the years) it was an occasion to acknowledge both the traditions of the genre but also the way in which it continues to evolve and reflect the society of the day. The UK Pantomime Association, the charity behind the Awards, adds its own Special awards to acknowledge those productions which celebrate productions and individuals representing the values that the Association seeks to promote.

This year there were three Special Recognition Awards. Sir Ian McKellen, who is just completing a twelve-week regional tour of Mother Goose, was celebrated for his passionate advocacy and services to the artform of Pantomime. The Cast, Doncaster, which last year staged Sleeping Beauty, for their ongoing commitment to integrated BSL signing in Pantomime. Theatre Royal Stratford East, which last year brilliantly adapted Cinderella to Cleopatra’s Egypt, for their continued innovative and inclusive practice in the field of Pantomime.

These awards are intended to highlight best practice and encourage other individuals and producers to continue to develop and evolve their shows.

The big winners of Best Pantomimes, sponsored by Butlins, are divided up by size of venue capacity to reflect the different challenges and budgets that venue size creates. Best Pantomime (Under 500 seats) was awarded to the inhouse production of Robin Hood, Theatr Clwyd, Mold directed by Tamara Harvey who has now gone on to become co-Artistic director of the RSC which also won Best Villain with Ben Locke. The Best Pantomime (500 – 900 seats) was Ian McKellen’s Mother Goose, Duke of York's Theatre, London (and subsequent tour) written by Jonathan Harvey which also won Best Ensemble (where each had a different animal character) and Best Supporting actor with Anna-Jane Casey who played Cilla the Goose. The Best Pantomime (Over 900 seats) was Imagine’s Beauty and the Beast, Swansea Grand Theatre with a spectacular new digital set that won Best Set Design.

The classic pantomime roles of Dame and Sisters were won by Brian James O’Sullivan for Maw Goose at Macrobert Arts Centre in Sterling and by Andrew Pollard and Alim Jadavji for Cinderella at the  Lighthouse, Poole. The Carmen Silvera Award for Best Magical Being was won by Jo Osmond in Evolution’s Beauty and Beast at Shrewsbury . The Barbara Windsor Award for Best Principal Lead by Jasmine Triadi as Cinderella at Salisbury Playhouse( currently on tour with King and I)  and Best Secondary Lead went to Ohaana Greaves in UK Productions The Further Adventures of Peter Pan, Fairfield Halls, in Croydon.

Crossroads, the UK’s biggest producer with twenty-four shows covered by the Awards won Best Chorography with Stillie Dee at Alhambra Bradford and Best Comic with Adam C Booth in Cinderella in Belfast with twelve other nominations across the categories.

The growing number of female creatives in the industry was celebrated with Jasmine Swan winning Best Costume Design for Mercury Theatre in Colchester, Estelle Van Warmelo winning Best Director for Courtyard Hereford , Sally Ferguson Best Lighting Design for Nottingham Playhouse production, Emma Fraser Best Contribution to music for Evolution’s Yeovil Production and Joyce Branagh winning best script for South Hill Park, Bracknell’s production. James Cook won Best Sound Design for the extraordinary feat of turning the Derby Velodrome into a Theatre.

Best newcomer to the Industry was Neha Eapen in Paul Holman Associates Carrigeworks Leeds production of Cinderella and perhaps the biggest cheer of the night was when Vernon Kay collected Best Newcomer to Pantomime for Imagine’s Cinderella at Wycombe Swan and then ignored the clock to give a very long acceptance speech!

The Awards ceremony featured Anna-Jane Casey reprising her song “Don’t rain on my parade” from Mother Goose,  a witty song their pantomime from drag artiste, Gigi Zahir (another newcomer nominee), Myra Dubois closed the first half with her hilarious routine and the Butlin’s cast delivered a great routine of Pantomime Villains in the second half. Also presenting awards were designer Cleo Pettitt, actress Gracie McGonigal, comic Doreen Tipton, Dame’s Nigel Ellacott and Andrew Ryan, TV Doctors, Dr Dan and Dr Raph, Traitors contestants Amanda Lovett and Theo Mayne, previous newcomer winner, Becca Lee Isaacs, Caroline Elsey (who saw 53 productions this year), former SOLT Executive Julian Bird, the brilliant ventriloquist Max Fulham, Professor Robert Marsden from Stafford University, Magician Debbie McGee, Dame and past winner, Paul Morse, Barbara Windsor’s husband Scott Mitchell, writer Vikki Stone, Santa Himself, UKPA Chairman and V & A Curator Simon Sladen and UKPA President and legend, Derek Griffiths.

The night showed that Pantomime has bounced back strongly after Covid with plenty of tales of record attendances and a wonderful spirit of shared joy in the theatre leaving everyone in no doubt that we will have to do it all again next year, won’t we.

Nick Wayne 

Pantomime in 2022 23 and Sleeping Beauty ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It was a 220-mile round trip to see the Legendary Marlowe Pantomime and with Ben Roddy and Max Fulham in top form and a strong supporting cast it was definitely worth the trip with a production that fully lived up to its reputation as one of the top shows in the country. Even towards the end of the Eighty 0ne show run the cast were still full of energy throwing themselves into every scene with a joyous abandon and full-on commitment. It was also my first Sleeping Beauty of the season, a title that sometimes lacks cohesion and logic but somehow Paul Hendy’s clever script not only incorporated seamlessly some classic pantomime routines with a freshness that was wonderful but also kept us accepting the next leap of logic in the plot.

The success is due to the brilliant Ben Roddy as Nurse Nellie in his 14^th season at the Marlowe Theatre and from the start there was a strong sense that he knew his audience and they knew him. There was an immediate affinity established helped by the audience cam at the start which gees up the audience before the curtain rises and then the wonderfully delivered business with the gentlemen in the second row which is sustained throughout the show with a charm and wit that is a delight.  He teams up wonderfully with Max Fulham, as Jangles, and his puppet Gordon in a series of slickly and energetically delivered routines as good as you will see any where with spot on comic timing.  The legendary “wheelbarrow of puns” is on musicals (this year) and is delivered with a beautifully judged comic finesse. The school room scene seems to flow naturally from the story (although in reflection I  can’t recall how!) and gets the physical business and jokes balance right with a full ensemble feel as whole cast are involved. The tongue twister “basketball on the beach” is brilliantly set up and delivered. The slosh scene is incredible with the pair joined by Ore Oduba in a fresh take on the “If I were not upon the stage routine” which could not have been more cleverly choreographed and chaotic , even if the water pistols finale was a little over long as they mopped up behind them! Even the traditional ghost bench scene was freshened up by combining it with the haunted bedroom scene and adding some great business with moving pictures and beds flipping. The faux corpsing , which always delights audiences especially first timers, was done with great skill and added immensely to the fun.

Against this comic onslaught the rest of the cast need to work hard to get in on the act and they too deliver with great commitment and attack. Jennie Dale is a bouncy happy go lucky Fairy Moonbeam with great energy and smiles. Her opening prologue monologue dispenses with the first 20 years of the princess’s life and could have benefited from more animation or cameos but once we get into the main story, she provides the logic to the story with great charm . Carrie Hope Fletcher makes her Pantomime debut as Carrie-Bosse and we can see all her West end musical experience being channelled into creating a delightfully wicked Fairy with a evil snarl and cackle. She has a great voice, and I would like to have heard her sing more songs that I recognised, her best song was a reworking of Pinball Wizard.  Ellie Kingdon brings a gentle charm to the title role of Princess Aurora to make us care for her. All the Principals work throughout as a team to entertain.

The addition of two velociraptors called Lloyd and Webber looked a good joke on paper but they lacked the grand spectacle of a Twin FX special effect to end Act 1  and were overused although the fire juggling Cheeky Monkeys put on a very good show adding a bit of variety into the show.

This is a first-class production with a very strong cast, great script , some good musical choices and a unity and cohesion that genuinely reinforces the “legendary” status of the annual show with its local audiences and leaves you already looking forward to seeing what they can do with Aladdin which is a much stronger title with even more opportunities for their take in classic comedy business.

Aladdin ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pantomime is a British tradition and an essential part of many peoples Christmas family routine. The main titles are well established, and the stories are so well known that audiences go for the music, the classic comedy business and for the shared experience which the narrative is simply used to connect together into a coherent show. The titles naturally evolve to reflect modern politics, music, social trends, and sensibilities and this is a good thing that keeps the genre fresh and connecting with young audiences. This connection is essential to encourage young audiences to catch the live theatre bug and become regular visitors to see more shows.

One of the best narratives is Aladdin, a tale of Middle Eastern origin which has become associated with The Arabian Nights and contains some of the best pantomime business with the laundry scene, flying carpets, magical genies, comedy policeman enforcing restrictive laws and an aspirational love story of a poor boy with a heart of gold making good to secure the hand of a rich princess. Indeed, Nigel Ellacott, one of the current great Dames with 48 pantomimes to his name said Widow Twankey was his favourite Dame role. However, since its story takes the audience from their local community to Old Peking and Egypt it has attracted recent criticism where casting does not appear inclusive and include performers from the Global Majority .

Strangely, a title like Dick Whittington which has the same plot of young man making good to secure the hand of a rich girl by securing his wealth in an overseas land, in the case usually by defeating the rats in Africa for the Sultan does not attract the same objections. Equally why is acceptable to have the villain with an exaggerated French or German accent to get a laugh, is that not just as much a reinforcement of racial stereotypes?  The UK Pantomime Association announced in mid-December in response to the debate that they would be holding a Symposium in February 2023 to address inclusivity, diversity and representation and removal of racial stereotypes in Pantomime. This must be welcomed, and I hope supported by producers to inform the debate and provide guidance that means these classic titles evolve and are sustained rather than shunned and dropped from the repertoires .

There were over 250 professional pantomimes this year serving their local communities across the UK and their success will support those venues sustainability throughout the following year and visits to them show how they reflect their local communities adapting scripts with local references to places nearby and local politics to connect them and provide some of the biggest laughs. Hackney Empire, Stratford East and Hayes in Middlesex shows all attracted wonderful diverse audiences from their local communities which was reflected on stage by performances led respectively by Clive Rowe in Mother Goose , Gigi Zahir and Gracie McGonnigal in Cinderella set in Egypt and Nathan Connor and Parle Patel as the Prince and Dandini in Cinderella . These are all excellent examples of producers casting on an inclusive basis but also reflecting their local community on stage .

Other shows adopts messaging for  modern sensibilities. Wokey, one of the super seven at Northampton Deco theatre explains that they “don’t believe that people should be given labels or named after physical attributes”. She says their names are “only acceptable because we say so”.  When the Prince finally arrives to awaken the sleeping Snow White Wokey steps forward to stop him giving her a “non-consensual kiss”. Across the City in the Royal and Derngate the Giant is wreaking havoc with the weather and has to be stopped. Most however stick with the traditional messaging of caring for each other and the value of friendship and good overcoming evil. 

When Immersion Theatre started to produce their version of Aladdin for the Kenton Theatre in Henley-on-Thames, their priority must have been to produce a strong show on a limited budget to attract the local community to buy a ticket in competition with the bigger nearby venues at Windsor, High Wycombe, Reading ,Woking and Basingstoke all led by well-known celebrity names. Could they have cast someone more obviously from the Global Majority ? Perhaps, depending on their casting process . But it feels harsh to simply not review a show because they did not include someone with that background in their publicity. It is for the local community to decide whether they want to support the show and the publicity and reviews are the best way to provide them with the information to make those decisions.

It is wonderful to see a show that reminds you that you do not need large budgets or household name celebrities to create strong fun pantomimes, just a production company that understands the essence of the genre, creates a script with a clear narrative and a cast full of energy and enthusiasm in its execution. The Kenton Theatre in Henley on Thames is a small intimate venue and the closeness of the performers to the audience including frequent entrances and exits through the auditorium and is fortunate to have secured the return of Immersion Theatre Company (who produced their 2017 and 2018 shows) for this year’s show Aladdin.

Founders Rochelle Parry, who plays the Empress and the Spirit of the ring as well as producing the show and James Tobias who has written and directed the show have created a traditional narrative set in Peking and Egypt and included a number of comic classic routines. Their “If I was not upon the stage” is a fresh brilliantly choreographed and timed routine as good as you will see using all the principals . They include the wonderful Abbott and Costello routine “ Who , What and I don’t know” as three customers needing their laundry returned and delivered at brilliant pace and perfect logic by the Dame (Will Hazel) and Wishee (Tommy Pegg). The usual laundry business is included as well as sweet throwing and obligatory water pistols to get the young in the audience over excited. The Ghost scene is integrated in as a “Thriller” style mummy routine and the magic carpet ride is simply staged behind the gauze. Each is delivered with such energy and good comic timing that the audience can’t resist smiling and enjoying the routines.

The music selection and arrangements covered a wide range of music styles from “Sunshine day”,  “Uptown Girl”, “Shut and dance with me”, “Great balls of fire” to “Fabulous baby” and “Rewrite the stars” all sung in good voice and with attractive well drilled choreography (by Luke Haywood who also plays Aladdin). It makes such a difference when you recognise the songs and can hear every word over the music . Haywood and his Princess, Rebecca Hazel make a cute couple even when widow Twankey is hoovering around them! 

The narrative is driven by Charlie Keable as a malevolent Abanazar and then a glitzy fun genie of the lamp. He brings such energy to the show with a brilliant Freddie Mercury style call and answer, a wicked cackle and interacts well throughout with both the cast and the audience. Indeed, the whole cast of eight work together as an Ensemble keeping the pace up, combining in the comedy routines and with the music and dance routines while retaining the story flow. 

Aladdin is a title that has attracted some recent criticism especially where there is no diversity in the casting with its potential references to racial stereotypes and it does require care. This production carefully ducks the issues and demonstrates why Aladdin remains one of the best Pantomime titles with its central good v evil story line, aspirational poor boy makes good love story, magical themes and classic comedy routines and it sits comfortably in this lovely little venue .

Which ever Pantomime you see you are assured of a loud fun show, full of tradition and core messages of aspiration and hope and a wonderful introduction of young children to live theatre which will hopefully stay with them for life and make them believe in the greatest show on earth. The modern messaging may evolve to reflect social trends and sensibilities, but long may the traditional stories be part of the annual repertoire , we just need to find a way to achieve this and bring the audiences along with us.

Nick Wayne 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The UK Pantomime Awards 2022

The UK Pantomime Awards were held on Tuesday 19^th April  at the beautifully refurbished Trafalgar Theatre in the heart of London’s West End celebrating the achievements of the 2021/22 season where Venues and Producers had to battle to keep the shows on as Covid symptoms affected cast , crew, and front of house staff. It was a magnificent opportunity to share stories and applaud successes with all the major Pantomime Producers and many of the in-House shows being represented there. The main sponsors Butlins added to the fun with four redcoats on the red carpet and assisting in the Awards.

Of course, there are over 200 professional Pantomime each year, so the competition was fierce with shows nominated from across the breadth of UK from the Millennium Forum in Londonderry (Best Panto 900+) in the West to the New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich in the East of England (Best Panto 900+) to Eden Court Inverness (Best Panto under 500 seats) in the North to the Octagon Yeovil (Best Principal Girl nominee) in the Southwest and all places in between.

With so many Pantomimes to see each season each year it is impossible to see all the best ones but  amongst the Awards nominees that I saw were Bonnie Langford for Best Mythical Being in Sleeping Beauty at the Churchill Bromley, Oonagh Cox for Best Principal Girl at Richmond Theatre , Anthony England for Best Musical Direction at Mayflower, Southampton, and newcomer nominee, Georgia Grant- Anderson at the Lighthouse Poole. South Hill Park’s Cinderella was up for Best Pantomime (under 500 seats) , Theatre Royal Bath’s Cinderella for Best Pantomime (500-900 seats) and Reading’s Hexagon production of Beauty and the Beast for Best Pantomime (900 plus seats).

As was said early and often this ceremony was a celebration of Pantomime and all the nominees were winners, but nothing can surely beat having your name called out and going on stage to collect an award.

First up were Duncan Burt and Nic Gibney as the winners of Best Ugly sisters at the Theatre Royal Bath  to receive their Award from the wonderful grandee of Pantomime Nigel Ellacott and the brilliant Dame and Director, Andrew Ryan.

Clive Rowe, another of the great modern Dames presented the Award for Best Dame of the year to Morgan Brind , for his performance in Sleeping Beauty and the Derby Arena.

Max Fulham and his cheeky monkey Gordon nearly stole the show with a brilliant short routine as the presented best Villain to Rolan Bell for Aladdin at Cambridge Arts Theatre .

The Best Choreography Award was presented by Bernie Tiller, grandson of the Tiller Girls founder with one of the current girls Becky Bassett adding some real glamour to  Jonny Bowles for his work on Goldilocks and Three Bears at Grand Opera House in Belfast.

The Carmen Silvera Award for Best Mythical Being (in recognition of the Allo Allo star) was presented by Vicki Michelle to the amazing Alexandra Burke for her role in Aladdin at Manchester Opera House and she sent a lovely message from her tour of Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat.

This year there was a Digital Award recognising those who made their shows available as a digital stream either as a made for streaming or an adapted capture of a live show with the winner being Jack and the Beanstalk from New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich.

Another special moment was when Scott Mitchell presented the Barbara Windsor Award for Best Principal Boy to Dominic Sibanda for Sleeping Beauty at Lyceum , Sheffield.

Rob Rinder won for Best Newcomer to Pantomime for Snow White and Seven dwarfs at Bristol Hippodrome and Becca Lee-Isaacs (a 2020 drama school graduate ) won best newcomer early career for her role in Robin Hood at the Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield.

The big winners of the night were Robin Hood at Everyman Theatre in Liverpool for Best Panto (under 500 seats) and Best Musical direction, Jamie Noar; Aladdin at Lyric Hammersmith for Best Pantomime (500-900 seats), Best Script , Vikki Stone and Best Supporting Artist , Kate Donnachie and Jack and the Beanstalk at Marlow Canterbury for Best Panto (over 900 seats) and Best Direction, Paul Hendy.

There were some special recognition rewards to reflect the ethos of the new charity in celebrating tradition, innovation, and achievements . These went to Justin Fletcher and Paul Morse for their brilliant comic partnership at the Hexagon Reading including a fabulous version of the Balloon ballet, the Showstoppers of Justin Brett , Susan Harrison, and Ali James at Corn Exchange Newbury for their improvised songs each show and to the wonderful Joe Tracini for his promotion and representation of Mental Health issues in the Norwich theatre. Nigel Ellacott returned to the stage at the end of the show to collect Outstanding contribution to Pantomime for his performances as Ugly Sister and Dame since 1974 and his work promoting and protecting the traditions through Itsbehindyou.com

The show featured Gracie McGonigal reprising her song from the Lyric Hammersmith show, a tribute to Understudies and Swings who kept so many shows going during the season, the very naughty Myra DuBios in a hilarious version of “I know him so well” and the Butlins production of Goldilocks and the three bears with Michael Batchelor.

The UK Pantomime Association has been developed to celebrate Pantomime by investigating the genres rich past, engaging with contemporary practice, and inspiring the future. All activities of the Association are oversighted by a group of Trustees who, collectively, have significant experience in overseeing high quality initiatives within Pantomime, Education, and the Arts. Trustees of the newly formed Association aim to bring together those who have an interest in Pantomime, both amateur and professional, and share resources and expertise. The UKPA however is not just about the Awards, but also seeks to establish regular events, opportunities to learn more about the history, practice, and tradition of panto with plans to introduce a programme of conferences and outreach events.

As national treasure, Biggins , who masterly compared the show said at the end, We will have to do all again next year won’t we!

You can find the full list of winners here.

Winners announced for The Pantomime Awards - The UK Pantomime Association

Nick Wayne 

2020 Pantomime season

My Pantomime memorie

 from past years and hopes for this year and next are in this feature article on Pocket-Size Theatre . Hoping to see Matt Slack at Woking , Les Dennis at Plymouth , Gary Wilmot and Elaine Paige at the Palladium, Allan Stewart at Milton Keynes and Joe Pasquale at Southampton . Oh Yes I am.

The Past, Present & Future of Pantomime | Pocket Size Theatre

If you are locked down in Tier 3 you can always try an online Pantomime like 

Peter Duncan's Jack and the Beanstalk 

REVIEW: Jack and the Beanstalk by Jack be Nimble in association with Everyman cinemas | Pocket Size Theatre

or 

Sleeping Trees' The Legend of Moby Dick Whittington 

REVIEW: Sleeping Trees' The Legend of Moby Dick Whittington (Online) | Pocket Size Theatre

Best wishes to all those Pantomime performers and crew not working this year . Look forward to seeing you again in 2021.

19/20 SEASON

 As we head towards Christmas all over the country venues are opening this season's Pantomimes. This wonderful British family Christmas tradition is so important to the financial health of the venues and offers so many young children their first live theatre experience. Wherever you live there will be a professional pantomime within a short drive of your home and every family should go to at least one this season. 

  

As is so often the case the most popular title this year is Cinderella with 35 productions in the survey. Looking through this year's rags to riches productions three caught my eye. Cinderella at the Fairfield Halls, Croydon (by Imagine Theatre) sees a return to Pantomime for this refurbished venue and with the brilliant punster Tim Vine as Buttons and Strictly winner Ore Oduba making his pantomime debut as Dandini , it promises to be a lively fun show. Across London at the Lyric, Hammersmith there will a traditional ensemble production and further north at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham (QDOS Entertainment) will feature the Best ugly sisters of 2019 from Coronation Street, Les Dennis and Connor McIntyre. 

Aladdin features in 30 productions with the one at the De Montfort Hall, Leicester (Imagine Theatre) seeing the returning X Factor winner Sam Bailey, last year's Best supporting female 2019 and popstar Antony Costa from Blue while just £22 will buy a ticket the South Hill Arts Park Centre, Bracknell version with staging and set by last year's winner Victoria Spearing for her Dick Whittington at that venue.



The 21 Snow White and the Seven dwarf include the hilarious Matt Slack now a regular at the Birmingham Hippodrome (QDOS Entertainment) worth every penny alongside the wonderful Lesley Joseph, a previous nominee and the excellent Flawless. This team were a 2018 nominee for best Panto for Cinderella at the Birmingham Hippodrome. Another favourite Pantomime venue with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is the Richmond Theatre (QDOS Entertainment) with Jo Brand and Jon Clegg. This venue won Best male villain in 2019 with Robert Lindsay as Hook in Peter Pan. Another past winner of awards the Opera House, Manchester (QDOS Entertainment) also stages Snow White with Craig Revel Horwood and Eric Potts both dressed as females! Last year's Best comic Ben Nickless returns to the Manchester Opera House as well.

 

Jack and the Beanstalk features in 21 productions in the survey but without doubt the leading production is at the Kings Theatre, Glasgow (QDOS Entertainment) with two of the top Pantomime stars, Elaine C Smith and Johnny Mac. This venue won Pantomime of the year for Venues over 1500 seats in 2019 for Aladdin and was a 2018 nominee for Sleeping Beauty.


 Away from the biggest titles is the biggest Pantomime with Goldilocks and the Three Bears set in a circus at the London Palladium (QDOS Entertainment), the most expensive ticket at £175 (£34.50 the cheapest) but with extraordinary production values , costumes and sets and returning stars Julian Clary , Paul O'Grady and Nigel Havers. This venue was the 2018 winner for Dick Whittington. Last year's Pantomime of the year for between 750 and 1500 seats with Beauty and the Beast, at Edinburgh King's Theatre follows up with their version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears (QDOS Entertainment) with another of the great Scottish Pantomime stars Allan Stewart returning with his Auntie May character.





Peter Pan is now well established as a pantomime title with 16 productions and the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton (QDOS Entertainment) promises a spectacular show including many of the Birmingham Hippodrome cast from last year including Darren Day who took over from Jimmy Osmond at short notice last year as Hook and Jamie Hensley as Peter Pan. The Liverpool Empire (QDOS Entertainment) and the Blackpool Grand (UK Productions) look good alternatives.



Dick Whittington is a great title but there are only 9 productions in the survey with the best likely to be at the gorgeous Hackney Empire where Best Dame 2019 winner Clive Rowe for Aladdin at Hackney Empire returns. He has a delightful stage presence and drives the show with an easy charm.



The 14 productions of Beauty and the beast often suffer by comparison with the Disney version but the production at the Theatre Royal Bath (UK Productions) always delivers and is a perfect venue for Pantomime. It features again Jan Monie who has established a strong local following and last year wrote an award-winning script for Blackpool. The Beauty and the Beast at the Theatre Royal, Newcastle Upon Tyne (QDOS Entertainment) will be staged around father and son comedy duo Danny Adams and Clive Webb and is sure to be a funny show. The Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage (Jordan Productions) follows on from the venue's Pantomime of the Year under 750 seats for Snow White. 

17 Sleeping Beauty productions are always intriguing to see how they present the 100-year time shift and there will surely be great differences between these four versions. Sleeping Beauty at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre will feature 2019 Best choreography winner Katie Beard for Cinderella and was a 2018 best Panto venue nominee for Dick Whittington. Whereas Sleeping Beauty at the Palace Theatre, Watford Is written by Andrew Pollard and designed by Cleo Pettitt and is sure to have some fresh original ideas. Sleeping Beauty at the York Theatre Royal will also feel different this year following the retirement after 40 years of GB Pantomime lifetime achievement winner Berwick Kaler as Dame but regulars Martin Barrass as the Queen, Suzy Cooper as Beauty and the dastardly David Leonard as the wicked Evil Diva all return. The Sleeping Beauty at the St Albans Arena (Evolution Productions) will feature Rita Simons (EastEnders’ Roxy Mitchell), Best supporting male winner Bob Golding (back in a dress) and St Albans favourite Ian Kirby in a show written by the excellent Paul Henry.

Of the other titles Robin Hood at the Salisbury Playhouse promises brilliant sets , costumes and a strong ensemble production as he did when it won in 2018 as best Pantomime for Jack & The Beanstalk and another top venue offers Mother Goose at the Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury (Evolution Productions). 



There are so many good shows to see and it is always a joy to see young audiences interacting with the cast in the traditional shout outs of "behind you" , booing the villains and the fun of the Songsheet with young audience members on stage. There is nothing like it and I urge you to support your local production. 





Nick Wayne 




2018/19 Round up

As 2019 starts many of this year's crop of Pantomimes have closed although such treats as the technically brilliantly Peter Pan continues until 27th January at Birmingham Hippodrome and the amazing Berwick Kaler does not bow out after forty years at York Theatre royal in the Grand Old Dame until the first weekend of February.

Having seen twenty eight of this year's offerings I can report that the genre is alive and well with huge audiences around the country in every venue and packed school visit matinees giving young children that all important first visit to see a live show . The Fairy stories that under pin these shows are very familiar to the audiences but many of the topical and musical references in these show are common to the shows. Baby Shark , the viral musical video hit of 2018 was included in most shows if not as the songsheet than shoe horned into the story and always drew an incredible response from the young audiences. Musically The Greatest Showman must have provided the most tunes for the shows including versions of "This is me ", "Come alive" , "A Million dreams" and " rewrite the stars" all featured regularly sometimes with new words.

Many shows also included Mrs May dancing and many Dames wore their Brexit dress ,"people wanted to see me out if it, but now I am they are not so sure".  We had references to Love Island, I'm a celebrity, Paw Patrol ,the Fortnite game  and You-Twit-Face - a new social media platform ! Of course the regular pantomime routines of the Ghost bench , 12 days of Christmas and if I were not upon the stage all featured regularly , oh yes they did .

The star performances were Clive Rowe's dame at Hackney Empire , Robert Lindsay as Hook in Richmond ,  Michelle Gayle as the Fairy Godmother in Guildford , Ben Nickless as Buttons in Manchester and Jimmy Osmond as Hook in Birmingham . 

As the main pantomime season draws to a close it is interesting to reflect on how different producers approached certain titles this year amongst the shows I saw .In all I saw five versions of Peter Pan, two from Qdos at Birmingham Hippodrome and Richmond , two from U.K. Productions at Bath Theatre Royal and Aylesbury Waterside and one In House production at Portsmouth New Theatre. Each takes a different approach to the full JM Barrie story telling , the inclusion of traditional pantomime routines and the casting of variety style acts .

The Qdos shows were written by Alan McHugh and dispenses with many traditional elements of the original story stripping back the tale to Peter and Wendy flying to Neverland to defeat

Captain Hook and in doing so losing the essence of narrative . We no longer see
Mr Darling in the nursery grappling with the fact that his daughter is growing up or Wendy seeking a kiss from Peter Pan when they first meet and being shot at by Tootles . It lessens the meaning of the relationship between Wendy , Her father and Peter . They dispense with these details to make space for the variety acts and special FX and keep the playing time to two hours.

U.K. productions both written by Julian Lane retain the story elements with an opening scene in the nursery and Mr Darling (played by same actor as Hook), Lisa the maid and the Nana the dog. They add the Pantomime elements by in both productions having the actor playing Smee enter the Nursery through the open window as an Amazon delivery man for no obvious reason other than to introduce the actor early! In Aylesbury's case La Voix , the brilliant female impersonator, plays Mrs Smee in London and the Mermaid in Neverland.

Only the New Theatre Portsmouth tries to tell the full traditional story in a dramatic narrative with out variety or pantomime interludes but then it could be played this way at anytime of the year and hardly feels that it fills the Christmas family Entertainment category.

Whichever way it is written the success depends on the casting with Captain Hook being the star of the show . In Richmond Robert Lindsay makes his pantomime debut to great effect bringing a Shakespearean quality combined with the best of musical theatre . It is mesmerising and wonderful to watch. In Birmingham and Bath the casting of Hook was Jimmy Osmond (until illness meant he had to be replaced by Darren Day ) and Paul Nicholas providing a more poppy seventies feel to the performances.  In Aylesbury and Portsmouth they cast actors as Hook, the experienced Jon Mitchie and the young Timothy Lucas . Lucas effectively takes over the whole show and very skilfully draws out the contrast between Mr Darling and Captain Hook .

Hook's side kick Smee is played in four productions by a comic and given plenty of stage time to provide the entertainment and audience interaction that is such a part of the pantomime . Andy Collins in Aylesbury , Matt Slack in Birmingham and Jon Monie in Bath are regulars in the annual shows in these venues and a key part of the audience sell and expectations . In Richmond he is played by Jon Clegg , the impressionist who makes a very good double act with Lindsey. Only in the Portsmouth production played by Joshua Crowther, is the role played straight .

In all of the productions the supposed central roles of Peter and Wendy are secondary to the Pirates and only Tim Edwards as Peter in Bath really makes a strong impact , although in Aylesbury we do get a traditional pantomime boy with Jessica Punch reprising Peter.

Although producers have become very conscious of the female roles and how they are presented the dominance of the three main make characters makes this challenging . Mrs  Darling , Tinkerbell , Tiger Lily and the Mermaid are featured but remain bit parts although in Bath Wendy takes over from Peter to defeat Hook.

All the shows using flying for Peter and Wendy , some also fly Michael and John , and in Birmingham the mermaid also rather curiously flies too! The crocodile is also treated differently too. Birmingham has huge special effects to end each Act and frighten both Hook and the children in the audience and Richmond has a smaller version to end Act 1. In Bath the crocodile is more cartoonish and comical.  

They all work as shows but my preference is for the UK Production approach to the script with Twin FX special effects to add to the spectacle and a comic with fresh business to makes us laugh.